The beefy frame, powerful drive train and tough suspension make a light truck or full-size SUV ideal for moving boats more than 4,000 pounds. But most factory-installed suspensions are designed to provide satisfactory service over a broad scope of duties. For many drivers, that can result in compromises. A "trucker" going off-road might find the ride too stiff, and a boater whose trailer boasts a 500-pound tongue weight might find the ride too soft. And for the suburbanite, the ride might just make it hard to sip coffee from a travel mug.
So, when Rancho wanted us to experience a custom-tuned ride on our Nissan Titan project vehicle, we said, "Yeah, baby!" We were already happy with the guts this truck exhibited and felt confident in its stability on the highway when pulling our 6,500-pound rig. We found these shocks and struts offer a tunable ride off-road, on-road or under heavy tow.
Nine different settings on the shocks give different "dampening" effects. By dialing them to "one," our Titan softened up for hard-core off-roading. Dialed to "four," we found the ride akin to a luxury SUV on the neighborhood's brick streets. With our 6,500-pound boat in tow, "nine" on each shock gives the firmest, most confident ride under load. We ran over railroad tracks, and the truck stopped the bucking immediately. On the highway, crosswinds and passing tractor-trailer rigs no longer pushed us around. Control was definitely enhanced, something nervous drivers will really appreciate.
Rancho shocks have a free 90-day money-back trial period if you don't like them, and a lifetime warranty if you do. Even at $699 installed, we aren't giving ours up. To find a local installer, go to rancho.com.
