Replacing OMEs with some Rancho 9000s

QuestMan · **Posted:** Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:51 pm

Anyone know where the best pricing would be? So far, I've found them on Amazon for $84.60, and summitracing is out of stock.

huntbuggy · **Joined:** Sun Dec 19, 2010 6:24 pm **Posts:** 91

www.xloffroad.com was best price when I looked, $126 for the RS999764 fronts and $89 for the RS999248 (Dakota) rears - same price roughly for stock KJ rears RS999284. www.shockwarehouse.com close second but always has stock.

RED_KJ_666 · **Posted:** Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:01 pm

DON'T DO IT........ If you live in a area where it snows or you wheel around any kind of water. I have a set, and I've had them warrantied 3 times now for the adjuster bores seizing up. Very Poorly designed adjustment system. Maybe it works better with the MY Ride system? I don't recommend them.

huntbuggy · **Joined:** Sun Dec 19, 2010 6:24 pm **Posts:** 91

Didn't offer a review - the OP just asked for best prices. Shopping is easy.

Red you sound like you don't need shocks, you need wings!

You killed 6 RS9000s and 4 Bilsteins on your KJ? Wild man!

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showpost.ph ... stcount=50

What would one run instead?

QuestMan · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 12:44 am

Quote:

DON'T DO IT........ If you live in a area where it snows or you wheel around any kind of water. I have a set, and I've had them warrantied 3 times now for the adjuster bores seizing up. Very Poorly designed adjustment system. Maybe it works better with the MY Ride system? I don't recommend them.

That was one BIG fear: Being that I'm near the Great Lakes snow, salt, and water are kind of a given at least 5 mos. out of the year. So...........Are you saying I should save my $ and go with the rs5248s instead? (No offense against the OMEs, but I like the warranty on the Ranchos better)

huntbuggy · **Joined:** Sun Dec 19, 2010 6:24 pm **Posts:** 91

Definitely cheaper option and one less moving part or weak link to worry about... :juggle:

RED_KJ_666 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 11:13 am

huntbuggy wrote:

Didn't offer a review - the OP just asked for best prices. Shopping is easy.

Red you sound like you don't need shocks, you need wings!

You killed 6 RS9000s and 4 Bilsteins on your KJ? Wild man!

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showpost.ph ... stcount=50

What would one run instead?

I also killed a set of 9000xl's on the front same fate seized adjuster bore, Don't get me wrong they are an excellent shock with a great warranty. They just plain don't work for us guys towards the north salt and water are there #1 Enemy. I would either run 5248's or OME's if I was thinking easy install or I would get my hands on some 5100 or 5150 Bilstiens and make some new shock brackets.

huntbuggy · **Joined:** Sun Dec 19, 2010 6:24 pm **Posts:** 91

Sounds like you run your stuff pretty hard - and the ocean air out on the East coast along with copious amounts of road salt probably doesn't help either, eh?

All the stuff from Bilstein, OME and Rancho is probably fine for the average wheeler or for the OPs wife's Jeep. For a lot of us that aren't lifting too high (notice you are going SFA - wicked) most stuff seems to hold up pretty good on the average KJ going by most of the posts I read here and other forums.

Guess it finally comes down to each guy's (or gal's) application - and PRICE of course.

RED_KJ_666 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 6:31 pm

The first 9000's I had where put on in may last year and made it to mid June... There biggest issue is the adjuster isn't sealed well enough. Put on some 5248's and move your lower shock mount up 2 inches, that's what I'd do. In my defense as well the Bilstiens on the front broke on a dirt road (3 hours on the Jeep total), the heads are welded on to the shaft where the Rancho's and OME's Shock head is machined as part of the shaft. I also do wheel my KJ to it's potential hence the 33's lol, and most people with a IFS liberty wouldn't think of going half the places my Libby's been.

QuestMan · **Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:49 am

Quote:

move your lower shock mount up 2 inches, that's what I'd do.

Are you saying the ranchos don't have enough travel? :shock:

RED_KJ_666 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:26 pm

Yeah pretty much that's what I'm saying.

1 Day after Lift was installed Stock Tires

1 Day after the Lower Shock mount Fix on 33's.... Notice how the distance between the tire and fender is actaully larger even tho I am running a tire that's 5" larger than stock. You wouldn't think it would change that much but there is a pile of bind if you leave the lower mounts stock.

Stock Mount Location.

Relocated shock mount location. If you do this you have to take the lower control arm bolt out and put it through the other way, otherwise it will never come out again.

QuestMan · **Posted:** Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:12 pm

Ok.......so I noticed that the ranchos have 5 different sleeve sizes and NONE are the same diameter as the bolts. The OMEs I pulled out have NO 'wiggle' room, whereas the ranchos DO have some wiggle to them. Does anyone know if there are sleeve kits out there that I can buy, and if so, where? :roll:

QuestMan · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:13 pm

I might not be 'articulating' the problem correctly. what I'm going to have, is a little bit of 'shock-slap'. If I can get some sleeves that are the correct size, it will take care of this. I just haven't found anywhere that I can find one, yet. Anybody with an out-of-the-box idea, I'm willing to listen. :dizzy:

BugginKJ · **Joined:** Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 4576

QuestMan wrote:

I might not be 'articulating' the problem correctly. what I'm going to have, is a little bit of 'shock-slap'. If I can get some sleeves that are the correct size, it will take care of this. I just haven't found anywhere that I can find one, yet. Anybody with an out-of-the-box idea, I'm willing to listen. :dizzy:

Take the sleeves out of your factory shocks and grind them down if needed to fit the bushing. I am having to resize (grind down) the factory sleeves for the upper shock bushings for my Bilsteins. I use a very long bolt and a bench grinder allowing the grinder to rotate the sleeve while the sleeve spins on the bolt giving me a very round sleeve that will fit properly. You must go slow however so you don't take off too much material as you want the sleeve to push into the bushing for the correct fit.

QuestMan · **Posted:** Sun Apr 24, 2011 8:09 pm

Thanks for the input, Buggin.

I was kind of thinking along similar lines. 1st, I'm going to have to get a couple of different sized sockets, One larger than the stock sleeves, one about the same size, so I can push the suckers out with the leg vise. I was just hoping for a lazy way of doing it. I guess I'm just going to have to channel my inner 'redneck', and "Get 'er done!"

BugginKJ · **Joined:** Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 4576

On the stock shocks there is no way to push them out unless ya have a press. The rubber is formed to the sleeve. I took a cut off wheel and cut the shock away from the bushing then cut the rubber from the sleeve with a razor knife(hot rubber flying from a cut off wheel doesn't feel so good :roll:

). Then I skinned the small amount of rubber away with the cut off wheel laying the wheel flat. Then I ground the sleeves to fit my new bushing VERY tightly. I beveled the edge of the sleeve SLIGHTLY(to ease the redneck press process), used a small amount of grease then used a large c-clamp to install the sleeve into the bushing, used a socket on the opposing end to center the sleeve in the bushing once through. I don't have a press at my house so the inner red neck came out in me also :jester:

Replacing OMEs with some Rancho 9000s

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