SuspensionUpgrade: Replacing GM 1500 4×4 Struts With Rancho RS7000 Series
by Bruce W. Smith
Of all the suspension components under an IFS 4×4 GM pickup, it’s the front struts that handle the bulk of vehicle control.
In general, GM’s 4×4 1500 struts should last a 100,000 miles or more if the truck is driven on smooth roads and never tows.
But if the truck sees a lot of off-pavement driving, four-wheeling, trailer towing, or any other driving conditions where they are being worked hard, 75,000 miles might be their limit.
Replacing them to bring back the ride and handling is a simple job for most shop mechanics.
The most difficult aspect is compressing the GM coil spring to take the pressure off the top plate so the shock and its components can be swapped out. We had to take our truck’s struts to a front-end shop that to have them R&R the struts on our 2011 GMC 4×4.
The struts we upgraded to are Racnho’s new RS7000MT Series units. They are heavy duty and designed as a performance upgrade item that’s ideal for trucks that tow and are subjected to off-road driving.
Warren Spears at Spears Auto Repair in Long Beach, MS, handled the R&R in about two hours time. The gallery below shows some of the install highlights.
