The main dif with the gas shocks, is they have pressured gas inside of them to stop the oil from foaming. Ever notice how the old non gas shocks dont work as well when hot, or used hard? Thats why. the oil is foaming.

 

Pro comps pricey? I paid 91 bucks for four shocks.....far from pricey. and I dont care after a season of trashing they are shot because they have a lifetime warranty on them....and No, I did not pay for the boots.....

 

Well I can say from your last post that you sounded as if you paid 91 bucks per shock not for four shocks total. Personally, I'ld rather not replace them every year anyhow. But thanks for the post man.

 

One thing to remember is that there is a good possibility that most lower priced shocks are made by the same company and just have a rancho, heckthorn, procomp, fabtech, ezride, superlift, or skyjacker sticker on them, to get into a shock with more disign and thought put into them you will be looking at a considerably higher price, if you don't mind paying a little more for a good shock I would see what blistien offers for your truck, the rancho RS9000 is a good shock and the adjustability is nice to but they are also a little pricey, Iwould stay away from the lower priced ranchos (RS5000) and procomp shocks, form my experience I thought they were a little rougher riding shock, I also have the skyjacker hydros and superlift hydros (almost certain they are the same shock) they are not to bad but if I new what I know now I would have gotten the Blistiens instead, If money is no object the King shocks or Fox shocks are cream of the crop, but you better be ready to bed over when you order them,
my current project truck will be running the King coilovers so I've already looked at there prices, looks like I'll be bending over this spring,

 

hate to tell you man, but if you have a hydro shock that doesn't push itself back up, then it is shot.. they all return to the fully extended length when left uninhibited.

 

Hmmmm, thats weird, I've seen at least one brand (don't remember the brand but they were new) of hydro that doesn't self-extend like that. I thought they were all like that, just like fishy described, but it was an assumption. Now I'm curious what the definitive word is...

 

just installed a new set of BDS hydraulic shocks in a 79 bronco with quad shocks...beats the hell out of the rancho 5000s I took off...washboard all day like nothing!!!rancho's are too stiff for uneven roads on a light truck..just my $0.02 worth

 

my hydros didn't spring back when I bought them-like cutts said.

 

lol none of the hydro shocks i have ever installed (rancho, skyjacker, superlift, and trailmaster) don't spring back up, and all were brand new. think about the physics....a pressurized tube would but a liquid filled tube more than likely won't!

i am just merely stating what i have found to be true on my applications

-cutts-

 

My pro comps did'nt spring when compressed...they are brand new.

 

hmm. I bet the all ones I've used have a partial nitro charge with the oil. I've never used any fancy hydros, just regular monroes & gabriel hydro shocks..

so I eat my words..

 

So do the hydros give a rougher ride-somebody asked earlier and I didn't see a response. I have a 79 also, but a 150, with quad shock set up in front-I could use some advise on whether the hydros or gas will make the ride rougher. Right now it could be a little softer-Im running the cheap pro comps.

 

My dad has sworn up and down that nitros ride worse than hydros. I think either one will do as long as you find one that works best with your truck.

I had cheapie nitros on my f-150 and they rode great...

 

I looked at those Bilsteins. They were the OEM replacements. Are they really that much better than say the Rancho RSX17000 or the RS5000? I ask about the OEM replacements because they are the most comparable in price. I really don't want to spend more then 60 or 70 bucks a shock. Thanks.

 

Gabriel Gas adjust from Pep-Boys. 24$ a shock and they ride pretty good at speed. On the slow stuff they are a little too soft and tend to bounce, but once up to speed they are pretty good. If you want cheaper get the red gas shocks at 15$ each. For really Cheap you can get the blue hydros for around 12$ each sometimes 7-8$ each.

Bilsteins are really good, but pricey. They claim to have 100,000 mile warranty, but the ones on my Tacoma were shot at 50K highway miles. So I don't know about that 100K thing.