I replaced shocks that were 21 years old! (Rancho 1000s).
I thought the truck rode fine on the two decade old ranchos, when I took them off they were incredibly easy to compress, most likely lost their oil, and were toast. I installed the cheapest shock I could aquire that came with a lifetime warranty, which were good old Gabriel Guardians.
Wow, for a cheap shock, these shocks are stiff, stiff, stiff and strong. I was pleased. I had bought KYBs for a different pickup once and they were so easy to compress they were no better than the old shocks that came out.
Pic:
So heres the thing....both my old rancho 1000s and my new Gabriels were barely long enough for the truck. When the truck was off the ground, at max droop on the droop stops, the bottom shock just aligned with the mounting fish eyes. With other applications, the shocks always seemed to extend an additional inch or so. (my other cars and trucks)
So I used some nuts like so, to space the shocks down half an inch:
I know - I was riding on 21 year old dead shocks, but this truck is absorbing bumps like a champ now. I cannot believe how awful it was before, and how used to it I had become.
