-
Ford Explorer Community - Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
Explorer Forum Covers the Explorer ST, Explorer Sport, Explorer Sport Trac, Lincoln Aviator,
Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Ford Aerostar
Register Today It's free!
What kind of Shocks?
- Thread starter jeems
- Start date
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!.
stevetimleck
Active Member
- Joined
- August 14, 2000
- Messages
- 56
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- toronto
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 98 sport
dont get the sensa tracs they are harsh as heck! firm and very controlled no sway but stiff as heck
JatZilla
Member
- Joined
- November 10, 2001
- Messages
- 39
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Central NJ
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '98 4.0L SOHC, 4WD EddieB
I have edelbrocks on mine and they're great. Haven't used any other shocks yet, so I can't compare them to other shocks but I think ANY aftermarket shocks would be a big improvement over the stock ones! I've heard good things about the bilsteins and monroe reflex shocks too.
99EXP
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- November 20, 2001
- Messages
- 150
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Midland, TX
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2000 EXP XLT
i need new shocks too and the gabriel VST's are most cost worthy but there isnt a pep boys here, so is there any other place that carries those brand of shocks?
Blue Steel
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- March 19, 2001
- Messages
- 758
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Wilmington, NC
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- Explorer '97 XLT SOHC
i just ordered some old man emu shocks that are made for 1.5" of lift for the explorer. heck, if they're made in austrailia for the outback, you know they're tough 
- Joined
- May 13, 2000
- Messages
- 4,644
- Reaction score
- 106
- City, State
- Cape Girardeau, MO
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 94 Sport 4x4
This is all my experienced opinion, but:
best inexpensive shock for explorer= Gabriel VST
best hi-line shock for explorer= Bilstein
I have experience with VSTs on Explorers and they were good shocks for the money...well let me put it this way, the $30 Gabriels could hang with the $70 Edelbrocks any day of the week.
As you can see by my sig I currently have Edelbrocks, and they are ok, but imo not worth their expensive price tag. One of my Ed's had a leaky O-ring within a week of installing, and I see by reading this thread I am not the only person to have to warranty out an Edelbrock shock. Seems like if you are paying $60-70 a shock, quality problems should be rare rare. But I will say this, Edelbrock gave me no problems and sent me a replacement FAST.
Still, next time around I will probably buy a set of Bil's.
best inexpensive shock for explorer= Gabriel VST
best hi-line shock for explorer= Bilstein
I have experience with VSTs on Explorers and they were good shocks for the money...well let me put it this way, the $30 Gabriels could hang with the $70 Edelbrocks any day of the week.
As you can see by my sig I currently have Edelbrocks, and they are ok, but imo not worth their expensive price tag. One of my Ed's had a leaky O-ring within a week of installing, and I see by reading this thread I am not the only person to have to warranty out an Edelbrock shock. Seems like if you are paying $60-70 a shock, quality problems should be rare rare. But I will say this, Edelbrock gave me no problems and sent me a replacement FAST.
Still, next time around I will probably buy a set of Bil's.
jjr007
Member
- Joined
- November 28, 2001
- Messages
- 27
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Northampton, Ma
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 97 xlt
Bilsteins used to be the ticket for all the offroad baja type racers. I used to have a V.W. beetle, and got all the proformance mags, and bilsteins were the offroaders choice, and konis were the ticket for onroad.
RebelYell
Member
- Joined
- December 7, 2001
- Messages
- 22
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Manassas, Virginia
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 96' XLT 4.0L OHV 4x4
Running Rancho RS 5000's on my 96' with real good results both on and off road (approx. 50K miles on this set). Ive got 2" and 2.5 " of lift front/rear with the torsion bars torqued and add-a-leaf on. Shocks cost about $180 for a set of four and are readily available. I'm considering RS 9000's or Edelbrocks for the next set.
Good Luck
WILL
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- October 16, 2000
- Messages
- 147
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Alsip, IL
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 97 XLT SOHC
I dont know where that guy paid $180, Desert Rat sells a set of 4 Rancho 5000's for $147 no shipping charge. I have had them for 3 weeks now and just completed a trip to KY and love them. For a shock comparo check out the latest Petersons 4 wheel off road. They compared a wide range of shocks.
Blue Steel
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- March 19, 2001
- Messages
- 758
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Wilmington, NC
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- Explorer '97 XLT SOHC
well i got my old man emu shocks today and installed them. they're pretty nice. heavy as anything, and are tough. going on bouncy roads where i usually had to slow down a lot in order to keep the bouncing to a minimum is no more with these shocks. i wouldn't be able to compare them to anything other than the stock shocks though.... because that's what i had before, but they're a heck of a lot better than stockers. those aussies know what they're doing 
Explorer Features
Explorer Features