Thread: new suspension is this a good deal

Kings = Good

Rancho = Bad

Avoid Rancho like the plague.... Go Procomp ES9000, OME, TJM but not Rancho. Guy will supply $500.00 in any length you want to suit your lift.

Cheers
Mike

Mind you, there are people out there who hate Pro-Comp with a passion and call them cheap **** also. Food for thought.

Ridepro shocks or OME. My mates have had a good runs from Rancho. So I wouldnt rule them out.
Rangie Spares/LRA will do springs to suit what you are actually after. Don't just buy 'off the shelf' stuff like Kings.

Dave.

What is wrong with rancho?
According to the rancho site all those brands you have mentioned are mass produced by a cheap supplier and branded by the various companies they wouldnt say that if it wasnt true as they would be sued.
Im just trying to get to the bottom of these beliefs and get the best value for money.
Who is it that can supply shocks for $500?

cheers

Personally I would back Old Man Emu or Monroes ... Monroes were stock on my Landy when I bought it and were the bog standard shock going way back.

Originally posted by rsrichie
What is wrong with rancho?
According to the rancho site all those brands you have mentioned are mass produced by a cheap supplier and branded by the various companies they wouldnt say that if it wasnt true as they would be sued.
Im just trying to get to the bottom of these beliefs and get the best value for money.
Who is it that can supply shocks for $500?

cheers

OK, yes the Rancho site market well and they're right. Rancho does have its own manufacturing facility.

Owned by Tenneco Automotive Group (sound familiar) Tenneco are the owners of Monroe as well.

Its called outsourcing, a shock absorber manufacturer is fully tooled to build shock absorbers. A seal company to manufacture seals. A steel supply company to manufacture chrome bar.

ARB, through OME Brand design and spec their own shocks. They then have a manufacturer make those shocks to their specifications. Recently they designed a new piston velocity valve which is OME property. Monroe build and assemble the shocks but OME owns the design.

Monroe also build the LTR for ARB, its built by hand on a specially constructed line by select personel. Every component in these shocks is audited weekly to ensure quality and quantity are correct (no parts go missing etc..)

They also spec their own spring rates, lengths etc.... And go to a spring manufacturer for these to be wound to their specifications (in this case King Springs) and coated black.

Tough Dog have their shocks from the Truck catalog in America. However their springs are also made by Kings and coated grey.

TJM has their coils done the same way, remain yellow and then sell a shock called an XGS. This is a Copak shock from Brazil.

Arguably they are their own products, manufactured to their specifications and then onsold by each company. Economy of scale allows them to be price competitive at resale.

Now, reasons against Rancho...

Personally - They suck!

But seriously, the valving is not suited to each vehicle, its just a this will do valving. I've never had a shock fade on me as quick as my RS9XXX shocks did in my discovery. 10 minutes on the Ngarkat Border Run and my front shocks were gone (this was on the hardest setting - I started at 3 and had to wind to max) nothing ruins a trip like crashing the front end every bump. None of the OME vehicles had this issue.

The shocks are foam celled, when they do get hot the foam degrades. Once they cool they are never the same, this continues through heating and cooling cycles and they degrade over and over.

A gas charged or remote shock will possibly fade, but will come back once they cool down a little. Foam cells do not.

Regarding springs, Les Richmond has his springs made by Browns springs in Melb. they will make a pair of springs, to your spec -height etc (or they will help you) for $135.00 a pair.

Best of luck!

Cheers
Mike

Mike,

Monroe were around in the 70's which predates OME and whoever own them now I believe, either way Monroe have always been a great shock and well regarded in OZ - I agree with your assessment on Rancho and the same word comes back from others I know about Pro Comp also!

Just a quick question re those spring makers ... when you say $135 a pair I assume you mean coils and not leafers?

Best, Si.

Si

Your absolutely right! Back in the day it was Monroe Whylie and my family has had dealings with this company from the very beginning of its origins.

I've been personally involved in the design and modification of several pieces of manufacturing equipment and even shock absorber seal design at their plant.

Remember, valving must work with spring rates to be effective. This is where the 'package deal' players win with the general public.

I have a collection of custom valves here for my LTRs that I chop and change as I continue to refine my own setups using custom coils etc...

And yes $135.00 is for coilies sorry..

Cheers
Mike