new shocks

[john112deere]

Just installed two new Bilsteins in the front of the Ranger.

I'd ordered a full set, but the rears are backordered.

Tried to time it so I could do them when I swapped the snow tires on, and this afternoon seemed like a good time (first dusting of snow last night, shocks showed up midday today, nice weather). Except I forgot about changing the clocks, and it took a little longer fighting with the top nut on the shocks than I anticipated, on top of a late start since I'd had lunch with a friend some distance away.

So I changed the second shock, and swapped both rear tires in the dark, with one of those little $3 LED flashlights held between my teeth.

Haven't test-ridden it yet, but it'll be hard to tell just how much it improves...the tires that came off are in pretty rough shape, so they were causing a lot of noise and vibrations.

 

[Beach66Bum]

New shocks and different tires, you'll notice a big change

 

[jebadiah04]

I love new shocks. U get the chevy bounce right out

 

[O'Rattlecan]

You can remove the shocks from the rear and forget about it forever.

Ryan

 

[john112deere]

So as it happens, I have a picture of the worn out tires back when they were new:

Guess some of the siping wore off over the years...

 

[surewhynot]

It's gonna be like driving a new truck.

 

[john112deere]

It sure is nice that it doesn't shake like an out-of-balance Maytag at highway speeds anymore.

Hard telling how much was the badly cupped tires and how much was the shocks. Just for kicks, I fully compressed the old ones and left 'em on the porch overnight. One managed to fully extend, but not immediately. The other is still fully compressed, but it did suffer more damage in the removal process, so it might not have been that bad before I started working.

 

[DNFXDLI]

I'd say those shocks were 100% pooched.

 

[john112deere]

Just installed the rears- they were backordered last fall, and by the time they showed up it was too cold to want to change 'em.

Feels tons better on washboard dirt- the front shocks that came off seem much more thoroughly failed than the rears, but the rears made tons more difference in ride quality.

Bilstein 4600 series, since I seem to have omitted that detail earlier in the thread.