Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi, Any one know how to make Rancho 9000x's 9speeds any softer I've got a new set ( REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY for leaking 5speeds ). I could run the 5 speeds on setting 2 for a good ride on the blacktop and 1 was great for offroad.

Now my little Feroza rides like its got solid bars fitted. The guys at Rancho basically said " what you got is what you get".

I've tried running them without the adjusters fitted however it was much the same. Wondering if anyone has ever taken some apart, maybe an easy mod I can do.

Rancho 9 speeds are great, start with to firm and only get harder.

i thought the 9000x was the same stiffness as the 9000 but with more adjustments
i.e 9000x on settin 9 was the same as 9000 on setting 5


i have 9000x on the front of mine an i run them on settin 3

and on the rear i have 9000 an i run them on setting 2

an i think that is fine on a sierra

To my knowledge Redzook is correct. The only difference between the 9000's and the 9000x's should be the adjustability - the valving is supposed to be the same.

If you are unable to get them to ride soft enough for you, perhaps you could consider (at least at the back of the car) making some customer shock mounts and laying the shocks over more - the more perpendicular to the wheel travel they are, the less dampening affect they have (i.e. make them nearly horizontal and they will provide next to no resistance, have them vertical and they will provide maximum resistance).

I've also seen various tables around showing the application for each of the rancho's - perhaps you have been jibbed and should consider taking them back?

I run 99112's on mine - one setting 1 all the time - heaps of body roll - but lets face it - i'm not driving it for it's cornering ability.

the Rancho 9000xs have a lot more oil flow thru them so the valving will be entirely different to a previous set of 9000s you might have had. You may find that the application you originally had is now not suitable and a lighter valved application is the go

perhaps you guys with light are cars would be better off with something other than rancho.... not much point in having them if you can't use the adjustability. Is it only for the lengths that you use?

On my GQ, I run them at 4/5 on road..... 3 most of the time offroad and 1 on the really slow stuff.....

Theres different valving in different ranchos.
When guys just get a chart of lengths and go yeah that'll do me with no regard to what the original application was then problems ocour. Some part numbers are only for light weight dual shock applications and some are for 1 tons.

getdirty wrote:perhaps you guys with light are cars would be better off with something other than rancho.... not much point in having them if you can't use the adjustability. Is it only for the lengths that you use?

On my GQ, I run them at 4/5 on road..... 3 most of the time offroad and 1 on the really slow stuff.....

Quite true, my shocks are definately not designed for what we are using them for.

I am using them for their length and valving - the 99112's that i have are designed to be used as duel shocks in the rear corners of big ford truck i believe.

The LWB LJ in the suzuki club runs 99012's which were (at the time) the longest shocks he could get his hands on - they are even longer and softer than my 99112's but Auto Alliance didn't have them when i wanted them...

Liam wrote:Theres different valving in different ranchos.
When guys just get a chart of lengths and go yeah that'll do me with no regard to what the original application was then problems ocour. Some part numbers are only for light weight dual shock applications and some are for 1 tons.

This is what I thought to be true also. They should also be run the right way up, as the flow valving is in the control head, correct?

Hi Liam,

Can I ask you which is the right way up My 9000x's have the adjuster on the bottom while the 5 speeds had the adjusting knob at the top. The ride with the origional 5 speeds was good.

BTW, the shocks for my Feroza were chosen by Auto Alliance.

Liam wrote:Theres different valving in different ranchos.
When guys just get a chart of lengths and go yeah that'll do me with no regard to what the original application was then problems ocour. Some part numbers are only for light weight dual shock applications and some are for 1 tons.

The Rancho web site lists all the RS9000X part numbers and the different vehicles each one fits. The Feroza part number is also used on a 3/4 ton Ford truck! Rancho seem to be of the opinion that if it bolts in it will fit- the internal valving doesn't seem to be changed.

I was very close to buying them for my Feroza until I found that out.

Sorry to still hear your having problems Leon.

Hi David,

It's not to bad if I carry a few bags of cement in the back.

I'm going to attempt to modify the rears by altering the piston stroke on the adjusters, be a lot easier if Rancho or someone else had done it before.

Maybe next week, this weekend it's diff mod time. Going to see a few people I've talked to on the phone.

afaik modifing the adjusters or taking them right out wont make that much diff, if the ranchos arnt suited to you , sell them whilst they are now and buy something else

Le0n wrote:Hi David,

It's not to bad if I carry a few bags of cement in the back.

I'm going to attempt to modify the rears by altering the piston stroke on the adjusters, be a lot easier if Rancho or someone else had done it before.

Maybe next week, this weekend it's diff mod time. Going to see a few people I've talked to on the phone.

Good luck. Would you be able to sell them likes been suggested? I can't remember exactly what other vehicles they fitted apart from the Ford truck?

I got my rear Bilsteins on Thursday and will be fitting them today, they ended up being custom made by Quadrant Suspension in Melbourne as it was a two month wait for the factory ones to come from Germany. I'm hoping they've got the valving right!

Had another talk to Kirk from Auto Alliance today, He is sending me a set of rubber shock mounts, says maybe the poly ones are to hard.

I'll give em a go before any mods.