Rancho rebate time!

LaserBlueZ71 · March 2, 2015

A word to the wise, Rancho is officially back with their spring rebate! I have been waiting for this moment for months. I can't remember the exact numbers, but it was over $500 rebate if you get a lift kit with RS9000XL shocks.

02suburbanZ71 · March 20, 2015

Good to know. Ty

BlackZ71Silverado · May 7, 2015

Rebates are nice if you get parts you can actually use.....I installed my front QuickLift today and it didn't go well. The strut body is dented so it has to be sent back. I shook it off as shit happens. I then attempted install of my rear 9000xl shocks and it was a no go yet again!

Both of the rear shocks (999198) are dented and have no rebound! Very disappointed with Rancho to say the least.

Had to call 4WheelParts for replacements and I am now waiting on a new functioning shocks & strut I hope. Thankfully the guy I spoke to was understanding and said they have had several complaints with Rancho shocks lately.

I already sent my rebate paperwork in this afternoon for my $129 card. Would have been nice to get working parts that were not damaged.

One of my trucks now sits in garage with no rear shocks and right front suspension apart because Rancho quality control sucks....Should have gone Bilstein but bought Rancho due to adjustability, never again!

It will be Bilstein for any future shock purchases, no matter the rancho rebates!

Anyone getting the Rancho's, use your head and make sure your parts function before tearing your truck apart.

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BlackZ71Silverado · May 13, 2015

I received replacement for my defective parts and completed the install. I also received a phone call from 4wheelParts about the problem I had. It was actually their mistake, here's what went wrong........

The parts I received had actually been a prior customer return. They were returned to 4WP because they were defective and marked as suck with orange stickers and were to be returned to Rancho. At some point, they accidentally got placed back in stock and in turn were shipped to me. The more I think about it, I should have known something was off the way the boxes were taped closed and no decals were with the parts. I just thought maybe they were taped so they did not fall out during shipping. I also thought nothing of the orange stickers on the boxes, they had no writing on them.....Now that all is sorted out, the install is complete!

Now that the drama is over, I have to detract my "going with Bilstein in the future" comment that was made out of disappointment. I plan on doing the same shocks and the Quick Lift struts on my 08 within a week or two.

Very impressed with the ride and the adjustability of these shocks/struts, it's really amazing. I am going to have to play around with the settings a little to find out what works best while towing. Now that they are installed, I am actually glad I went with the Rancho 9000XL's over the Bilstein 5100's that you see people rave about so much. They are also a really good shock (5100-4600, same exact specs, different color and length) but just too stiff when the truck is unloaded. After test driving a 2013 Silverado that just had the Bilstein front level struts and rear 5100's to match, I have to say I'm happy I didn't go that route.

I only drove the truck for a short while and the ride was actually pretty harsh, almost tooth chattering. The last set of Bilstein shocks I had were 4600's and they seemed a little softer but they were on a Tahoe with a heavier rear than these trucks. I just don't remember the ones I had being so harsh.

If you know a little about shocks and how they work, the way Bilstein's are made, they also add to and increase the spring rate of the vehicle a little. With Bilstein being a monotube high pressured gas charged shock, they actually assist in the shock rebounding instead of allowing the leaf springs and coil springs to work alone to return the shock to a fully extended position like the hydraulic & lower pressure gas shocks do. That design works well for some, very good for off road use but that's not what I was looking for. The Rancho design is perfect for my everyday driving and towing.

Now all I am waiting on is my Rancho rebate to arrive $126.00! Hopefully it won't take too long but they are never in a hurry to send money. My second order is going to be tricky because the rebate is only allowed 1 per address. Going to have to have one of the guys I work with place the order and have them shipped to him also. Two rebates of $126.00, not a bad deal!

EDIT :

I also did a few coats of clear coat on the shock bodies to seal and preserve the finish on the shocks. With the salt and chemical put down in the winter, shocks really take a beating around here. Hopefully this will help keep some surface rust away.

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Chris · May 13, 2015

I received replacement for my defective parts and completed the install. I also received a phone call from 4wheelParts about the problem I had. It was actually their mistake, here's what went wrong........

The parts I received had actually been a prior customer return. They were returned to 4WP because they were defective and marked as suck with orange stickers and were to be returned to Rancho. At some point, they accidentally got placed back in stock and in turn were shipped to me. The more I think about it, I should have known something was off the way the boxes were taped closed and no decals were with the parts. I just thought maybe they were taped so they did not fall out during shipping. I also thought nothing of the orange stickers on the boxes, they had no writing on them.....Now that all is sorted out, the install is complete!

Now that the drama is over, I have to detract my "going with Bilstein in the future" comment that was made out of disappointment. I plan on doing the same shocks and the Quick Lift struts on my 08 within a week or two.

Very impressed with the ride and the adjustability of these shocks/struts, it's really amazing. I am going to have to play around with the settings a little to find out what works best while towing. Now that they are installed, I am actually glad I went with the Rancho 9000XL's over the Bilstein 5100's that you see people rave about so much. They are also a really good shock (5100-4600, same exact specs, different color and length) but just too stiff when the truck is unloaded. After test driving a 2013 Silverado that just had the Bilstein front level struts and rear 5100's to match, I have to say I'm happy I didn't go that route.

I only drove the truck for a short while and the ride was actually pretty harsh, almost tooth chattering. The last set of Bilstein shocks I had were 4600's and they seemed a little softer but they were on a Tahoe with a heavier rear than these trucks. I just don't remember the ones I had being so harsh.

If you know a little about shocks and how they work, the way Bilstein's are made, they also add to and increase the spring rate of the vehicle a little. With Bilstein being a monotube high pressured gas charged shock, they actually assist in the shock rebounding instead of allowing the leaf springs and coil springs to work alone to return the shock to a fully extended position like the hydraulic & lower pressure gas shocks do. That design works well for some, very good for off road use but that's not what I was looking for. The Rancho design is perfect for my everyday driving and towing.

Now all I am waiting on is my Rancho rebate to arrive $126.00! Hopefully it won't take too long but they are never in a hurry to send money. My second order is going to be tricky because the rebate is only allowed 1 per address. Going to have to have one of the guys I work with place the order and have them shipped to him also. Two rebates of $126.00, not a bad deal!

EDIT :

I also did a few coats of clear coat on the shock bodies to seal and preserve the finish on the shocks. With the salt and chemical put down in the winter, shocks really take a beating around here. Hopefully this will help keep some surface rust away.

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Are the Ranchos a twin tube?

BlackZ71Silverado · May 14, 2015

Yes, the 9000XL are twin tube shocks. Their 7000MT is a monotube shock.

Chris · May 14, 2015

Yes, the 9000XL are twin tube shocks. Their 7000MT is a monotube shock.

I am still trying to decide if I like twin tube shocks. I have only ran Monotube shocks until now

BlackZ71Silverado · May 14, 2015

Chris, what exactly are you looking for out of the shocks?

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Chris · May 14, 2015

Just a decent firm ride. My current Belltechs are twin-tube and i put 550 miles on them this past weekend with the admin because he was in CA. I have only had Monotube so i went in with an open mind. It has only been about 1500 miles so i havent quite made up my mind. I know many other factors can affect ride as well.

02suburbanZ71 · May 14, 2015

Nice review

BlackZ71Silverado · May 15, 2015

Just a decent firm ride. My current Belltechs are twin-tube and i put 550 miles on them this past weekend with the admin because he was in CA. I have only had Monotube so i went in with an open mind. It has only been about 1500 miles so i havent quite made up my mind. I know many other factors can affect ride as well.

You may want to check out the Bilstein's if you want firm. I don't remember if you're truck is lifted a little or not?

Bilstein 5100's out front, with 4600's in the rear would work well. That will give you a firmer ride for sure and keep the rear tow ready. The 4600 have the same pressure charge but the valving is a little different than the 5100 making them a little stiffer. Just remember, they are high pressure gas charged and will increase your spring rate slightly.

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Chris · May 15, 2015

You may want to check out the Bilstein's if you want firm. I don't remember if you're truck is lifted a little or not?

Bilstein 5100's out front, with 4600's in the rear would work well. That will give you a firmer ride for sure and keep the rear tow ready. The 4600 have the same pressure charge but the valving is a little different than the 5100 making them a little stiffer. Just remember, they are high pressure gas charged and will increase your spring rate slightly.

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I went from stock to 4600 to 5100 to my current Belltech Street Performance which are twin-tube. I went back down to stock height as well

BlackZ71Silverado · June 3, 2015

Well it's been a while and I now have these on both trucks. The Rancho struts and shocks have been nothing short of amazing. It's honestly the smoothest riding shocks I have ever owned.

Driving down sections of highway that used to seem rough on the truck because of all the cracks and repair work on the road now feel like driving on brand new smooth blacktop. Can't feel any of the bumps, not even a little bit.

So far, I have my fronts set at 5 and the rears set on 3 for both trucks. Thor settings seem to be perfect for me with an empty truck. I haven't had any weight in the bed and haven't towed anything since the install so I don't know which settings will be used. Going to be taking a pretty long trip for vacation in a few days so I guess I will find out shortly.

I will be pulling our 22ft. camper and will have a loaded truck so I will have to play around before we leave and see which settings feel best when loaded. This will be around 3,300 mile round trip so the shocks should get a good workout.

If anyone is debating buying these or the Bilstein's due to the leveling/lift capabilities. having now owned and used both brands (Bilstein longer this is my first set of Rancho's) I would have to say go with the Rancho's for sure.

The ride is much nicer and you can adjust the shocks to your liking and your needs. Nice thing about the Rancho's is they can be adjusted to your personal preference, you are not stuck with shocks set to how someone working for Bilstein thinks they should feel. These things were worth every penny.

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