I am looking for some shocks for a softer ride. I have Rancho RSX installed front and back right now. They have been there almost 4 years now. I have a 97 4wd with no lift kit of any sort.

I don't want to spend more than $30 to 40 each this time around. I also want something that provides semi decent handling.

I am really wanting to change these because of the ******* pos speed bumps in my apartment complex. The speed limit is 10 and I can only go about 1 or 2 over the speed bumps. I still feel like I'm thrown around like a bag of potatoes at those speeds.

 

So you want your cake and you want to eat it also??? And you want to completely alter 99.9% of the ride of your truck because of a couple of speed bumps in your parking lot that you spend .1% of your driving time on?? Did I get that right??

If you really really want to soften the ride, do this...
--Just shop for the cheapest shock you can find...Pro Comp 3000's come to mind. Sears Automotive probably has some that fits your price range as well.
--Completely remove all the preload from your torsion bars.
--Remove that thickest bottom leaf from your leaf spring pack in the rear.

These three things should give you a pretty darn plush ride!!

 

I think that was a little overboard. Not everybody wants to feel every little bump in the road. I know there should be some shocks better than the OEM ones. I'll just go back to OEM ones if I keep getting the same type of replies.

 

I'd look around for a sale on Bilstiens.

 

Yeah, whoa,the man just wants shocks, take it easy.

If your truck is on stock suspension just go down to a decent automotive store and ask them for a set of soft riding shocks. You get what you pay for, so it might be alittle more a shock, but will probly be worth it.

 

Sorry everyone, I didn't mean to be a jerk as it came across. These torsion bar trucks are not gonna ride good and throwing a cheap (IMO $30-$40 is cheap) shock on it is not gonna soften up the ride to make it worth while on these trucks. Like 07HD said...when it comes to shocks, that's one of those areas where you get what you pay for.

I also was not being sarcastic in my recommendations, that was legit and I've seen it done. It will give a nice plush ride. Putting a cheap, soft, shock on these trucks IMO, gives you a somewhat stiff ride (normal charasteristics of these trucks) but a bouncy ride (because you have too soft of a shock to actually control the suspension) My shock recommendations were legit...I've tried the 3000's. I thought they sucked...because they're too soft. May be just what you're looking for though!

 

I'm not sure what was installed before I got the RSX shocks. They might have been the OEM shocks for all I know. I just know the ride was rougher after putting them on. I don't need the ride to feel like a luxury car. I just want something that will make the ride a little smoother.

 

Then either the ProComp 1000 or 3000 should be right up your alley. Fit right into your cost window as well. If you don't like the ride of your RSX's, you wont like any other Rancho, or Bilstein, or any other top end shock.

 

lower your torsion bolts down and put a set of sensatracs on there which you can pick up from your local parts store.

 

Well being in a short bed, I would be surprised uf you get a real soft ride out of it, unless you take a leaf spring off. Perhaps moving out of the apartment complex to a place with no speed bumps???

 

I had the pro comp 1000's on my old ranger as a replacment for my stockers and they were pretty soft but nothing like the stock ones. Later I went with Bilstein 5100 and those were even better. I have fabtech white bodies on my f1 and they ride pretty soft also.

 

What about Monroe Reflex shocks? I've got a way to get them for $40 each.