Rancho Suspension is the world's largest 4WD shock absorber and suspension specialist.
Rancho's beginnings go way back to 1955, when a group of 4WD enthusiasts started modifying vehicles for desert treks. The original workshop was next to the Rancho Los Amigos (House of Friends) Hospital in Southern California and, as customers tended to call it "the Rancho place", the name was adopted for the rapidly- growing business.
The following are some of the most frequently-asked questions that we receive. Take the time to read through them and you may understand why we are so enthusiastic about Rancho products.
Q: Another shock absorber store said that Ranchos were just ordinary shocks in flash packaging. Is this true?
A: 4WD shops and suspension shops selling other brands wish it was. Unfortunately, competitors will often knock a product they do not sell. This occurs from either ignorance, or deception intended to make you choose their product.
It is true that Rancho has some of the most presentable packaging in the industry. They are proud of their products and they want you to be equally proud of your purchase decision. How would you feel if you bought a top- quality watch from a store, and the sales assistant handed it to you in a brown paper bag?
Remember, a company that uses cheap packaging may also be using low-cost components!
Q: Isn't Rancho just a re-badged version of a Monroe shock absorber?
A: We often hear this question from customers who have been listening to suspension "experts".
The basis for this rumor is understandable. A few years ago Rancho Suspension was purchased by Tenneco Automotive, one of the world's largest automotive parts companies. Tenneco also owns Monroe and, as a matter of course, Rancho now uses part of the Monroe facilities in the USA to manufacture the RS5000 and ride-adjustable RS9000X shock absorbers.
Unlike other shock absorbers produced in the Monroe plant, the Rancho RS5000 and RS9000X shocks are assembled using components designed and specified by Rancho engineers.
At one time, Rancho offered an 'RS1000'. This was a Monroe clone and marketed as a budget-priced replacement shock absorber. We have never stocked the RS1000.
Q: Does Rancho sell its shocks to any other 4WD shock absorber marketers?
A: No. The Rancho RS5000 and Rancho RS9000X shocks are not sold under any other name.
The design and engineering that has gone into making the RS5000 and RS9000X the most highly-regarded specialist 4WD shock in the world is not available to any other company.
Q: Does Rancho sell its shocks to any other 4WD shock absorber marketers?
A: No. The Rancho RS5000 and Rancho RS9000X shocks are not sold under any other name.
The design and engineering that has gone into making the RS5000 and RS9000X the most highly-regarded specialist 4WD shock in the world is not available to any other company.
Q: What does "engineered to suit the application mean?"
A: Many shock absorber brands have similar valving across the range. This means that a shock that will fit on a 2-tonne truck may also be sold to a customer with a Suzuki; if the ends and dimensions are compatible.
Look at a Rancho specification sheet and you will find shocks that are similar in size and end fittings, yet have different part numbers. This is because Rancho RS5000 and RS9000X shocks are specifically valved to suit various applications, and it means that the ride you will experience will be superior.
Q: Why should I purchase Rancho in preference to any other brand?
A: Rancho did not become the world's best- selling 4WD aftermarket shock absorber brand by accident. Apart from their superior design, engineering and quality, Rancho RS5000 and RS9000X shocks also provide the best on-road and off-road ride.
Many of our customers cannot believe how much more comfortable their 4WDs ride in rough-road conditions. After a weekend away in the country, our customers often phone to say how much more they enjoyed their off-roading with Ranchos fitted.
Q: Some other brands claim that their shocks are better because they have a larger piston size and a thicker diameter rod.
A: Rancho RS5000 shocks have a 35mm* diameter piston ( RS9000X, 32mm) and a 16mm *(5/8")* diameter, hardened and double-chromed rod. This is more than sufficient for most leaf-spring 4WDs, and many types of coil-sprung vehicles.
The quality of the components, and the micro-polished cylinder walls of the RS5000 and RS9000X shocks, also mean that less heat is generated and, therefore, the shocks will perform at their peak for longer periods of time.
Q: Which is better; the Rancho RS5000 or the adjustable RS9000X?
A: The choice is really one for the consumer. The RS5000 is the world's best-selling 4WD aftermarket shock absorber. It got to that position by offering an unbeatable combination of quality, performance, value-for-money and long-term durability. The RS9000X has extra features which make it superior to the RS5000 and way ahead of any other brand available.
The 9-position external knob on the RS9000X allows you to decide how the shock should ride. Position '1' provides a very soft "luxury car" ride. Position '9' is rock hard. Or you can select seven settings in between.
Position '9' is 800% firmer than position '1', so the choice is immense. In addition, the RS9000X features 15-stage velocity-sensitive valving, an advanced tri-tube construction and piston head design that allows for an amazing 17 times the oil-flow of its RS9000 predecessor, and is easily upgradable (at a later time if you prefer) with an in-cab control system to let you adjust the front and/or rear shocks from the dash.
This in-cab system has proved popular in ambulances. The crew can, in seconds, set the shocks firm, for vehicle control when racing to an accident, and then change them to a softer setting when carrying a patient.
Q: Does the adjuster on the RS9000X alter the compression or the rebound?
A: It alters both.
Q: How does the fixed setting on the RS5000 compare with the settings on the RS9000X?
A: Generally, position '5' on the RS9000X equates with that of a similar RS5000. For example, setting '5' on a RS99113 is very close to the firmness of a RS5113.
Q: What is the best setting for on and off road?
A: At 4WD1 we find that customers' opinions, of what is best in various conditions, can vary greatly. And that is why the RS9000X has become so popular. You can choose the ride that you want. Generally, we find that position '5' is best around town and copes well with most highway driving. If you are carrying a heavy load or towing, you may want to set the rear shocks to '8'.
Q: If I have a 4WD with non-standard suspension, how do I work the correct shock to fit?
A: We recommend that you measure the extended length of the shocks when the 4WD is parked on level ground. Then, generally, the correct length shock will be the one that has the shaft half-extended when the 4WD is level.
This will allow equal movement of the shaft, up or down, when driving on irregular surfaces. On solid axle 4WDs, maximum wheel travel is achieved when the shocks have equal wheel travel in both directions.
Q: Some shocks absorber companies say that mono-tube shocks are the best because they run cooler. Is Rancho a mono-tube?
A: No. And we would never encourage anyone to fit mono-tube shocks to a 4WD that was intended to be used off sealed roads.
Mono-tube designs, as used by Bilstein, De Carbon, some Pro-Comp shocks, and a few others, may be fine on passenger cars, but can be a worry on off-road vehicles.
The mono-tube design means that the tube you see on the outside is the same tube that the piston is running in. So, in the event of a rock or something denting the tube, the piston will jam and the shock will be useless.
Rancho's double-tube RS5000 and triple-tube RS9000X will withstand the hazards of trail-driving much better than a mono-tube. We have seen heavily- dented Ranchos that were still functioning well.
Q: How high can I lift my 4WD with Rancho suspension?
A: Unlike many "suspension companies" Rancho is not into building suspensions for the sole purpose of lifting the vehicle higher than stock.
First and foremost, Rancho is designed to increase on-road and off-road driving performance, and increase wheel- travel. When a 4WD is being used in challenging terrain, wheel- travel is usually the main factor in determining whether the 4WD keeps going, or stops due to a lack of traction.
Q: I definitely want Rancho, but I've got to convince "the boss" because there are a number of shock brands less expensive.
A: Steal the money jar? Hide the credit card?......just kidding!!
For any person without a keen interest in the product they are about to purchase, it can be easy not to differentiate between one brand and the next. Consciously, or not, price then becomes a big factor in deciding which product is "the best". Particularly, if the representative of the less-costly product claims, "these are great!"
Probably one of the best reasons for choosing Rancho shocks is their "true" value for money. This is provided to a customer who places 'value' in the long-term durability and performance of a product, over the initial cost price. To provide a domestic example, a few years ago we purchased a top-of-the-line Russell Hobbs kettle for our kitchen. Expensive? You bet.
But was it expensive? For years we had been replacing faulty kettles with new "bargains" which looked sleek and modern, but just didn't survive our daily usage. Loose lid pivots, intermittent automatic switch-off, or they just stopped working altogether.
The Russell Hobbs hasn't missed a beat. It's stainless steel body still looks new and there is a real satisfaction in knowing that this kettle will still be going strong many years, or even decades from now.
The performance and durability of Rancho shocks impart a similar pride of ownership. And the increase in driving pleasure, both on and off the road, extends not only to the driver, but to the passengers as well.
THE ENTIRE TEXT CONTENT OF THIS WEB PAGE IS THE COPYRIGHT OF 4WD1 PTY LTD
|
