Like the car but harsh ride

[visconte]

I hate to say it but my old Jeep grand cherokee takes highway/freeway bumps/potholes better than the VX! oh well. I've had the just two weeks but gradually sinks in that the ride is a tad harsh. Mine still has the stock shox on it and I am thinking one of the front shocks might be bad as there is some bounce to the offside front wheel. Not asking for a soft ride but don't want to feel every single bump jolt either. I have read something about the Rancho shocks, are they an improvement? Any info appreciated thanks in advance.
Thx Vis

ps So much for a dealer's "100 point check" ! -- rear diff was down at least 750cc on fluid and transfer case atf was rancid brown. Front axle fluid had never been changed in nearly 50K miles, and actual tranny ATF altho newish had been waaay overfilled [mysterious] and crankcase oil was at least one quart over-filled!

[Green Dragon]

Ck tranny fluid with engine running otherwise it will APPEAR overfilled.

Cut off triangular protion of rear bumper stops to prevent that bottoming out feeling.

Bob;Do;

[Triple X]

Vis - I put the Ranchos on my VX before the engine died. Only had them maybe a week, but can tell you that you can get a softer ride out of them. The higher settings will feel more like the stock shocks. I had mine set on 3 for frequent highway commuting. They definitely dampened the road feel and smoothed out the bumps, but you will suffer in handling the curves to some degree (though not enough to bother me) and on a rough road the Ranchos on a soft setting will give you more chasis undulation that the stocks.

[Cyrk]

Triple X can you get the ranchos back? I would love to get them...

[powered by isuzu]

isn't there a reason why those rear bumper stops are put there? Just a question?:confused:

[t2p]

vis:
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My 00 VX with 35K was horrible - until I replaced all four OEM shock absorbers. Three were totally shot - one was only a tad better than the other three.
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I replaced the OEM shock absorbers with KYB MonoMax units.
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I like the ride now - firm, but dampened (damped ?). Takes care of the bumps and holes well - especially the real nasty sections of road. This with 255-55-18 tires at 38 psi cold (approx).
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How do they compare with the OEM units ? ??? I will never know because mine were too worn to compare.
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The short wheelbase may be a contibutor - when compared to the Jeep GC - but a good set of shock absorbers might alleviate your 'harshness'.
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t2p

[visconte]

...and in response to Bob the tranny fluid was checked according to workshop manual procedures with the engine idling in park and fluid temperature between 90 and 135 degrees. It was definitely overfilled. Replacing the fluid and getting it to the right level seriously improved both performance and fuel consumption. BTW I've driven the car about 1K miles now and it has not burned any oil -- now that's a relief!
:)

[doubleadesign]

My wife has a Liberty and the difference in the ride in huge. Can I just look for Liberty shocks? some of the posts lean towards $200-300/piece shocks that seem to last about a year. I've got just about 50k miles and am just now begining to be bothered by the jarring ride. I'd like to not spend $1000 on shocks. One post said he was going to put up something that listed all the shocks that would fit a VX. Did this ever happen? I drive mostly highway and bumpy potholed Chicago city streets. So you got one more guy looking for the same answer. Also, I agree with the other guy. Isn't that triangular piece supposed to be there? What is the worst that can happen if I cut it off?
thanks!

[Reg Hinnant]

That shock post is here.
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2934&perpage=15&highlight=shock*&pagenumber=2
We have 1 member that is currently trying the Bilstein shocks listed and he feels that they are comparable to the stock shocks in stiffness. That is what he is trying, after he wore out Ranchos in 1 year.
Shocks are one of the hardest working items on your vehicle so choose well.
;Dr;

[t2p]

doubledesign:
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Four KYB MonoMax shock absorbers for the VX cost under $200 shippped. I purchased mine from Tire Rack.
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I do not know how these shock absorbers compare to the other available shock absorbers for the VX. My guess is they would not be a good choice for serious off road use. They do appear to work well for me on the horrible roads of Western PA.
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The VX - Liberty comparision may not be a good one - two different types of vehicles ..... I'm not sure the VX ride will approach the ride of a Liberty (never driven in a Liberty).
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t2p

[doubleadesign]

I've never really driven a sports car so I'm not sure what I'd be losing in stiffness with different shocks. There are quite a few posts that some of these shocks give a smoother ride but you loose the sporty handling. I think i've ruined this by putting on Mickey Thompsons. I swear these tires are going to be this Vx's downfall. I love teh look but I think my tires are insane. They are like Calvin's bicycle (for those who read the strip). That is another project i am considering. I'd like to get some road stability back. I like the hugeness of the tire but i think i'd like to find if there is a VX sized version of a tire you'd see on a porche type car. The really wide ones. Or is all this tire trouble really the shocks?

[Raque Thomas]

As mentioned in the post above, I've wondered about the effect of wider tires on our rims in terms of handling - can anyone else put in their $.02 worth that has gone with wider tires on the stock rims? Seems that you would get some side-to-side movement by having a tire wider than originally intended - and that this would affect the feel or handling?? I just noticed that at 23K miles, the wear bars on my tires are about to show - time for new shoes, and I'd like to go wider but not at the expense of handling.

[doubleadesign]

Especially since i thought wider tires would add stability. Though I thought this expecting to get new rims. 18's? 20's look weird. And I don't want to go to 23's because the expense seems outlandish though it looks great.

[t2p]

raque:
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My VX was equipped with new 265-60-18's. I drove it this way for a few weeks. MasterCraft Courser HTR Plus all season touring type tire. MasterCraft tires are manufactured by Cooper Tire (I believe).

I felt the 265-60's were too big for my intended driving - so I found a local tire dealer that switched the 265-60's for a closer-to-OEM-size 255-55-18. Same tire - Mastercraft Courser HTR Plus.
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I like 255's better. They feel better - and I prefer the look. The difference is noticeable.
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The Courser HTR Plus is not a high performance V rated (or similar) tire, but it does have a nice tread pattern and high UTOG (or whatever) number somewhere around 400. The ride is decent and the noise is relatively low. The sidewalls are especially beefy and include a nifty raised area that can protect the rim from abrasions. The price is reasonable also - a tad over $100 a tire.
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t2p

[visconte]

...until contract finishes [knock on wood] and then its back up north for me. The freeways and roads on PV peninusula can be pot-holed and bumpy with a lot of very poor quality roads, either the state highway people don't like LA or the roads are too busy to fix! :( Anyway leaning toward the KYB MonoMax since I don't do any real off-roading and looking for a compromise choice? Thx again, steve

[SGT.BATGUANO]

monomax on epay $185 shipped

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=33590&item=2451547972&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT

[SPAZZ]

I thought my VX had a harsh ride untill I changed out the rear shocks for some extra firms...solved problem

[doubleadesign]

what kind of "extra firms"?

[Robert]

Guys,

How can I tell that the shocks are shot . I am used to the harsh ride from the beginning but now I am curious whether my shocks are OK before my warranty expires.

Thanks for any instructions.

Robert

[Navigator]

Originally posted by Robert
Guys,

How can I tell that the shocks are shot . I am used to the harsh ride from the beginning but now I am curious whether my shocks are OK before my warranty expires.

Thanks for any instructions.

Robert

If the car stops and a corner dips and bounces... chances are that shock is bad.

If you hit a bump and the wheel bounces like a ball and the VX leans to the side of the bouncing wheel...chances are that shock is bad.

If all four wheels are glued to the ground regardless of what you run over...Your shocks are GOOD.

The stock ride is hard, but it keeps the wheels planted firm to the ground. It's a compromise going to a softer ride, but if you don't drive extreme you will benifit from changing your shocks to something softer.

Rancho 9000's are ajustable and have 9 settings, none are as firm as stock, all are comfortable. Ride control is near stock from setting 7 and above, but even at 9 the VX feels less agressive than stock. IMO you retain about 70% performance in high speed cornering with the Rancho 9000's on 9. Bear in mind, there is no real need to corner at high speed and the comfort factor you experience in day to day driving can far outweigh the ability to corner without braking (or minimal braking). Also you get a tad bit more body roll and crosswind effects with softer shocks. Rancho's have a lifetime warranty, so failure's should not effect your pocket again.

Haven't tried Rancho 5000's, they are not ajustable, but carry the same lifetime warranty as the 9000's. So you have nothing to loose.

I tried Gabriel Ultra Premium SUV shocks. They were luxurious, aka very soft. Bumps are a thing of the past and so is sporty handling. again, not a problem, If your driving style is not sporty.
BTW these shocks held up great on the same washboard roads that killed one of my OEM stocks. They also have a lifetime warranty, so you'll only buy new shocks again if you need to change your driving style.

There are others, I just haven't tried them, but to summarize make sure what ever you buy has a lifetime warranty so you won't need to digg deep in your pockets again. Shocks fail because of USE. The harder you use them the sooner they will fail, solve that problem with a warranty and smooth out your ride. Nothin beats stock IMO, but the warranty is limited on those, and like anything they will fail if you ride them too hard.

[Robert]

Thanks Nav,

I hope you can make it to Kahunaville this weekend.

Robert

[azskyrider]

Anybody try sending them out to overhaul them?

My race bike had shocks with remote resevoirs and there are shops that will revalve the shocks and change the internals,fluids, and recharge it to handle what ever dampning you want.
Lindleman Engineering in one company. They also will Nitrate it for less resistance on compression. On the Race track in made one hell of a difference.


Just a thought....

[t2p]

Robert:
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The 'bounce test' may help ..........
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there should be a spot somewhere around the front bumper cover that you can use to push down .....
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and for the rear - open the rear door and then there is a good spot to push down on the rear of the VX .........
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you can also perform a 'brake test' to determine the condition of the fronts: spike the brakes pedal while moving forward (slowly) .....
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t2p

[WormGod]

I changed up from the stock to the Rancho RS9000 series shocks about a month ago. I like them a lot, as they offer a smoother, more lush ride, however.... I do miss that ultimate firmness. When the roads are in good shape, the stock shock is ideal, in my opinion. After this winter though, the road is ridden with potholes and the stock shocks made for a very hard, rough ride. The Ranchos offer a softer touch to those potholes.

In all, I am still a fan of the stock shocks. I guess you really need to use your best judgement when selecting a shock according to your ride enjoyment.

[Dallas4u]

I love the ride of the stock shocks (yup, mine are still working fine). I don't think I could make myself go with something else unless mine crapped on me... even then I would need something stiff.

If we can find something, preferably adjustable, that can produce something really close to stock siffness on the siffest setting... I would be all over that. Until then, I will wear these things out.

[visconte]

... the car has the stocker shocks and one of the front wheels is definitely bouncing when taking the bumps, so the fronts are bad. No issues with rears, and I was wondering about Monomax or Ranchos on the front and leaving the rears alone but that might make things worse. Best to replace all four. Vis

[VehiP&J]

I love the stiffness of the stock shocks. My vx is at 48,000 and the shocks are still holding strong. I am used to feeling ever bump being that all my cars have had suspension modification. Normally lowering my cars but, I just couldn't see going with something else. I love the feel of the VX. It feels like it can handle like a sports car. The tires are allways stuck on the road.

[SuperDave]

I like the tight, almost dune buggy ride that the original shocks provide at speed. Although Rust Belt streets can present off-road type challenges, I' ve really babied the '99 VX and still enjoy excellent handling even after 31k.

[visconte]

Just a shot in the dark but went with the KYB Monomax shocks in the end, these have been fitted and I am very pleased with the results! Pls bear in mind these are for the streets of LA [potholes] and so far all is well.

This leaves me with the four stockers, three of which are okay - one of the fronts is bad. If anyone is interested in these four stock shocks they have 47K miles on them but again three are okay. Asking $50 plus UPS shipping for all four stock shocks, I am in California and can accept Paypal if anyone is interested... thx, Vis