Shocks

So after extensive search on WAL there are three basic shocks which have been reviewed, Bilstien 5100, King 2.0 and Rancho RS9000XL. I have EVO 3 inch plush ride coils ready to install on a 2011 JKUS. I am looking for input on which to go with. This will be on the JK for a couple of years until I upgrade. I am trying to upgrade with minimal dollars as the eventual suspension upgrade will be King Coilovers so I can hang with the big dogs. King 2.0's are not in the budget due to future life changes coming next summer. After September I will be in a new location and looking for a job.

Please provide positive and negative feed back on:

Bilstien 5100:

Bilstien 5160:

Rancho RS9000XL:

R/
Will



Sent from my fRuit product using WAL
 

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
Hey Will I have the Bilsteins and love them. They are a great shock for the price and can't go wrong with them. Hinrich has the plush rides paired with the Bilsteins and it is incredible! I have no experience with the other but I am sure they are just as good! I don't think you can go wrong with any of them honestly.


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OsiViper

New member
I can't speak for much in the way of personal experience for me because I haven't gotten them installed yet.

But the big selling point for me for the 5100's was the price. And of course all of the positive reviews. Was going to go with teraflex, but a couple of people convinced me to get 5100s because they say they ride better. Like I said though, haven't experienced the ride firsthand but I'm hoping it's good.
 

olram30

Not That Kind of Engineer
look into the rancho rs7000mt also. i just got bilsteins 5100. only reason i got those is the black friday 20 percent off sale. if not i would have gone with the rancho rs7000
 

H8MUD

New member
I have the Bilsteins 5100 and they seem fine, but the only thing I have to compare is the stock shocks. Been thinking about going with the 5160's but like you, I have to do more research.
 

AMEChambers

New member
Chief, just spend the day at the hobby shop here on base installing my Rancho rs9000x... I love them! Granted I had rough country shocks before so anything would have been an upgrade...
 

10frank9

Web Wheeler
I'm running the Rancho 9000XL's which are adjustable. They ride great and pair nicely with the Plush Ride coils.

The adjustability is nice but you do have to see them each individually and figure out what setting you prefer for each occasion. Just so you know, if I could do it again I would get the Rancho 7000's which are great shocks but without the adjustability.
 

jknit

New member
I think I am the only person who feels this way, and it may be due to other suspension components and not my shocks themselves, but I am really unhappy with my 5100's...they are pretty rough on road
 

Army_Vet

Banned
So after extensive search on WAL there are three basic shocks which have been reviewed, Bilstien 5100, King 2.0 and Rancho RS9000XL. I have EVO 3 inch plush ride coils ready to install on a 2011 JKUS. I am looking for input on which to go with. This will be on the JK for a couple of years until I upgrade. I am trying to upgrade with minimal dollars as the eventual suspension upgrade will be King Coilovers so I can hang with the big dogs. King 2.0's are not in the budget due to future life changes coming next summer. After September I will be in a new location and looking for a job.

Please provide positive and negative feed back on:

Bilstien 5100:

Bilstien 5160:

Rancho RS9000XL:

R/
Will



Sent from my fRuit product using WAL
Hey Will, I have the 5100's paired with Rubicon Express 2.5" coils; I have no complaints, feel like stock to me.
 

suicideking

New member
I have the 5100's. They're ok, though seem a little rough on the fire roads. I get beaten up a bit. If I had to choose a budget shock again, I'd probably do the Rancho 9000 or 7000.

Shocks may be one of my next upgrades. Not sure I want to pay for the King. Might go Fox or something else with a resovoir.
 

ponyrt

New member
I personally run 5100's. They were part of a package deal from Northridge 4x4 when I purchased my lift. They do run a little rough on washboard roads but do absorbed larger bumps well. But I don't daily drive my jeep either so in all I like the quality of the ride but again I don't experience it everyday.
 

NFRs2000NYC

Caught the Bug
I have the rancho 9000s and love them. I have the AEV 2.5" (which comes with the 5100s) but from reading all the reviews and members' opinions, the consensus is they are simply too stiff, so I never used em and threw em down to my basement. The ride on my rancho 9000s is sublime (set at 3 all around) and withe the shocktober rebate (buy 3 get one free) they were priced right. I got mine on Amazon.
 

CerOf

Member
If this is a stepping stone, why not go with the best/cheaper of the three?

How long till you get the lift to keep up with the "big dogs?"

If it's going to be a while, i.e. 30k+ miles, then perhaps going with a nicer shock absorber is justifiable. Then again...you mentioned looking for a job soon. So perhaps, saving some coin is the wiser?


Sent from a a few tin cans and some string.
 

NFRs2000NYC

Caught the Bug
If this is a stepping stone and you want to save maximum money, maybe run OEM shocks with extensions, which would save you the most money, and get you that much closer to the evo coils.
 
If this is a stepping stone, why not go with the best/cheaper of the three?

How long till you get the lift to keep up with the "big dogs?"

If it's going to be a while, i.e. 30k+ miles, then perhaps going with a nicer shock absorber is justifiable. Then again...you mentioned looking for a job soon. So perhaps, saving some coin is the wiser?


Sent from a a few tin cans and some string.

One thing I am thinking of is keeping SWMBO comfortable when we are riding the trail.

It will be about 30K + before I will have saved enough for the coilovers.

If this is a stepping stone and you want to save maximum money, maybe run OEM shocks with extensions, which would save you the most money, and get you that much closer to the evo coils.

Right now I have Pro-Comps ES9000 shocks which are for a 2.5 in lift. They are working for now but not sure if the ride would get better with different shocks.

R/
Will
 
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