Rancho RS9000X - Got Tips?

[VehiGAZ]

Heraclid (or anyone else replacing their shocks for the first time) - if you haven't done the job yet, PM me with a phone number and I'll give you a call to tell you what I learned replacing my shocks a couple of weeks ago. I don't have time to type and post the procedure, although I want to share what I learned. It took me about 5 hrs, but if I knew what I was doing ahead of time, I could have done them in 3, I think.

[PeteVX]

From what i can remember when i did mine, the top rear left side bolt was the trickiest because its partially obstructed by the exhaust, mine was completely seized and i ended up cutting it off.

I like the ranchos but really want some softer springs to go with, its still way too hard a ride for me.

Anyone know if the Amigo springs would fit and do they have a softer spring rate?

I assume ours are the same as the trooper springs.

Pete

[Navigator]

From what i can remember when i did mine, the top rear left side bolt was the trickiest because its partially obstructed by the exhaust, mine was completely seized and i ended up cutting it off.
Pete

True, that is one tough nut to crack, but it you have access to a lift all you need is a foot of iron pipe to extend the leverage of the 19mm wrench and with the VX overhead, just lean into it to free that nut. No need to cut. Oh and spary the nut with WD40 and wait a minute first, It'll twist off easy.

I've been using the Rancho 9000's for over a year, and I must say I like them even better than stock for street use.

[VehiGAZ]

I don't get all the fuss over that top rear bolt. Sure, the bolt head is hard to get to, but the nut on the other end was easy as pie to get at on my VX. But I had non-OEM shocks installed on mine, so maybe the expansion chambers on the shock block access to the nut? In any event, I had the hardest time removing the front shocks. It took a while before I figured out a good two-screwdriver technique for compressing the shock.

[mbeach]

Most of us didn't have to compress our shocks (front or rear) to remove them. That's why they were being replaced.

The top rear bolts are difficult simply because they are the only ones that are tough to get a ratchet on. The external resevoirs do not get in the way.