Shock Comparison: Rancho RS5000X vs Skyjacker Black Max vs KYB Monotube

[MountaineerTom]

They are certainly softer. They feel a lot like the stock ride to me. I know everyone didn’t get their Jeep with a stock suspension, but for me, that’s comparable to how it feels.

When I put my lift on, I installed the OME Nitrocharger Sport Shocks. They were very rough over areas in the road like joints where roads meet bridges, man hole covers, your normal deteriorating pot-holed road or patched up pot holes. Around here it’s very sandy and some of the fire service roads get a lot rippled/wash board type areas on them and with the OME’s it was rough as hell and not enjoyable unless you were going very slow.

I replaced the OME’s with Rancho RS5000x’s and it was an improvement In all those areas.

These Black Max’s seem to me to be a ride improvement over the Ranchos. At first I thought they might be kind of mushy just pushing on the bumper corners before I drove it around. Even pulling out of my shop, thought the yard and out on the street I was still thinking it might be mushy. After driving around just a few minutes, I liked the feel a lot. I do have a newer style Antirock up front on the softest setting and the factory rear sway bar. A factory front bar or the ORO bar would probably be different, but I have no experience with those and the Black Max’s combo.

Im happy.

 

[bobthetj03]

Great input @MountaineerTom . We need someone with the factory front sway bar to try these. I'm betting it would feel different. I wish I could remember what the stock suspension felt like. That was 17 years ago!

 

[Mr. Bills]

. . . These Black Max’s seem to me to be a ride improvement over the Ranchos.

I'm happy.

You buried the lead.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Great input @MountaineerTom . We need someone with the factory front sway bar to try these. I'm betting it would feel different. I wish I could remember what the stock suspension felt like. That was 17 years ago!

I don’t mind how it rides right now.

I drove it about 50 miles on the Ranchos yesterday to get it weighed. I drove some of the same roads today with the Black Max’s So I feel like I got decent comparison between the two. I also drove some of the route that I drive each day to work since I’m familiar with road conditions there too.

 

[TJim]

I don’t mind how it rides right now.

I drove it about 50 miles on the Ranchos yesterday to get it weighed. I drove some of the same roads today with the Black Max’s So I feel like I got decent comparison between the two. I also drove some of the route that I drive each day to work since I’m familiar with road conditions there too.

So, correct me If I am wrong. OLD Man shocks are stiffer than Ranchos, which are stiffer than Skyjacker Blackmax (which are close to stock shocks)

 

[MountaineerTom]

I forgot to add in my previous post, I didn’t get to go down the nearby dirt/sand washboard road due to some construction in that area.


I don’t have all the technical info and measurements that @Irun has, but the front had right at 4.75 inch of the shaft showing. The rears had 4 inches.

Going by Skyjackers info of 9.21” of front travel and 8.87” of rear travel, am I correct in think I have 4.42“ of down travel in the front and 4.87” of up travel in the rear?

B8516 fronts
B8518 rears

I did put some zip ties on the shafts, slid up against the cans, before I went out. Here’s where they were when I came back.

 

[MountaineerTom]

So, correct me If I am wrong. OLD Man shocks are stiffer than Ranchos, which are stiffer than Skyjacker Blackmax (which are close to stock shocks)

In my experience, yes.

 

[TJim]

Are Skyjacker Black Max shocks hydraulic shocks? Doesn't that mean that they could perform better on road but worse off road than a gas charged shock? (Such as Rancho)

 

[TheBoogieman]

Are Skyjacker Black Max shocks hydraulic shocks? Doesn't that mean that they could perform better on road but worse off road than a gas charged shock? (Such as Rancho)

Yes and maybe. It depends on your offroad terrain. I've always said the Zone hydro shocks rode better than any other budget shock I've owned. For some reason Zone discontinued them and only sell the stiff nitro shocks now.

 

[TJim]

Yes and maybe. It depends on your offroad terrain. I've always said the Zone hydro shocks rode better than any other budget shock I've owned. For some reason Zone discontinued them and only sell the stiff nitro shocks now.

In which terrain would a hydraulic shock have the advantage over a gas charged one?

 

[TheBoogieman]

In which terrain would a hydraulic shock have the advantage over a gas charged one?

Not really an advantage. They work great for slow speed trails. I wouldn't want to drop off any rock ledges with them.

 

[TJim]

Not really an advantage. They work great for slow speed trails. I wouldn't want to drop off any rock ledges with them.

That's because they tend to be softer?

 

[TheBoogieman]

That's because they tend to be softer?

Yes.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

when did Skyjacker hire somebody that actually knew suspensions? lol

dang though. I wouldn't mind my ride being a little softer (even though as I stated in another thread, it seems softer already than most of my buddies rigs). But their length offerings are wonky up front. Who goes to the lengths required for a 12" travel shock in those lengths and then buys a $55 skyjacker product to put there?

	Shock Length
	Comp	Ext
RS55239	14.43​	23.84​
RS55255	15.8​	26.53​
B8525	14.52​	24.3​
B8549	16.56​	28.75​

So as it stands, the 8525 would eat 2" of my downtravel, and the 8549 would eat .75" of uptravel and add 2" of downtravel I don't need (or want) with my shortarms. Maybe I could do some minor customization of my mounts to effectively shorten the 8549, like getting the bar pin underneath the lower mount, since they mount shaft-down.

The rear lines up pretty well with the RS55256 that I run. A little better even, though 1/4" doesn't really justify pulling the springs to adjust the bumps unless things are already apart. Then again, some BPE's in the rear might keep my current 5" of uptravel and put the extra length on the downtravel instead, which would move me more in favor of 50/50.

	Shock Length
	Comp	Ext
RS55241	13.51​	21.67​
RS55256	15.01​	24.67​
B8528	14.82​	24.84​

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Front shocks showed up today, surprisingly. Assembling them now!

View attachment 255712

Is the length of the front shock measured from the bar pin centerline to the top of the can where the bushing washer sits? If so then the lengths are apples to apples with rancho. I learned the hard way that measuring between the shock mounts includes half of the upper bushing which is not included in the published measurements.

 

[MountaineerTom]

If you want to spend lots of money, you can have great handling shocks. But, I think this will work good for budget minded folks.

 

[Mike_H]

Just got back from my first drive with my KYB mono max shocks. First, a disclaimer. They are too long for my application. But aside from that, I took them for a short drive around town. They are drastically different than the Ranchos. With the ranchos, the rear end didn't seem to be following the front end. I couldn't predict what the Jeep was doing and it was very unsettling. The tail was wagging the dog, so to speak. The KYBs have eliminated that issue. The Jeep feels predicable again. To me that was the worst thing about the ranchos, so I'm happy that it's fixed.

These shocks are stiff though. Hopefully they loosen up a little. They felt bouncy in the driver's seat. Not uncontrolled, like the springs were overpowering, but more like the compression stroke has too much valving. It could be too little valving... I'm trying to learn how to speak shock tuner.

Dynamically, they are pretty good. High speed corners feel good, RR crossing pass with a solid thump, thump without causing the chassis to do a house of pain impersonation (jump around, anyone?), Braking doesn't cause a big nose dive, etc.

At this point, I'm going to change my springs and reset bump stops to give these a fair shake. I have a set of spring sitting here that are reported to give a 3.5-4 inch lift height. I think they'll be about a perfect combination with these shocks, so I'll give it a go. The bounciness I felt could be the Jeep hitting the jounce bumpers...I should probably install some zip ties next time I drive it. It reminded me of those fast and furious cars that are slammed to the weeds and they bounce when they go over speed bumps. I'm sure it's not that drastic, but that's just what popped into my head while driving.

 

[bobthetj03]

This is the issue I have with the KYB's, limited lengths. what they offer fits stock height or a 4" lift.

 

[Mike_H]

This is the issue I have with the KYB's, limited lengths. what they offer fits stock height or a 4" lift.

There isn't much out there that really fits a 3" lift. I've been looking, and looking, and looking, lol

 

[bobthetj03]

There isn't much out there that really fits a 3" lift. I've been looking, and looking, and looking, lol

Yep, it's the red headed step child of lifts. I've been using that description way too much lately, lol!