The time has come to replace my front struts , I am trying to decide on running the stock SE struts or go with the Off Road Struts .... They are the same $$ ... so its all down to has anyone driven both ?? I would like a little stiffer setup ... I am going with the Rancho 9000 series 9 way adjustable rears , but the fronts I dont need the adjustment ... so ... anyone driven both standard and Off Road and what is the difference in feel .... Off Road struts feel stiffer , or not as stiff ??

SHAWNATGERBROCK wrote:The time has come to replace my front struts , I am trying to decide on running the stock SE struts or go with the Off Road Struts .... They are the same $$ ... so its all down to has anyone driven both ?? I would like a little stiffer setup ... I am going with the Rancho 9000 series 9 way adjustable rears , but the fronts I dont need the adjustment ... so ... anyone driven both standard and Off Road and what is the difference in feel .... Off Road struts feel stiffer , or not as stiff ??

Personally, I would stay away from the factory struts. They wear out too soon. For just a little more $ you can get the Bilstein HD struts which will dramatically improve your ride quality.

SHAWNATGERBROCK wrote:The time has come to replace my front struts , I am trying to decide on running the stock SE struts or go with the Off Road Struts .... They are the same $$ ... so its all down to has anyone driven both ?? I would like a little stiffer setup ... I am going with the Rancho 9000 series 9 way adjustable rears , but the fronts I dont need the adjustment ... so ... anyone driven both standard and Off Road and what is the difference in feel .... Off Road struts feel stiffer , or not as stiff ??

Between my Off-Road and my SE, the Off-Road has a stiffer, firmer ride with better response to dips & speed bumps

anyone have the part number for the bilstein struts?

Here is the link from Bilstein.

for the front:
http://www.bilsteinus.com/cart/index.ph ... 656&zenid=

and for the rear:
http://www.bilsteinus.com/cart/ymm.php? ... DER&zenid=

(It's the same part # for the Pathfinder also)

thank you

I went with the OE Rancho Off roads up front and the Rancho RS9000XL 9 way adjustable rears . Being able to adjust the stiffness in the rear seemed like a good setup for towing or hauling .... I will post once I get them on ....

I get parts at cost so I got all 4 under $400

SHAWNATGERBROCK wrote:I went with the OE Rancho Off roads up front and the Rancho RS9000XL 9 way adjustable rears . Being able to adjust the stiffness in the rear seemed like a good setup for towing or hauling .... I will post once I get them on ....

I get parts at cost so I got all 4 under $400

I eagerly await your feedback, let us know if articulation has improved? What coils you running?

oK , they are on ..... initial impressions .... front feel great ... just slightly stiffer than stock ..... rears .... not really happy !! I set them to 5 and they feel like worn out shocks .... jump up and down on the back and let go and it just keeps bouncing .... I set them to 8 and they feel like stock 40K mile shocks .... Hmm ..... I guess for off road use they would probably work decent .... but for street so far , they are not any better than the stock shocks ....

it is the spring rate on the O.R that is stiffer. strut shocks are the same.

KEVSTER wrote:it is the spring rate on the O.R that is stiffer. strut shocks are the same.

Would you happen to know what the spring rates are on the stock vs. OR?

no I do not know, I bet the Dealer can not answer that either. I installed the Bilsteins on my 08 front/rear and like them alot.

KEVSTER wrote:it is the spring rate on the O.R that is stiffer. strut shocks are the same.

The Off-Road model, at least in 2005, came with Rancho Shocks, different from all the other models.
Where did the stiffer Off-Road spring rate info come from?