bilstein vs fox shocks?

Oh ya, rancho's support on these threads has been outstanding.

They participate, respond, and I am sure they financial support the threads.
 
I liked my 5100s and still have them but decided to try the Rancho 9000s this time. I like the Ranchos overall...compliant on pavement and decent damping. The finish is cheap (on the 9000s anyway) and they had surface rust (on top) brand new. I think the 5100s are more controlled with better damping and a bit firmer overall. I plan on running the Ranchos for another month or two and then swapping to compare back-to-back. I run 35" MTRs at around 28 PSI.
 
Flyer said:
I liked my 5100s and still have them but decided to try the Rancho 9000s this time. I like the Ranchos overall...compliant on pavement and decent damping. The finish is cheap (on the 9000s anyway) and they had surface rust (on top) brand new. I think the 5100s are more controlled with better damping and a bit firmer overall. I plan on running the Ranchos for another month or two and then swapping to compare back-to-back. I run 35" MTRs at around 28 PSI.
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I went with the 7000's because I live in the salty winters of the north east.
I saw the posts showing rust, I did not feel like clear coating like so many do and I really don't feel like tinkering with adjustable shocks.

They are firm, really love the ride and the finish is great.

From what other posts have said side by side the bilstien 5100s are a hair firmer. My wife has the 4900 stock height yellow and blue ones which are great but most likely not as firm as 5100.

With that being said I am really happy with my choice.
 
I started with the Bilstein 5100's because they were inexpensive and many seem to like them. I found them harsh on and off road. They are a disposable shock -- anything goes wrong and outside the warranty period -- just throw them in the trash because they can't be fixed.

I switched to Fox 2.0 wtih resovoir a few months ago. They have a much nicer ride than the Bilstein did. I was also considering the Rancho's but ended up going with the Fox.
 
I'm loving the rancho 9000xl I put on last month. On and off road they perform nicely and the wife was amazed since it was her first drive in dirt. Upgraded from stock so I don't have anything to compare otherwise but I'm happy. They did have rust when taken out of package like mentioned.
 
Well I've got 5100's and they are really stiff, of course my lift will also be a factor there (RE 3.5" superflex), and as I understand it RE coils are fairly stiff. This combo is way, way stiffer than my father's setup which is a rancho 4" and rancho 9000XL's.

overall I prefer the feel of the rancho system with 9000's but I hear the 7000's are great too. When an old friend visited we didn't get much further than a mile down the road before he said "Damn this suspension is stiff as hell!" I'm fairly certain that nothing in the back of my jeep actually moves if I hit a speed bump, it just bounces the back end up, at least that's how it feels to me :crazyeyes:
 
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noroad said:
:thinking::thinking::thinking: Comparable but yours suck?? I have to disagree shocks are different and you most often get what you pay for! ride is subjective and only each person can pick the right one for them! Drive someones rig and see if you like it best thing i can tell ya!
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My Rough Country shocks suck, I don't consider them name brand. I'm going with Ranchos only because of the good things I've heard here. My post was stated in my opinion and whether you go with bilstein, fox, or rancho, not sure if the difference is gonna be that noticeable. They all offer shocks in the same categories. As you said, ride is 100% subjective.
 
When I use the 9000's on my vehicles ( On my diesel right now, I run the monotubes on my JK ) I hit them with an additional clear coat. We do clear coat them but I like the added protection. Cover the knob and bushings with some painter's tape and apply a coat. :thumb:
 
Fox 2.0 all the way had them for 1 year now and no problems at all and nice ride

Sent from my SM-G900P using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Otzy said:
Hey guys,

wondering what your opinions are on shocks. it seems that bilsteins are the most commonly used shocks around here, and they come at a great price. However i was wondering how they compare to fox shocks that are around the same price like the 2.0 evolution (92 bucks/shock) or the smooth body IFP (120/shock). Im asking because from my other hobbies (i mountain bike a lot) fox is pretty much top of the line, is there a difference in how they feel or how they perform? whats your $.02?

thanks
Otzy
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I don't know where you are from but I live in Canada and run the bilstein 5160. After 2 years of use in the winter the coating on the shocks has completely rusted and the shocks look like crap now. The ride is nice in my opinion kinda firm and other than the look of the shock I'm pretty happy with them.
I have no experience with the Rancho or Fox unfortunatly.
 
I just installed the rancho 9000xl's and the difference in the ride from my old shocks is amazing. I like being able to set the front shocks a little stiffer in the front to help with the extra weight of the winch and bumper. Also with the rebate they cost $58.00 each.

Sent from my SM-N900V using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Both brands are good for shock absorbers. You can take any one of them without any hesitation. If you want to choose any one of them, it depends on your use and budget. If you wish to shocks for regular use, then you can take Bilstein 5100. Fox 2.0 shocks are giving you a better off-road performance.
 
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PaulCuriel said:
Both brands are good for shock absorbers. You can take any one of them without any hesitation. If you want to choose any one of them, it depends on your use and budget. If you wish to shocks for regular use, then you can take Bilstein 5100. Fox 2.0 shocks are giving you a better off-road performance.
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Thank God that you got here and replied. The OP along with the rest of us have been keeping an eye on this thread for over 6 years just waiting for our cyber messiah to show up and grant us words of wisdom.
 
WJCO said:
Thank God that you got here and replied. The OP along with the rest of us have been keeping an eye on this thread for over 6 years just waiting for our cyber messiah to show up and grant us words of wisdom.
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:cheesy::cheesy::cheesy::cheesy:
 
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