I just added Rancho 9000's to my 99 this weekend. It took me and a buddy about 3.5 hrs to do all four corners. No jacking or wheel removal required. I think half the time was spent searching for the right size metric wrench to fit the nut on the shaft on the rears. The back was definitely easier than the front, but neither was difficult. I would say that as long as you know how to work a wrench this is a do it yourself kind of job. Just don't do it in the rain like I did

And since it was raining and we got wet ( the air line wasn't long enough to reach the carport, so we traded getting soggy for impact tools to undo the top at the rear.) the remote control air adjust system will have to wait for another day.

And incase anyone is wondering...the dramatic improvement in the ride over stock (with 72K miles) shocks is really worth the money. I have them set to 5 in front and 3 in the back, but may reduce the rears to 1 since I run totally empty for the most part.

 

The only reason I jacked it up to do the fronts is that mine is a 4X2 and dose not sit high enough to get the stock shocks out or the new shocks in without jacking it up a little bit. Oh and I agree definately a job to do it yourself.

 

I used the factory jack, but only to make some clearance. If you undo the shock and let it drop at an angle, you can get it out with minimal jacking. Once it drops down a little, you can wedge the upper mount on the spring, and collapse it using moderate force. It will slide out fairly easily then. I've been stuck on the road both times my front shocks have died, without my wonderful three ton floor jack or air ratchets around.,,,,98

 

that's all that i did with mine as i have yet to spend the twenty bucks on a floor jack

 

I just replaced (kind of) the older Rancho 9000's on my truck with a new set of Rancho 9000's. The rear shocks were so terribly bad that I only managed to get one of them off. The older Rancho shocks do not have a nut built into the shaft to keep it from turning like the new ones do. So any attempt to turn the top nut just turns the shaft. Vise grips and alot of cussing got one rear shock off. The other I am still working on. I will just grind some flats into the shaft to hold with my vise grips. I am glad Rancho has added nuts to the shaft on the new shocks. I could not do this again.

Also my 97 F150 4x4 does not have the hole or window to put a wrench through. It is a real pain in the *** to reach.

Front shocks took maybe 45 minutes. I took my Pro Comps off to make it easier to reach.

Ride quality is about 100 times better I have the shocks set to 5 front and rear. I like the 9000's because when I tow I can set the rears a bit firmer so that the truck does not bounce so much. I have 113K miles on my Ford. I got 70k out of the last set of Rancho's.

The Rancho's are worth the 300ish dollars they cost, at least to me. Anyone have the Edlebrock shocks? If so what are your impressions of them?

 

were you not the original owner of the old rancho's? I thought they had a lifetime warranty?

you don't have the access hole on the outside of the frame rail?

I think if I ever have to remove the rear shocks again I will use my dremmel and cut the top post as short as possible so that I will have beeter clearance!

When I was taking of my stockers to put on my 9000's I used an air ratchet with a deep socket and it got stuck once the bolt was almost all the way off! What a stupid design!

I don't know why they didn't use a standard shock top back there! (0)

 

Yes I am piad someone to put the first set of Rancho's on. I do not know about any lifetime warranty, it is news to me.

My 97 does not have the hole or window to put a whench through and reach the shock.

I really wish they had used a more typical eye bolt on the top just like the bottm. But alot more happy shock installers

 

Check the website and/or call Rancho. I was under the impression that they have always had a lifetime warranty.

nontheless, great shocks!

 

I have set my rear shocks to 1 now, and this setting makes for a very smooth ride with the box empty. The fronts are still set to 5. I am having a leer canopy installed tomorrow (which weighs somewhere between 150 and 200lbs I think), so another adjustment may be in order. The dials make for very easy adjustment though, and when I get the time to install the remote unit for all four, it will be even easier.

I hope everyone else that has them is enjoying them as much as I am

 

Well, after an eventful weekend, I now have all new shocks all around. After reading up on different installs, I assumed a two hour job but with the rust caked in there, overnight dousing of PBBlaster didn't break the bottom nuts loose in the front. I had to resort to heating and hitting and banging. Jolly good I knew about the Hammer as a tool. The actual install went painlessly. Well, almost as painless as it can get with the way the top nut is placed on the rear shocks. The retaining nut on the shocks is a size 18mm and the top nuts on the rear are 18mm too. The fronts were 18mm on the top and a 13mm on the bottom. Alongwith deep well sockets, I needed a breaker bar and a swear jar.
Just had the tires put on today. All I can say is Wow. Those combined with the new shocks made a world of difference to me. I also put in the new coils. Those took care of my stumbling problems at low RPMs.

I should re-iterate that my happiness knows no bounds with these simple mods. Next in line is a Gibson Side-swept.