The VehiclesHere are the vehicles we chose and why:
Stock '85 Toyota 4Runner The suspension is near-buckboard stiff, the handling is a bit twitchy, and it has limited amounts of uptravel.
Stock '01 Ford Excursion The suspension is tuned to be on the soft side (some may argue on the wallowy side), it's big and heavy, and lots of people are buying and modifying Super Duty pickups and Excursions
'93 Jeep Wrangler with a 4-inch lift How many of these are there in the world?
The InviteesAll of the major shock companies were invited, but in order to be able to participate, they needed to have applications for all three of the vehicles we tested and they needed to get us the shocks for testing within about a week. The reason for the short notice was to prevent any ringers from being squeezed in. We started getting suspicious when a few companies started asking for vehicle weights and some serious technical questions. We gave them just enough time to pull a set off the shelf and slap a next-day-air-shipping label on them, so you can be sure the shocks we tested are the same thing you can go buy yourself.
Black Diamond XT*Twin Tube*Nitrogen gas-charged*10-stage velocity-sensitive valving
A light nitrogen charge, along with the 10-stage valving, allows the shock to adjust for varying terrain conditions and offer good control without harshness.
Doetsch Tech 3000*Twin Tube*Cellular gas-type (multiviscosity fluid)*Multistage progressive valving
The cellular gas reduces harshness while providing good control and handling characteristics.
Edelbrock Performer IAS*Mono tube *High-pressure gas-charged *Self-adjusting*Inertia Active Valve
The patented Inertia Active Valve allows for a soft ride when taking it easy, but reduces bottoming and im-proves handling when things get rough.
Explorer Pro Comp ES9000*Twin tube*Nitrogen gas-charged *10-stage velocity sensitive valving
Pro Comp claims the ES9000 should deliver a smooth and comfortable ride, but also enhanced off-road handling and performance.
Rancho RSX*Twin tube*Nitrogen gas-charged*Self-adjusting*Reflex technology valving system
The theory is that the reflex valve will respond to terrain and automatically adjust the shock to offer the best ride and performance.
Skyjacker Softride Nitro*Twin tube*150-psi nitrogen gas-charged*10-stage velocity-sensitive valving
The low-pressure gas charging is said to offer the best of both worlds: a good ride of non-gas-charged shocks with the antifoaming and fade characteristics of gas-charged shocks.
Superlift Superide*Twin tube *Cellular gas-type (multiviscosity fluid)*10-stage velocity-sensitive valving
A high-performance multiviscosity fluid is used and is said to provide maximum control without sacrificing a good ride.
Trail Master Invader SS*Twin tube*Cellular gas-type (multiviscosity fluid)*Multistaged compression valving
Uses cellular gas, not gas charging, to deliver a smooth ride and good damping on and off road.
The DriversWe'd like to give a big shout of appreciation out to the ride engineers who accepted our last-minute invitations and came out for the testing. Without them, none of this could have happened. They braved triple-digit heat, lousy 4-Wheel & Off-Road chow, and the company of magazine editors, the whole time regaling us with love, laughter, and warm and cozy backrubs. OK, maybe not, but we've developed a whole new appreciation for their sense of humor and company. Thanks from the staff and crew of 4-Wheel & Off-Road to:
The Ride-At a GlanceEach of the three judges rated every category from 1-5, with 5 being the best. Then we totaled up the points, allowing for a maximum possible score of 15. We also included any and all of the judges' comments so you can see what they thought. You may not comprehend some of the phrases at first, but if you think about them, they start to make sense, such as turn-in (point where vehicle starts to turn into a corner).