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

Irun said:
I've been on the hunt for a card catalog cabinet like that for a while. What was once junk is now antique, hard to find, and pricey...love it!
:love:
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And those things were designed to hold a crazy amount of weight, so they are perfect for heavy stuff. I picked up a few of them from the first place I worked many, many years ago. I wished I had gotten 10.
 
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Irun said:
Couldn't wait could you! ;)
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Yeah. I think like most, I hadn’t heard anything about the Black Max shocks. All I ever seen was how bad their other ones are. I haven’t been shopping around for any either though.
 
Well, I guess we are in limbo until some folks get a hold of these magic shocks and give us some butt dyno data.
 
Focusing on the rear, those running the Rancho RS55241's, 21.67"/13.51".

SJ B8518's, 22.58"/13.71".
 
NashvilleTJ said:
Then you will appreciate my storage cabinets...View attachment 255075
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Speaking of antique storage cabinets...

I got three of these old card file cabinets. Heavy buggers... Made by the Remington- Rand company.

We were cleaning out some old storage at work and they didn't have a use anymore. I grabbed em, but I'm not sure what to do with them... The drawers are a little shallow for storage.

@Irun is this the type you're looking for?

IMG_20210526_192515570.jpg


IMG_20210526_192523417_MP.jpg


IMG_20210526_192610898.jpg
 
Mr. Bills said:
@MountaineerTom

How perfect that an LJ would be the test rig. Be sure to get your axle weights at the public scale.

Which P/Ns did you order?
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I don’t even know where a scale is in my area.

I ordered the smaller size as I have a smaller 2 inch OME lift (2.5 inch with the HD springs).

B8516 and B8518
 
MountaineerTom said:
I don’t even know where a scale is in my area.

I ordered the smaller size as I have a smaller 2 inch OME lift (2.5 inch with the HD springs).

B8516 and B8518
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There are CAT scales in Manning and Summerton. :)

https://catscale.com/cat-scale-locator/?postalcode=&city=Sumter&state=SC&miles=25&cmdSearch=
https://www.publicscaleslocator.com/
Generally speaking, you can find public scales at truck stops. Scales can also be found at some land fills, some building & construction material yards, etc. You don't need a certified weight, just the weight of the front axle, rear axle and total.
 
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Mr. Bills said:
There are CAT scales in Manning and Summerton. :)

https://catscale.com/cat-scale-locator/?postalcode=&city=Sumter&state=SC&miles=25&cmdSearch=
https://www.publicscaleslocator.com/
Generally speaking, you can find public scales at truck stops. Scales can also be found at some land fills, some building & construction material yards, etc. You don't need a certified weight, just the weight of the front axle, rear axle and total.
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Ok. They aren’t far away. I understand the total weight, but I’m assuming they will know what to do to get the axles? Or do I need to know what to ask for to get them?
 
MountaineerTom said:
Ok. They aren’t far away. I understand the total weight, but I’m assuming they will know what to do to get the axles? Or do I need to know what to ask for to get them?
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What works for me is to be the perpetual rookie and have them tell me what they want me to do.

Go inside and tell them that you need to weigh your jeep but don't need a certified weight. Tell them you need the front and rear axle weights and the total weight. [You can do all of this outside at the scale by driving onto the plates and using the push button speaker, but the the perpetual rookie ploy works best inside).

They will tell you to drive onto the scale, put your front axle on the front plate and your rear axle on the next plate then push the speaker button when you are ready. Stay in your rig for an accurate weight with driver. The voice over the speaker will let you know when you are weighed, then drive off the scale and go back inside for your weight ticket.

Don't worry if they screw up and only get one axle and the total weight. You can determine the other axle weight with simple arithmetic.

https://catscale.com/how-to-weigh/
 
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Mr. Bills said:
What works for me is to be the perpetual rookie and have them tell me what they want me to do.

Go inside and tell them that you need to weigh your jeep but don't need a certified weight. Tell them you need the front and rear axle weights and the total weight. [You can do all of this outside at the scale by driving onto the plates and using the push button speaker, but the the perpetual rookie ploy works best inside).

They will tell you to drive onto the scale, put your front axle on the front plate and your rear axle on the next plate then push the speaker button when you are ready. Stay in your rig for an accurate weight with driver. The voice over the speaker will let you know when you are weighed, then drive off the scale and go back inside for your weight ticket.

Don't worry if they screw up and only get one axle and the total weight. You can determine the other axle weight with simple arithmetic.

https://catscale.com/how-to-weigh/
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Very informative. Thank you. I might make a trip this weekend to do that.
 
bobthetj03 said:
Small observation whilst checking mounting codes. Rancho uses Monroe's mounting code designations, Skyjacker, Gabriel's. I was looking for a shock that I could use in the rear without having to press out the bar pins since I have the BPE's in the back uppers. I found this one with the same exact lengths as the B8518's.
https://skyjacker.com/shop/shocks/black-max-shocks/b8523-black-max-shock-absorber/
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That might be a significant observation.

If one were to put one's investigative skills to work figuring out whether Skyjacker Black Max shocks are actually re-labeled "something elses" it would be a clue that it might be more fruitful to start with Gabriel rather than Tenneco.
 
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Ok, so far we have:
  • @Mike_H trying out the KYBs over on this thread.
  • @Irun trying out the Skyjacker BlackMax on this current thread (I think?).
  • @MountaineerTom trying out the Skyjacker BlackMax on this current thread (I think?).
  • @bobthetj03 and @Rubicon88 doing investigative work on whether Ranchos and BlackMax are re-branded something-elses.
Am I tracking so far? Just wanted to take stock at this point as we're over 100 posts so far.
 
Last edited:
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SSTJ said:
Ok, so far we have:
  • @Mike_H trying out the KYBs over on this thread.
  • @Irun trying out the Skyjacker BlackMax on this current thread (I think?).
  • @... someone else trying Skyjacker too? Can't remember.
  • @bobthetj03 and @Rubicon88 doing investigative work on whether Ranchos and BlackMax are re-branded something-elses.
Am I tracking so far? Just wanted to take stock at this point as we're over 100 posts so far.
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@MountaineerTom ordered a set of Skyjacker BlackMax as well.

I am patiently waiting both 3 of them to report back, in order to make my order! haha
 
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Irun said:
Crap, now we're telling "I used to walk to school uphill, both ways, in a snow storm" stories. This picture represents my first computer programming course and how major computer applications were written when I started. :(

View attachment 255048
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I actually did wall up
SSTJ said:
Ok, so far we have:
  • @Mike_H trying out the KYBs over on this thread.
  • @Irun trying out the Skyjacker BlackMax on this current thread (I think?).
  • @... someone else trying Skyjacker too? Can't remember.
  • @bobthetj03 and @Rubicon88 doing investigative work on whether Ranchos and BlackMax are re-branded something-elses.
Am I tracking so far? Just wanted to take stock at this point as we're over 100 posts so far.
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I know who makes them. Just not putting it in text.
I showed you the OE spectrum from Monroe and the similarities to the 5000x so you can draw your own conclusions.

All I will say is that SJ is NOT made by Monroe.
 
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SSTJ said:
Ok, so far we have:
  • @Mike_H trying out the KYBs over on this thread.
  • @Irun trying out the Skyjacker BlackMax on this current thread (I think?).
  • @... someone else trying Skyjacker too? Can't remember.
  • @bobthetj03 and @Rubicon88 doing investigative work on whether Ranchos and BlackMax are re-branded something-elses.
Am I tracking so far? Just wanted to take stock at this point as we're over 100 posts so far.
Click to expand...
I believe @MountaineerTom ordered the Skyjackers as well.

Ok, my theory,

Pretty much all shocks, with the exception of the custom stuff Fox and King make, are made by Monroe or Gabriel. There's no way a small company like Skyjacker, Rancho, BDS, Procomp, OME, etc. can fork out the dough in research/development, so they pick a shock that they want to run with, re-label the stock sizes, the contract said shock company to make a handful of custom length shocks for lifted applications with their label, and some careful, but suspiciously familiar re-wording. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this, I just wish they would be more of a straight shooter when it comes to the product we are buying. I could be totally way off base here. Just my theory.
 
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bobthetj03 said:
I believe @MountaineerTom ordered the Skyjackers as well.

Ok, my theory,

Pretty much all shocks, with the exception of the custom stuff Fox and King make, are made by Monroe or Gabriel. There's no way a small company like Skyjacker, Rancho, BDS, Procomp, OME, etc. can fork out the dough in research/development, so they pick a shock that they want to run with, re-label the stock sizes, the contract said shock company to make a handful of custom length shocks for lifted applications with their label, and some careful, but suspiciously familiar re-wording. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this, I just wish they would be more of a straight shooter when it comes to the product we are buying. I could be totally way off base here. Just my theory.
Click to expand...
KYB make their own
And Bilstein
And Fox
 
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