Every since I installed my leveling kit and new Rancho shocks, I hear a thumping sound while going over sharp bumps. Sounds like a loose shock on Driver's side. I read alot of posts about tightening the heck out of the lower shock bolt, tried it and didn't work. Read about putting the rubber mounts from the top of the stock shocks on the new shocks, tried it and that didn't work. Read about the lower shock mount bolt being too small for the Rancho's bottom sleeve, replaced the sleeve insert with one that was super tight in the rubber and no play at all for the bolt, thought that would do it for sure, but it didn't. Took the driver's side shock out, drove the truck over bumps and no more clunking noise. What is the deal? Could the new shock be bad? Does it mean that the shock is definitely making the clunking noise or just by it being installed, it causes something else to make the noise? Please help! I've been wrenching on this truck for a week and can't seem to solve the problem. Maybe just put the stock shocks back on?

 

Well, just took the POS Ranchos off the front and put the stock ones back on and the noise is gone. What the Heck? Can somebody please tell me what is happening? Now I need to buy front shocks again, but what kind to get that won't cause me another headache for a week?

 

I'd take them back to wherever you got them and have them replaced under warranty...should be 90 days. Then when you put the new ones in make sure they are on right side up.

If that doesn't help get your money back and buy Bilsteins.

 

Get the Bilsteins - you won't be disappointed. I tried the Ranchos on my 04.5 as there were no Bilsteins available for my truck at the time when I needed them. Ranchos didn't seem any better than the factory shocks.
Just replaced the factory shocks on the 07.5 with Bilsteins all around @ 80k miles. BIG difference - love 'em.

 

Just took it for a ride down a bumpy gravel road and never heard any unusual noise. The Rancho on the driver's side is the one that was causing me all the grief, but now that it is laying here on the bench, I can't see what could be wrong with it. I'll probably get some Bilsteins, but which ones are you talking about...the yellow or silver ones? The yellow ones are lower in price.

 

Either...The Yellow 7100 series (I think) I ran on an old jeep of mine, worked way better than the RS5000 Rancho's. The Silver 9500 (again I think) are even better, but you won't notice much of a ride difference, they just hold up better under serious abuse.

 

Thanks, I gotta get this done so I can start some other projects on the truck.

 

You want the 5100's. You can get them at:

Lorenz Industries, www.lorenzindustries.com
Defiant Products, www.defianttruckproducts.com

The 7100's are more expensive and are used for higher end suspension systems.

 

I knew it was some number like that, just couldn't remember off the top of my head. Thanks Firemans.

 

my front ranchos are doing the same thing ,it was the lower bushing are gone after 3 months of use ,pieces of crap.

 

I had Ranchos on a Ford I had. I was not impressed; even the finish on them looked like crap after less than a year.

 

i had a problem with the valving on some ranchos i had on a ranger. high speed vibration especially in turns like on freeway transitions. balanced tires, replaced radius arm bushings, checked ball joints, checked wheel bearings,etc. i contacted rancho's customer service and told them my problem. they said there is NO WAY a shock could cause the symptom i described. i asked them if i tried another shock and it fixed the problem would they buy me the shocks. they guarranteed the shocks would not fix it. needless to say i didn't pay for my next set of shocks on my ranger. the ranger is gone now for bigger and better truck.

anyway we have the bilstein 5100's now on both trucks in signature. we love em. just got back from a race in barstow, got some good "test" driving in before the race.... man i LOVE those shocks...

 

If they had a better bushing on the bottom of these Ranchos, the shocks would be fine IMO, If I could get them out and find some good bushings, I'd probably try it since I'm out the money on these already. I threw the boxes and receipt away like an idiot.