Finally, I want to thank a lot of you for advise given to me. My truck has been an adventure. Quick refresh. I bought this 1997 XE 4x4(94,000 miles) in sept. When I test drove it the check engine light came on. Would up buying the truck under the condition they fix the cause. After 5 trips to "their" mechanic with a lot of quick fixes, the end result being the check engine light would come back on the next day. I finally convinced them to let me take it to the Nissan dealer and they fixed it first shot. Exploded charcoal canister and corroded lines. Anyways, after a month or so I figured out I had a cracked exhaust manifold and most of my exhaust was toast. So I bought a pacesetter header and a free flow cat and flowmaster muffler all with a 2 1/4 exhaust. Next problem the header fit beautiful but the EGR line didnt quite make it. Solution, splice line away from header and use high temp turbo hose. It actually worked good. Next job, bucket seats, my bench sucked and it was super uncomfortable. Got a set of buckets out of a 95 camaro on E-bay and made em fit. Rancho 5000 shocks all around and got underneath it and adjusted the torque bars to even out my truck. It was leaning to the left a lil.Also , 4 new tires. K&N air filter.
So end result. IT rocks man. Totally Blew away a toyota tacoma off the start the other day he passed me doing about 80. My top speed so far 100 mph on strait road.
She is quick. LiL louder than I really wanted, buts its a nice deep throaty loud. Definately makes people look. I am most impressed with the acceleration. Anyways, Im happy for now, but I already know my next projects. Timng chain, my truck has that annoying startup rattle. Maybe a brush guard. Soon as I retire this truck from my business, Ill put on a lift kit and prolly a new motor. Anyways, got a lot of tips and advice off ot this board and I appreciate it. Will post some pics, i have a good digi cam, just not sure how to do it yet. Thx all
__________________
Colorado...The real mountains.
Last edited by MrSparkle : Mar 13th, 2004 at 12:09 AM.
Rancho 5000 shocks all around and got underneath it and adjusted the torque bars to even out my truck.
How do you like your Rancho shocks? I have a pair of the 5000s on the front and like them 80%. They still seem too soft (the ride in the front can be a bit bouncey). The shocks on the back are Monroes and they're just plain wrong. If I have both shocks installed, the back end rides like a rock. If I just run one shock, the ride is much better, but a bit uncontrolled. I want the damn thing to ride like my father-in-law's Tacoma -- the rear axle has plenty of movement, and the shocks control the ride good, and it's not jarred at all. If I've got both Monroes on the back, it feels like there's no spring action...no suspension movement at all. Like the shocks are locked up. But they're not. I hate 'em. I guess I just need to pony up the dough for some 5000s in the back also. I wondered how you like yours.
Hey Jadcock, loved the info u put out on adjusting the torque bars. Went real smooth. Im with u on the front shocks. I like em 80%, still a lil too bouncy, but I wont pay what they want for the rancho 9000 series. The back Im completely happy with. They seem to be a much better match for this truck than were the ranchos in the front. Hope that helps man.
The back Im completely happy with. They seem to be a much better match for this truck than were the ranchos in the front. Hope that helps man.
Yeah, it does. I think that's what I'm going to have to do. BTW, could you tell me the P/N you bought, and was that the P/N for a stock height truck (no lift)? I want to make sure I get the same stuff as you so I can be relatively confident I'll be happy with it!
I picked up a pair of RS5113s today and put them on and I think I'm happy with them. Just during the five miles I've tried them, they feel even stiffer than the Monroes, but there's also way less drama when going over bumps. The back end of the truck is very firm now (a huge difference vs. the front), but it also feels more planted and I think I'm going to like it better.
The damping with the Monroes was very unpredictable. After the truck would sit for a while (and the fluid settled), I could bounce the back of the truck up and down a few times like the shocks weren't even there. And then all of a sudden, they'd lock up and it'd be very hard to move. Both sets of Monroe Gas-Matic LTs did that, but I still can't believe that's normal. The Ranchos feel a touch softer than the Monroes at their "locked up" setting, but the Ranchos always feel the same, and I think that contributes to a better experience driving down the road.
I also think they'll break in after a few more miles. If I recall correctly, I think the front ones did as well.
Well, you all may not believe it (but then again, you might, given my recent run with shocks), I don't think I'm happy with the RS5113s. These were what Rancho said goes on the truck, but I really think they missed it with that spec. That same shock also fits, for example, a 1970 GMC 1-ton dually pickup truck. And a '75 full size Ford Bronco. And about 30 different other full size truck applications. The Nissans are the only compact trucks in that list.
My question to Rancho tech support was, "how is a shock valved for a 1-ton dually pickup truck going to feel right on a compact Nissan truck?"
Silence.
"Okay, let me ask this, are the dimensionally equal RS5601 shocks (whose application listing consists entirely of light trucks) going to be valved softer?"
"Yes."
"Can I ask how much softer?"
"I'm sorry, I can't give out valving numbers."
Umm...okay. I'm beginning to put two and three together here. The front Ranchos I have (which I'm happy with -- they're much softer) are 5600 series shocks. I think they also have a 1-3/16" bore. The 5100 series shocks they have me have a 1-3/8" bore and are HUGE. The Rancho guy said the RS5601s will have the smaller shock bore and will be valved softer. I hope that by moving to the 5600 series shocks I'll be happier. This might be my problem with the Monroes too -- maybe the Monroes were ALSO designed for big ass Chevy trucks.
So now my next trick is to get Advance to take back the RS5113s and exchange them for a pair of the RS5601s. <sigh> I'm going to get this right in the end, I'm determined to. By now, it's just so I don't feel like the truck is kicking my butt. This is what I hate about the aftermarket -- there's one part number that "fits" 47 and a half different vehicles and is supposed to "work" on all of them. Maybe I should have just purchased OEM shocks from the Nissan dealership a year ago. :dumbass:
I hate 'em. I guess I just need to pony up the dough for some 5000s in the back also. I wondered how you like yours.
Linear Mode
