Rusty's Coil and Ranchos = No Dampening?-**Problem Solved**

scoobybri · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:20 am

I installed a Rusty's coil lift last weekend with Rusty's Monroe shocks on the rear. They seemed to be fine until I took them offroad for a few hours and they started the dreaded noisiness. I put my own spacers in there (with 1/2" holes so they would not move much) The problem with the shocks is the bushings, not with the shock itself. Anyway, I don't feel like dealing with fiddling with the shocks all of the time, so I ordered a set of Rancho RSX 17004 shocks like so many people around here have. I installed them this week. But there is a problem.

After they get a couple miles on them, the dampening seems to disappear. When I first put them on, the dampening was fine. Took the KJ for a 10+ mile test drive. By the end of the trip, everytime I went over a dip or two, it felt like I was running without shocks (at least close to it.) When I got home, I put my weight on the rear bumper. Dampening was minimal. Hmmm...it was late so I saved it for later.

So two days go by and I am going out to dinner. Press on the back of the KJ to give it some bounce and voila, dampening is back. On our way to dinner, dampening starts disappearing again. The rear end is bouncing all over the place. Over double speed bumps, I hit bumpstops. (going at 5 miles an hour) It feels like I've got 1000 lbs of concrete in the trunk.

So when I got home, I took this video to demonstrate. All I'm doing is giving a few hard pumps to the bumper. I'm not even putting 200lbs on the bumper. I would expect the shocks to bounce once when I let go if the dampening is working. It's bouncing 3-4 times after I let go. For your viewing pleasure... http://www.shadedpeak.com/video/KJ.wmv

Did I miss something on the install? I thought that it is as easy as 1) Remove old shock 2) Remove old spring 3) Insert new spring 4) install new shock 5) Drive. I've installed shocks and struts in several vehicles before this and never had an issue. Fronts in the KJ are working great. Rears are another story.

Troysterr · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:26 am

That's bizarre--I've had my Ranchos for over a year and I haven't noticed any difference in performance from the time I installed them until now, or between the beginning of a trip and the end.

Maybe you got part of a defective batch? Those shocks are designed for a larger vehicle (Dodge Durango, I believe), so they should last a long time on a KJ.

mb818 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:52 am

that is wierd

i've had no problems with my ranchos either... ride great... no bouncing.. no fade...

you should return/exchange them... surely they are bad with the amount of bounce in your video.

Mark

raceinfan · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 8:16 am

I would have to agree with everyone must've been a bad batch you got I'd also return them

I have the Rusty's / rancho rsx just over a month now & it's fine

scoobybri · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 2:10 pm

Is there a smiley for "sheepishly grinning?" My KJ newbie dumb stupid put the shocks on upside down. The proper way is can-down. I've changed shocks/struts on several other cars and trucks before but never had to worry about orientation because the shocks/struts could only go on one way. The Ranchos did not come with instructions and their website is just as worthless. It wasn't until I did some research on general shock technology that I found out that only certain shocks have the ability to be mounted either way. Most don't. Rancho RSX 17004 = must be mounted cans down.

Pull the shocks off this morning, compressed them fully to get the fluid back to where it should be, and reinstalled. I took the KJ for a nice drive with some offroad flexing thrown in for good measure. No more bounce. It feels solid and much better than stock. Very happy.

Oh, well, chalk it up to a learning experience. Hopefully, my mistake will save someone else some time and energy later.

raceinfan · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 2:16 pm

YYYAAAA

we all make mistakes,don't beat yourself up for it as long as it's fixed

RedJeepCRD · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:21 pm

I did the same thing when I had my 2002 Liberty. :lol:

Don't worry about it.

Wes

kolesy · **Posted:** Sun Feb 11, 2007 4:57 pm

Now that some funny stuff!!!!!!!

USPLibby · **Joined:** Thu Jul 28, 2005 12:29 am **Posts:** 377

I would still add some bump stops to keep the RSX shocks from slamming down on high speed bumps. I used hockey pucks and tapped my own bolts into the spring mount surface.

Maximum Carnage · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:18 pm

scoobybri wrote:

I installed a Rusty's coil lift last weekend with Rusty's Monroe shocks on the rear. They seemed to be fine until I took them offroad for a few hours and they started the dreaded noisiness. I put my own spacers in there (with 1/2" holes so they would not move much) The problem with the shocks is the bushings, not with the shock itself. Anyway, I don't feel like dealing with fiddling with the shocks all of the time, so I ordered a set of Rancho RSX 17004 shocks like so many people around here have. I installed them this week. But there is a problem.

After they get a couple miles on them, the dampening seems to disappear. When I first put them on, the dampening was fine. Took the KJ for a 10+ mile test drive. By the end of the trip, everytime I went over a dip or two, it felt like I was running without shocks (at least close to it.) When I got home, I put my weight on the rear bumper. Dampening was minimal. Hmmm...it was late so I saved it for later.

So two days go by and I am going out to dinner. Press on the back of the KJ to give it some bounce and voila, dampening is back. On our way to dinner, dampening starts disappearing again. The rear end is bouncing all over the place. Over double speed bumps, I hit bumpstops. (going at 5 miles an hour) It feels like I've got 1000 lbs of concrete in the trunk.

So when I got home, I took this video to demonstrate. All I'm doing is giving a few hard pumps to the bumper. I'm not even putting 200lbs on the bumper. I would expect the shocks to bounce once when I let go if the dampening is working. It's bouncing 3-4 times after I let go. For your viewing pleasure... http://www.shadedpeak.com/video/KJ.wmv

Did I miss something on the install? I thought that it is as easy as 1) Remove old shock 2) Remove old spring 3) Insert new spring 4) install new shock 5) Drive. I've installed shocks and struts in several vehicles before this and never had an issue. Fronts in the KJ are working great. Rears are another story.

Is this what you installed?

scoobybri · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:25 pm

Nope. That is the spacer kit. I installed the coil lift. This is the correct pic...

Maximum Carnage · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:59 pm

Scoobybri, is their anything that is actually needed that is not included in the kit?

scoobybri · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:12 pm

The only thing I would suggest getting would be better washers(spacers) for the rear shocks. The washers that ship with the kit have a much larger hole in them than the size of the bolt. That allows them to move around. I spent a whole dollar to get the properly sized washers at Home Depot. FYI...The bolt is a 1/2" bolt.

Other than that, the kit is complete.

Maximum Carnage · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:04 pm

Is this the same one?

http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=rustys&Product_Code=KJSS&Category_Code=sus_kj_kit

meh_kick · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:29 pm

That's the one.

Another way to maximize the lift is to add spring isolators ($11.10 a piece at dealer) to the rear and a clevis lift up front. In combanation with a suspension upgrade, KJs will yield approx 3 inches of lift w/o significant distress to the front end.

Maximum Carnage · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:17 pm

I've heard of this a "clevis lift", how is that done?

I did find this. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Jeep_Liberty/Suspension/Clevis_Lift

scoobybri · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:31 pm

Science_Guy has a nice write up on installing a Rusty's lift, including the clevis lift. The thread is located here... http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... guy#147749

With the clevis lift, all you are doing is creating a gap between the strut and the base of the clevis to gain some height. To get an even gap on both sides, alot of people use 2" conduit bolts to make a nice uniform gap. (See pic below) I only used one conduit bolt because I wanted to leave some height gains for after the springs settle. I'd rather be able to get some height back from spring sag than start off at the highest point and have only one way to go but down.

Plus, between the tires and lift, I got a full 3" gain over stock, so I'm satisfied with the clearance without going overboard.

It's up to you!

Maximum Carnage · **Posted:** Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:37 am

Are you running the stock control arm?
I've heard that if you lift the Libby more than 2.5" and are using the stock control arm you will run into some problems with the LBJ/UBJ. Have you encountered any other problems?

scoobybri · **Posted:** Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:10 pm

I'm only running a 2.5" lift so my stock arms are fine. No rubbing. You are probably confused because I said I gained 3" of lift. .5" of that was the tires.

Rusty's Coil and Ranchos = No Dampening?-Problem Solved

Who is online