Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

I do not have rear air suspension. I just noticed the OEM rear shocks are gas charged. When I removed one of the them, that side dropped down a couple of inches. Are these non-charged Rancho 9000 shocks going to provide the same vehicle height?

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

I put a set of 9000's on 2 weeks ago. I noticed that I had lost a bit of height in the rear, I'd guess about an inch. The ride is great.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Finished installing and it's lower in the back. Probably should have measured it before starting. I am not happy about it being lower than before. Now I will probably have to drop the torsion bars back down some and do another alignment:mad:

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Don't do a thing until tomorrow. If you're not happy, be prepared to remove them.

There are too many alternatives out there for you to not be happy.

Pull them and get something else.

That sucks.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

That is really surprising to me that you lost height with a shock swap. The shocks are not meant to suspend the vehicle but to dampen the suspension movements. I can't imagine a shock (other than a true air shock) changing the ride height of the rig. I guess if its lower, its lower but its just really weird.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

gas charged shocks are "charged" for only one reason. To keep the dampening oil in suspension. The compressed gas inside the shock keeps the oil from frothing.

The negative side of that is that it forces the shock to full extension. But it's not enough to pick up a vehicle.

Put it this way, the pressure in the shock is low enough that one can simply push the shock back into compression. That is not enough "power" to lift the truck which would likely be over 1500 lbs at the to rear corners.

Back to the height of the vehicle when you removed the shocks, that doesn't really mean much. The height is dynamic as you move and the shocks work themselves as the truck moves over rough surfaces. Drive around on the new shocks for a few days and if afterwards you still don't like the way the truck looks, get some coil spaces to raise the rear.

IMO, it's dumb to sacrifice ride quality and function of the suspension just to have the truck sit level when it's still and the Ranchos are the shiznit.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

TBs were adjusted few thousand miles ago and alignment already done.

The Ranchos did not appear to be gas charged, as I had to pull out on them to get them the right length to fit.

Seriously though, when I removed the rear shocks, the side I was working at that time on dropped down at least an inch or more. I can also tell it sits lower in the back now with the 9000s on.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

the remote reserviors are for sure. The 9000's aren't, I don't think. Some shocks like Ranchos are low pressure charged but the crappy shocks like the stock shocks are high pressure charged, therefore push apart when you take them off.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Can anyone confirm if the OEM shocks from an H2 with Rear Air Suspension are gas charged or not? I am wondering if they put these gas charged shocks on just non-air H2s since they dont have the air bags.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

gas charged are on air-ride as well, same shocks.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Thx Paragon

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

I just spoke to Rancho Tech Support and they researched the Hummer H2 shocks. He confirmed there is an issue here. He states the OEM shocks are high pressure 300psi monotube shocks. He went on to add that even their remote resevoir shocks that are gas charged are only 100psi and that the regular twin tube 9000s are considered no-pressure.

He stated this will cause the rear to be lower:(

This sux because I really like the shocks. I remember seeing somewhere on a link here, that there is a 1" coil spring spacer that I could use. Anyone know where this link is? I will try and search on it.

Another option is a stiffer coil spring if anyone knows of some?

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Ahhhhhh! This sucks. I just bought some 9000s and I don't want the reat to sag (I have air susp too). I have not yet installed them.

tomp,
Can you post some pix of the rear sagging?

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

tom does NOT have air. If you have air, it's not going to sag since the air controls the height regardless.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

OK, thanks. Didn't read too close. I soiled myself for nothing. :o

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

theoretically then, the front should drop also. They are the same high pressure gas charged type that's on the rear.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

PM sent...:D

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Phil, yours were probably worn out:D

Paragon, strange thing is that the front OEM shocks are not gas charged.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

I think the front shocks are gas charged, when I removed mine they extended. They didn't seem like they had as much pressure though.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Found out some more info from Rancho. Rancho/Monroe actually makes the stock OEM shocks for the H2.

Paragon & Ed are correct, in that the front are also gas charged, but at a very low amount compared to the rear. (25-40# max psi)

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Rancho is working with me and trying to find a solution. They are leaning towards the Monroe monotube (self-adjusting) 911508 for the rear and the 911507 for the front.

http://www.monroe.com/products/mp_detail.asp?cat=Monroe%20Reflex&detail=Monotube% 20Shock%20Absorbers

These are their H2 replacement shocks with pressures that are in the same ranges as the OEM shocks.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

IMO, you are looking at this all wrong. Shocks are about ride quality. Monotubes are not going to come close to performing as well as variable valving and the triple tubed setup the 9000s have.

It sounds as though you are happy and fine except that your truck sags in the rear. This is a result of spring setting. Up the spring rate in the rear to accommodate and you will still enjoy the benefits that the 9000s offer.

There's just a huge difference when you go from one truck running 9000s to one that's running stock or even bilsteins. People run spring spacers in their coils all of the time and it's something I would seriously consider if I was you before I would sacrifice the ride quality the shocks provide.

Again, my opinion.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

That ia what I would like to do. The ride quality, like you mentioned, is very nice. When I get home from work, I will try and find the spacers linkage. I think I saved it a while back.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Hopefully Paragon or Phil can answer this. Is there a safe amount of turns I can lower the torsion bars, that would not require an alignment? Say maybe 1 to 1.5 turns?

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Cool, I am going to try 1.5 turns. I originally cranked them 4 turns and things are a little stiff. Now that the rear is lower and softer, I need to drop the front a hair.

Re: Question - about rear shocks. NEED HELP QUICKLY!
 

Obviously this depends on where your truck is in relation to the jounce bumpers. My bars are up a few turns and still touch the top the jounce bumpers at rest. I doubt if I backed mine out that it would lower the front by much.