Rancho
Rancho might be the first off-road company name you ever learned. The company's products have been the very definition of what a well riding kit is supposed to be, seen as the benchmark for many new companies over the years. The Rancho kit was probably one of the softest-riding kits in the program, though you could change a bit of that very quickly with the help of an in-cab adjustable shock controller that let testers stiffen or soften the truck's suspension as they got into different terrains. It was the kind of Cadillac cruiser kit that we would want to put on our daily driver through the harsh freeways of Southern California, and go out and run a trail or two with on the weekend. The kit was clean-looking, nothing hung too low on the undercarriage, and we knew that we were getting Rancho's off-road heritage and experience with years of lifted truck suspensions.
Specs
| New A-arms? | No |
| New CV shafts? | No |
| New knuckles? | Yes |
| New tie rods? | No |
| Rear suspension | Add-a-leaf, and block combo |
| CV-shaft bind? | No |
| Steering correction | Knuckle |
| New front sway-bar links or brackets? | Yes |
| Remote-reservoir or dual shocks? | Yes |
| Type | RSX9000 remote-reservoir shocks with in-cab adjustability |
| Shocks included in kit? | Yes |
| Brake lines addressed? | Yes, new lines |
| Front skidplate included? | Optional |
| Emergency brake cable length addressed? | Yes |
| Cut fenders to fit tires? | No |
| Anything break this weekend? | No |
| Base price | $1,667 |
| Price as tested | $2,788 |
| True additional height (measured from center of hub to top of fender in inches) | 5 1/8 |
| Claimed lift (in) | 4 |
| Ground to subframe (in) | 13 |
| Track width (in) | 69 1/2 |
Praises
* Easy in-cab shock adjustability
* Steering stabilizer is a good addition
* Clean package with good welds, and nothing hanging too low
Complaints
* Twin-tube reservoir shocks? How does that work?
* Add-a-leaf didn't look right
* Drove like a stock truck