Guys, looking for a shock recommendation for my 1993 3.0 4x4 SR5 extra cab.

I don't 4 wheel and the truck is all stock. I do go off road but nothing hard core-just to get to my shooting spot.

I'm getting old, so a cush ride is what I have in mind.

Don't want to spend a fortune. I am a DIY'er.

Please shoot some ideas--OE, KYB, Gabriel?

 

I've been looking into the same subject, but for my 2wd standard pickup. Most of the comments I find are about the 4WD models though.

Common comments:
Monroe Sensa Trac- Not good, Garbage, wears out fast.
One person even commented that he changed an S10 over from the factory equipped Bilsteins to Sensa Trac's. He said they were worse than the used Bilstein's that had 100,000+ miles on them.
Rancho- (Supposedly made by Monroe) Stiff ride
KYB- Stiff Ride
Stock- (Supposedly made by Tokico) Not a bad ride, last's good while, OK price
Bilstein- Very good, Good Ride, lasts a good while, High priced

After reading about the Gabriel Max Control I would look at them, OEM, and Bilstein's.
The Gabliel's don't really seem that much cheaper than the Bilstein's at only 20 per shock (if you hunt) meh....

 

The skyjackers i bought seem to provide an ok feel, probably a little stiffer than you would like though. They were only 35 dollars a piece too.

 

I had Ranchos RS5000 since I bought the truck in 1993 and replaced them in 2010 with KYB when they started leaking. After 4 years, the KYBs leaked (both rear) and replaced all 4 with Bilstein 4600 series. I would go with Bilsteins.

 

I guess it comes down to your driving style.

I have been running The Monroe Sensa-Tracs for years mine seem to do the job. Then I use Warn Hubs and they don`t fall off either.

If they are failing it is mechanical not the hydraulics or the wrong application for the use.

Over the years I have used Rancho Monroe Gabriel Skyjackers might have been some i forgot

You do have to run all 4 of the same shocks mixing and matching never works unless your going in a straight line and run something like 90/10`s in the front.

Poor rear shocks will also make you curse the front shocks you just installed.

Thinking they are complete junk.

When I do Shocks I do all 4 .

I have never really had a shock fail that I installed had a few packaged wrong . Any brand can have a bad one out of the box.

 

Honolulu has the poorest roads in the nation. The damage wasn't from rock crawling but driving into potholes that are 2 inches or more deep. I had to replace the wheel bearings and both front axles.

 

Depends on your driving style If the pot holes are that bad not much different then rock crawling .

I make people tell me I am # 1 all the time driving slow through pot holes and train tracks

Although I fail to see what causes your pot holes as you don`t have the freeze thaw cycles .

Then it could just be the under laying base is soft and sinks and compresses at different rates at different places.

 

I bought my truck with a set of fairly new KYBs. Brutal ride! Truck would bounce around on the road whenever I hit a bump or something. Switched to Bilsteins. Very happy.

 

Ended up with some economy shocks from Rock Auto.

I must say, they provide a better ride. With that said, anything would be better than the OE shocks I removed...161,000 miles and those bad boys were leaking and dead!

 

Replaced my OE shocks that had 200K with Monroe Sensa-trac, ride is much smoother and haven't had any problems so far, but only 1,000 miles ago.