Rancho RS9000X

[mbeach]

My $.02
The RCX control unit is a POS. The gauges (mechanical) leak, and there is very little room to mount the control faceplate in the VX. There are far to many "push to connect" junctions, and all of these connections have the potential to become leaks.

The shocks however are excellent for the money. I'd say install the shocks and skip the control unit. Set the firmness to your liking, and drive leak-free.

That said, I bought my 9000s (and control unit) from Sam's Offroad for @$400 (a month ago). I am currently machining replacement manifolds for the air control, using as much hardline as possible and eliminating leaks at the control unit by going to electronic senders and remote solenoid valve operation for the relief. If you don't want to go through all of this trouble (I'm making most of this myself, out of spare parts), be prepared to push that little red button every morning.

IIRC, you had some Q's about installing some driving lights by yourself, if those lights were beyond your mechanical abilities, I recommend that you have a mechanic do the shocks. It took me less than an hour to change all 4, (before running all of the plumbing for the control unit), so your mechanic shouldn't be killing you with labor costs.

Don't be discouraged that members are hesitant to give you step-by-step instructions on how to do most things. That's a lot of typing, and it's really not the purpose of this (or any) forum. It's kinda like explaining how to play poker over the phone -If I'm not standing there with you, it's gonna take forever. If it's something that you'd like to learn, start small (like Maugan VX's oil change example) and work your way up. Get a manual and some tools and have a day. If it's just a bolt-on part or two every som often, find a good and reasonable mechanic and let them do the grunt work.

[deermagnet]

I paid $79.95 each plus $60 to install all four shocks.
The stock shock torque settings are-
Front- 14 lbs. upper, 61 lbs. lower
Rear- 70 lbs. upper, 58 lbs. lower

I don't have the remote, but this looks like a nice upgrade that may help eliminate problems over the long haul.
https://george.he.net/~marks1/mcsstore/airfit.htm

I'll say it yet again. I absolutely love these shocks and it's the single best thing I ever did to my VX!

Mark

[GOVEHIX]

My $.02
The RCX control unit is a POS. The gauges (mechanical) leak, and there is very little room to mount the control faceplate in the VX. There are far to many "push to connect" junctions, and all of these connections have the potential to become leaks.

The shocks however are excellent for the money. I'd say install the shocks and skip the control unit. Set the firmness to your liking, and drive leak-free.

.

thank you for your advise.

i did most of the mods for my vx myself, (like oil change, light change, fog light intallation, bull bar installation...) but for the shocks' do-it-yourself project, i have never step into this area before. therefore i need to do some research and gather some info before i start doing it. (if i can find a step by step intro that will be perfect)

and this forum is for ppl to discuss and share experience of their mods, now i have questions and bring it to the public see anyone can help me out. if you don't know, or lazy to type or whatever reasons or views, you can just not to answer it then. perhaps, your leak problems maybe because you didn't do a well enough do-it-yourself project, i mean, maybe.

[mbeach]

Mark,
Those MCS fittings are the main reason that I'm switching from the Rancho factory stuff. Brass is always better than plastic, and taped threads are less likely to leak than push-to-connect fittings. I'll be buying his shock fittings, and I have already prototyped a manifold out of machinable wax. I had to make my own as MCS' manifolds do not have the space required for the sending units (Dakota digital air bag senders) to be mounted as I want them. No big deal, I have access to a CNC mill and plenty of scrap metal.
Many 4x4ers have successfully eliminated Rancho's plastic tubing alltogether by using hardline and rubber hose -I'm going this route as well, for a cleaner look and a more durable system in the long run.

The leaking control unit is/has always been a problem for the 9000 series. It's well known that the increase in tubing and joints provides more opportunities for leaks. It's really just a matter of how much you care. I don't like them at all, and considering that my rate is pretty slow (it takes 18 hours to go from 9-0 on my worst (rear) pair, I'm doing better than a lot of others who have installed their control units.

GOVEHIX,
I did not intend to flame you or insult you in any way, I was merely trying to explain why no posters have taken you up on your request for a step-by-step explanation. Without knowing your level of technical ability (I have asked you before) it is impossible to say what is or isn't difficult to do.
I have been a tech moderator on quite a few forums over the years (BMW -1, Nissan -3, Subaru -3) and have never seen any member consistently take the time to type what can better be explained in a service manual.
I'm not one of those who wastes time by posting "read the manual" or "use the search function" but I have no problem with telling a member (who asks to be spoon-fed info) to "look it up yourself".
There are two viable reasons to post a step-by-step of any process:
1. It's unique. The poster thought of it themselves, and wanted to share the process with other enthusiasts. (Look through VehiCross Concepts' website for an example of this -'glass molding is not new, but he is making an entirely new product and sharing the steps involved the process).
2. It's a better way. Either more efficient, easier or better documented than what's already available.
Example:
I've discovered a way to change my transmission fluid in 7 minutes using no special tools except a magnet and a Barbie-doll head =post-worthy.
Doing it the way any service manual advises = not post-worthy.
*See Joe Black's website for a nice write-up on changing tranny fluid using a more efficient (thorough and easier) method -with pictures. Notice how it's easily found from this site, yet is hosted somewhere else. Also notice how members don't have to wait for it to load when merely checking a thread.

These are simply unwritten rules for any site. Many are here to help, but don't expect them to write a book in the process -there's plenty of books already out there. As the plaque on my old desk used to say:
"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you"

[Francesco Rizzo]

yo dude, get the shocks..