Hurry if you can.....
I need to know about gas shocks for my truck. I have read a few negative remakes about gas ; stock is better than gas is the claim .
I forget the logic but it did grab my attention ! I think it maybe the gas ones must be constantly adjusted , or hard to get just right because they are adjustable .
I intended to post this sooner but .....oh well , story of my life...........
I believe the gas ones are 17.5" collapsed . 1 Part store says 19" is stock collapsed length .
Skyjackers is the brand if anyone use them , & Summitt says they will fit my truck ... so please recommend yea or nay...........or just comment..........

 

What gas shocks are you considering that need to manually adjusted? Typical gas shocks have a nitrogen pressure charged cylinder that augments the regular stock type of shock which is of course SELF ADJUSTING through its internal valve set up the same as the same as the none gas charged old fashioned hydraulic only shocks. . Gas shocks have a quicker reaction time to put the tire back on the ground than the old fashioned hydro shocks Gas is far better than the old stuff. You will have a smoother ride. There will be less cupping for tires using a gas shock.

I prefer KYB and have a set of low pressure shocks on my F250. I mainly use this truck as general transportation. Its my daily driver. I wonder often if my ride would be better with less of a bounce if I instead chose the KYB HIGH PRESSURE choice

. I used to run the high pressure kyb on my 1969 mustangs (his and hers) and they greatly improved the ride and handling of those two cars.
My F250 came to me with a 45 year old set of Monroe Magnum non gas charged shocks. The passenger front shock was completely seized. I wanted a nice highway ride so I chose the low gas charge to minimize the harshness that an unloaded truck that had new too stiff tires on it has....I wonder if the tire bounds higher with this low pressure choice. I wish there was a way to sample both without spending the money to own both types.

An F100 should be fine with the low pressure gas KYB they are not too expensive....I believe I also bought them through Summit.

 

I am with toolman what shocks are you looking at that are gas and need adjusting

What are you going to be using the truck for most of the time?
4x2 or 4x4 lift or lowered?
I would say for all around use as a DD and light loads then just a normal gas shock from the parts store should work.
I dont see the need for high price Fox off road adjustable racing shocks other than for bragging rights.

I went with KYB's from LMC on my 81 F100 4x2 flare side and happy with them but I have not driven the truck with anything else so?
Dave ----

 

I have a 1966 F100 and I am also thinking about changing my shocks to gas shocks. I would like to here what people are using on there F100s.

 

What's the rush? Shocks abound...
Don't rush into what might arguably be your most important suspension choice for happy motoring.

I think you may have "gas charged" and "air" shocks mixed up.

Who's claim? Someone that knows anything?
Most (all) modern stock shocks are gas shocks. Back in our day? Not so much. At least not for trucks anyway. But they were often standard, or optional on some vehicles. Now they're simply ubiquitous.
I have them on both my '68 Bronco and my 2019 Silverado. Both Bilstein replacements, as my stock 2019 shocks were also gas charged.
The stock ones always sucked, and the new ones are notably better.
So they can't all be, all bad is my thinking. And experiences.

Some bad results (meaning, stiff ride) come from high-pressure charged shocks, with improper damping characteristics, especially when used on particularly light vehicles. Such as pickup trucks with empty beds.
Some lighter trucks, like older Toyotas, could actually get lifted a bit by just installing KYB Gas-a-Just shocks. Super light rear end, pressure holding the shocks up. Equals higher truck. Temporarily at least...

As the others have said already, very few shocks are adjustable. And while most of them might be gas charged, they are not adjustable because they are gas. Or vice versa...
Again, probably "air shocks" (almost synonymous with the Skyjacker name (more on that in a moment)).

An air shock is used only for lifting and lowering the rear height, based on the load. Or worded another way, for raising the rear back up when you load it down. Typically used in passenger cars when the trunk is loaded. Not so much for full-size pickups, because their load range is just not compatible with long-term high pressure use.
They only need to be adjusted for two reasons. Either they are leaking a little (or a lot!) or they are re-adjusted to compensate for less or more junk in the trunk.

The gas shocks that have separate reservoirs are more often just called "reservoir shocks" nowadays. To differentiate between them and a regular looking shock with just a single tubular body full of oil and air/gas.
Many of them have a Schroeder (Peanuts pun intended because I forgot how to spell Schrader?) valve on them so that the user can re-charge with nitrogen as needed for changing pressure characteristics, or to compensate for leakage.

Skyjacker is a brand of suspension, but it is also the long standing name for the individual model of AIR SHOCK produced by Gabriel. Who makes both gas charged, and non-gas shocks. But the "charge" has nothing to do with them either being air adjustable, or mechanically adjustable. Or even needing adjustment for that matter.
Gabriel has been making the Skyjacker shocks since the sixties at least. Along with their iconic label and associated decals that many hot-rodders put on their cars (and mom's station wagon!) to be part of the cool kids on the block.
Remember the hot-rod rake? Was that called the California Rake? Rear end of your mom's Nova butt high like a stink bug? Many of them were done with air shocks. Skyjackers most likely.

So, what are you trying to do? Get a higher rear end? Lower it and then be able to carry a load later by adding air pressure? Or are you just looking for shocks?
Even adjustable Rancho RS9000's are gas-charged now. They used to be "cellular gas" which meant that the extra air space was taken up by a foam element of nitrogen or Freon, but now the reservoir is nitrogen charged at pressure. The old Micky Thompson truck shocks had like 250psi and super stiff valving, so almost everyone that drove on the street hated them for their stiff ride. My new Bilstein shocks ride much better than the factory shocks. And a little, to very much better than all the different brands I've used on my trucks over the years.

So let us know what you're hoping to achieve with your new shocks, and we might better be able to offer suggestions.

Paul

 

Another AMAZING answer by the 1 & only 1TonBaseCamp..............
I HAD a chance of possibly acquiring a NEW set of SKYJACKERS gas shocks..........I WAS in HURRY BECAUSE I HAD TO LET THE PEOPLE KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO BUY THEM.............
They list for $57.00 each..........I was trying for much less................as always............ha..............I luv 2 wheel & deal................
HIGH-JACKERS CAME 1ST................with the crazy rabbit..............
I WANT A SMOOTH RIDE & SMOOTH STEERING . NOT A STIFF RIDE BUT FIRM .............
I am eventually will get an aluminum block & manifold & maybe a carb to lose weight so truck will steer easier.............I do want to build me an engine.........so I am going lite as I can..........one day.......ha............

 

the kyb gas charged shocks i put on list very different lengths than your listing for my 67 2wd f100. the front KG5406 is 10.67 collapsed and 16.06 extended and the rear are KG5419 12.56 collapsed and 19.84 extended. they are listed for your year too.

I know KYB's aren't the pinnacle of quality but these are an incredible improvement over the old worn out yellow monoe's that were on my truck ( i did all the bushing, kinpins, new coils, and replaced all the steering linkage at the same time so it would be hard to tell just how much the improvement is from just the shocks) when i searched, i couldn't find anything that was higher quality and listed to fit my truck, but maybe next time i'll look at the collapsed and extended length in a bilstien 5100 or something.

 

You’re right! I had my metaphors mixed.
Guess I never actually heard of skyjacker other than the brand. Just the hijackers.
It’s funny after I wrote that the other day, I kept seeing the logo in my head and something was off about the sound of the word skyjacker with Gabriel in the same sentence.
Thanks for the correction.

I almost looked it up too. But I thought, nah, I must be right!

 

Would you happen to have a part number for them? I can't seem to find anything that will confirm that they'll work on my '72.

 

Don't have something for a '72 pickup specifically at the moment. Mine are for Broncos (and would possibly work) and for a Silverado (would definitely NOT work!) but I would think they have something appropriate for a '72.
Is yours a 2wd or 4wd truck?

The ones for the Early Broncos are very likely the right fitment and possibly even length (though my specific shocks were for a lifted Bronco), but we'd have to check with Bilstein to see if the valving is proper.
But I'll see if I can come up with something once I get back. If you, or the others don't find something first.
Have you checked the Bilstein website to see if they go that far back? They go to '67 on the Broncos, and we sell them all the time. But for pickups, not sure off the top of my head.

But let us know whether they are for a two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive truck. And if any other modifications or additions have been made.

Paul

 

It's a 2wd. No luck with the Bilstein site. I've also done a search with Summit and Jegs and no luck there either.

I appreciate the help. Thank you!

 

You're right. Even their catalog does not go back to '72, so either you go with another brand, or you do what lots of us do, and pick a shock with the specs you want from the manufacturer you want.
For example, a 5100 series from Bilstein ( think it falls into the 5125 series) with a collapsed length of approx. 18" and an extended length of 29.7 would be their #13-185569.
It has the standard EB-1 and EB-1 (eye bushing, sleeved for a 1/2" bolt) with their 255/70 valving.

You can check your static length measurements between bolt to bolt on upper and lower mounts, and see if that falls into the range of yours. I'm just using that number because of RTT's showing a stock one at 19" and the replacement a 17" compressed length. So went to the middle initially.
The 255/70 is appropriate valving for the Broncos, and so might be really good for an empty pickup bed. Possibly a little soft-ish for a fully loaded pickup though, which is why most manufacturers probably err to the heavy/stiff side with shock valving for the rear of a pickup.
And what makes a Rancho RS9000 such a good choice for many.
With them, you keep the **** on the lower settings (based on your ride/handling preference) when empty, but "turn it up to eleven..." when you're loaded with firewood or whatever else your truck might haul.

I was never perfectly happy with the way the 9000's rode on the street, but they were the typical compromise best-of-both-worlds for me on most of my trucks. I like the Bilstein ride better, but don't haul a lot of stuff in either my Broncos, my F350, or 1500.

Anyway, sorry for the hijack RTT. Kind of along the same lines though, so hopefully it can help.
GrandStang, maybe get some measurements and mounting types, and we can go from there based on measurements, and guesses for valving. Until, that is, we come up with a Brand that lists them for your truck directly, and that you trust.
I'm sure that Gabriel and Monroe would still list for our trucks, but the modern performance shocks probably don't go back that far because they have not spent much time or effort testing them.

Paul

 

Thank you, Paul! I've heard great things from those Bilstein shocks, so I'm definitely gonna do a bit more digging around to see what will work for my application.

My rig is a shortbed and don't plan on ever hauling much stuff, so the softer ride might be the ticket anyways.

Thanks again!

 

Might be perfect then!
You can also call Bilstein USA at their Southern California Tech Center. I bet they would be happy to answer questions about valving that might be appropriate for your truck.
Even if they don’t have a listing, they probably have enough knowledge to get you there.