Hi guys, I finally did a little investigating on the issue I have been having with my ball joint spacers, when I go over dips and the body raises up it feels like it is slamming into the bump stops. I was under the impression that the new Rancho RS9000X 9 ways that I installed before the BJ spacers were good for up to a 4" lift, I guess I read the wrong info somewhere along the line. I jacked the front end up today and the A arm is about 3/4 of an inch from hitting the bump stop with the wheel off the ground, so I guess I need to get some longer shocks up front. I installed Downey 2" rear lift springs also and have the Rancho 9000x back there also, I wonder if they are to short to... any input would be great, I really like the Ranchos they ride great and with the turn of the knob I can make them so stiff they don’t move or so loose they float. Please let me know what I need to do and what brand of shocks are long enough for my front end. I would think that the Ranchos would be good for the full range of motion of the stock suspension, which is not altered with the BJ spacers. I mean if you take a stock IFS truck and remove the torsion bars with any brand shocks you should be able to raise and lower the suspension to the factory bump stops with no problems right??? The BJ spacers just make the front A arms stay down 1.5" but would still have the same amount of travel?? I just confused the crap out of myself again.. Anyway please respond, I may look into adding some type of spacer to the front shocks, there is a good inch of threads sticking up above the top nut... Thanks again, matt

 

I used Rancho shocks for the front of an '88 Suzuki Samurai. Others on here have done the same. They seem to be a perfect fit with the B.J. spacers. I think the Rancho part number is something like 5167 or 5176. For the 9000 series I guess it would be 9167 or 9176?

 

Hi, I am going to have to buy a new pair of front shocks again, I have been told the Ranchos that I have now are no good for the ball joint spacers and they just are not what I should have for the type of driving I do.. I have had good luck with Bilstiens on my Saab turbo rally cars but am not sure if they are to stiff on a truck.. What brand shocks should be on my truck? Brand name does not matter to me, if Kmart brand shocks are what I need to have then I am off to the big K!!!! Please let me know so I can get a pair ordered and move on. Thanks again, Matt

 

Take your shocks off. Jack up the truck and let the tire extend all the way down and measure the distance between the shock mounts. Then compress it all the way and measure the compressed length. Call up whoever you decide to use for shocks and give them those measurements along with what type of shocks you need(ie: eye on one end, pin on the other for front end, eye's on both ends for the back end). That's the best way to do it.

 

Rancho RS5145 is the stock length shock for the IFS. which part# do you have? its stamped right on the shock body

Roger Brown, aka 4crawler, has great chart:
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/Rancho.shtml

the RS5167 is 1" longer and the RS5183 is 2" longer. you can look up the equivalent RS9000 or RS9900.


maybe others will chime in w/ what they used. some have shimmed their shocks down to help out