I see it is that time of year, and Rancho is running their yearly get 4 for price of 3 sale if anybody is interested.
I see it is that time of year, and Rancho is running their yearly get 4 for price of 3 sale if anybody is interested.
Where? Sam's Offroad doesn't have their sale until June.
Sent from my "two hands on a keyboard"
Check again! Woo hoo!
http://samsrancho.com/
OEM roof rack, Thule Xpedition 696 rack, Rancho RS9000 shocks, OME 913 coil springs, 3" lift, American Racing Teflon Chambers wheels, Yokohama Geolandar HT/S G051 tires (275/70/16), Energy Suspension greaseable bushings, steel-braided Kevlar-reinforced brake lines, WeatherTech wind deflectors, Malibu 18w driving lights, Plasma SuperWhite 100w headlights, NGK Iridium plugs, K&N drop-in air filter, Optima Red Top, Psychos2 rear-door subwoofer enclosure w/CDT Audio 10" sub, Blaupunkt subwoofer amp, iPod Video 80GB, Kenwood KVT-617 DVD head unit w/7" motorized touch-screen, Kenwood GPS HD navigation module, Kenwood iPod adapter, Kenwood back-up camera, Sirius radio, Flowmaster Extreme Off-Road muffler (black diamond-plate steel) w/ carbon fiber tip, Ford Taurus OEM cup-holder/coin tray (single-DIN/lower bay), personalized license plate "ORBITAL", 3M window tint, debadged, removed rear seat, custom 'radiation symbol' side magnetic signs, VX Concepts front skid plate
do these offer an improvement over stock? i know they are adjustable which gives a softer ride, but i thought you wanted a stiff suspension for performance? also how hard are they to install? thanks guys..
thats an awesome price, i was told $105 each at "trick trucks" in MD
Last edited by etlsport : 03/01/2007 at 02:12 PM
Weird - here is the link I was looking at: http://www.samsoffroad.com/ranchopromo.htm
I suggest you double check when making an order. If they are available now - good find!
My order showed the sales price.
I can't even describe the improvement, it's so good.Originally Posted by etlsport
The stock shocks are certainly 'heavy duty'...some would say TOO heavy duty. After almost 65000 miles (split between Minnesota and Florida, according to CarFax), my shocks were starting to feel like concrete pillars.
After switching to Ranchos (and OME913 springs), my ride is much better. Smoother, quieter, you name it.
But I can also feel the road better. The OEM shocks were so hard that my tires were just bouncing all over the road.
If you really feel the need for stiffer shocks, then just dial the Ranchos up to "9".
I told myself I'd start at "1" and work my way up, but I'm loving it as-is for now!
Great find!!!
I
Just ordered a set.
I've been patiently procrastinating.
Now, to find an installer.
so which of these are people using on their vx's??? my stockers are stiff, but i thought thats the way they were supposed to be. ive gotten used to it, and appreciate the stiffness in s curves, and cornering........advise please, while they are on sale!!!!!
Rancho RS9000X (part# 99214-front; 99215-rear)
Note that these part numbers are valid for the STOCK height as well as for any lift 3" and below.
Any higher than 3" lift, you're on your own!
PS: I paid $290 a couple of months ago. Bastards.
(Kidding; they are SO worth $290...it's just that a 25% discount would have been cool too.)
I have had a set of these Ranchos on my VX for a few years now. I will probably get flamed for this, but learned to hate them. Granted, I don't do ANY offroad driving, so they may simply just not be the best for ONroad use. I am seriously thinking of going back to OEM this shock or looking for another aftermarket brand.
Snippet on my Ranchos after about 3-4 years of use.... they are rusted all to hell. The powder coating on them is clearly fingernail polish, heh. We are the winter-salt-on-the-steets-capital-of-the-world though, so just soemthing to keep in mind if your area is teh same.
Gary Noonan
'01 S/C VX / '18 Forester XT
So now ya tell me...
Well, maybe I can paint them with an antirust paint before I install them.
I got my Ranchos in 2002 or 2003 and I've had no problems with them. I run mine on max level 9 and get 90% stock perfomance in swift turns. IMO better than stock if you like some comfort. At level 9 full on stifness, the ride is way more comfortable than stock. I like Rancho better than stock. Cheaper &better than stock IMO with more options than "Max Bone Jarring"
As for the rust, never had a problem with that, but then I have been known to wash and wax my shocks Why? because I live in MD where the salt level sometimes exceeds the snowfall so I know to wash the under carriage to keep things from rusting.
Last edited by Navigator : 03/03/2007 at 06:32 PM
NAVIGATOR
So, that's two votes for and one vote against the Ranchos.
Would be helpful to know why specifically wormgod has learned to hate them(besides the rust issue). I have a set of Ranchos that I have not yet installed due to my own indolence, but now wondering whether I should be considering something else.
Still have the OEM's on but that whole "concrete pillars" ride is starting to get tiresome on daily commute...
I am a fan of tighter rides. Thus why I put stiffer/lower springs, heavier sway bars, and strut tower braces on my Rex (wish these were valid options for the VX). I was never a non fan of the OEMs, but I came across a good deal years ago on the Ranchos and took the bait. I was originally gonna go with the kit that changes settings from in-cab too, but after reading many reviews on it, I voted against. In all, even on the stiffest setting, I find the VX to be a little too sway-worthy for my taste.
Then there is the issue of rust. Unlike Nav, I have not had any luck with keeping them weather friendly.... even though she is garage kept. Maybe I got some bum shocks, I dunno.