What's going on R-F...

Just wanted to share some work I got done today. I ordered new lower control arms (spicers) from RockAuto.com, great prices and great product. Went down to my buddies shop in HB and we grinded the job out. Brand new LCA's and brand new Bilsteins for the front to match the back now. Going to go ahead and sell my King Smooth Body Resi shocks and just go with the bilsteins.

New Arm/Shock:


New Shock:


Truck runs like a dream now. I had to go ahead and bite the bullet on the MOOG BJ's I bought since the new arms came with BJ's already pressed in and ready to go. I love the way the truck handles now and couldn't be happier!

 

Nice. I think it's time my truck got some TLC as well.

 

Why did you ditch the King's for those?

 

Kings weren't setup or valved correctly for my truck and been threw 3 owners already. A lot of problems with the custom mounts that were made so I just went with something else. Bilsteins ride just as good anyway, so I'm just going to sell them to someone that wants them for their buggy or something.

 

nice! you ditched the resi's for basics?

 

Yup ditched the resi's for basics...

So far I can't tell a ride difference anyway...

 

now...get out and beat the snot out of it!!!

 

Bilstein ftw! I so want to redo my front end. New MOOG Ball Joints, and some POR15 paint.

 

glad they work for you sometimes suspension isnt up to the hype i just got an 09 fox fork on my mtn bike and it seems like the 06 was much betteer

 

i havent been around alot lately but what happen to ur lower control arms?

 

I was wondering the same thing...

 

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=73494

 

The Kings are rebuildable, those Bilsteins aren't. If you want the truck to be able to take a good amount of abuse I'd slap the Kings back on and spend a good amount of time revalving them. It's easy, just takes time. The 5100's will be nowhere close in comparison to a properly valved rebuildable shock. I have some numbers of some great race shock prep people if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself. Might cost more but it's worth it in the end.

 

Trent,

Thanks for the response. I've had them rebuilt twice already but everything was just soo rigged just to get them slapped on and running. Everything is a lot smoother with the bilsteins until I can get enough money together for boxed upper/lower arms and coil-overs. I know the kings will take a lot more abuse that I put the truck through but for now I'm just gonna sell those beasts on race-dezert and work with the bilsteins for awhile. I need my truck as a DD more then an off-road truck at this point in time because I don't have a job anymore. Laid off FTL. :(

 

Sounds good.

Can't beat it too hard, or more $$$$ will follow lol.

 

That blows, sorry to hear about the situation. Economy sucks, we all take the hit.

Anywho, who revalved/rebuilt them before? Sounds like they did a really crappy job. If you're looking for a cheap but great L/T kit talk to Brandon from BTFab, he builds a 4x4/Edge kit that is more or less based on the same principles as the DBR kit is (upper high angle bj's, boxed uppers and lowers, steering, etc.). He does good work for real cheap. PM me for his number if you like.

 

I took them to King in Garden Grove but I've beat them pretty good for about 60k miles so they are due again for another rebuild.

 

What size and how much are you selling them for? I'll pass it around.

 

I'd be more worried about the rest of the suspension components than either of those 2 shocks mentioned..

 

I understand the need for a street truck rather than a play truck, but get someone to build some better brackets instead of running the generic ones. Atleast you stuck with bilstein its still a damn good brand I'm running them in all 4 corners.

 

I think they are the 2.0 Smooth Body's with Resi's -- $150 for both as is. They need to be rebuilt.

Agreed.

 

Don't get me wrong, this is definitely my play truck but I don't have the urge to go 70mph through the whoop section with spindles. Once I get my long travel then it's on and by then I'll have something to tow this truck with and fully trophy it out. For now I just like hitting the trails/drifting and climbing mountains and going through rivers

Plus my truck is a lot of fun on the street when it rains :)

 

Got alignment done again today, and everything is perfecto!

It feels like I just drove it off the lot brand new!