I do not know if the 5000's are the same but with the 9000's, you have to turn the shaft to unlock it and get it to extend.
Something is binding or installed incorrectly. You should easily be able to push down on the rear of a TJ and have the suspension move. The shocks are the correct length or close enough not to cause problems and the chances of both shocks being defective in the same way is very small. You have what looks like a welded raised track bar mount in the rear. I wouldn't be surprised if something is binding or making hard contact where it shouldn't be. Maybe you need another set of eyes on that thing.
You're not alone, a stuck Rancho can happen. https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/recent-bad-luck-with-rancho.14205/#post-235793 I could compress Rancho shocks with one hand/arm during installation, so the resistance you're installer experienced is also not normal for these shocks.I don’t know if I mentioned this but according to the guys at the shop, when they first removed the zip tie from the shocks, they didn’t extend on its own to reach max extended length.
They had to physically pull the mid-loop on the shaft side to make it extend. In addition to that, when we did the measurements and disconnected the rear shocks, both shocks were stuck in that same ride height position. Once again they had to be pulled to extend them measure the extended length. When they were going to compress it and put them back in, they really struggled a lot to get them compressed. Both of them.
There is a possibility the cause of the rigid issue could be as pagrey suggests....You have what looks like a welded raised track bar mount in the rear. I wouldn't be surprised if something is binding or making hard contact where it shouldn't be...
I’ll double check if the binding hits but I believe once installed, and if the axle doesn’t reach almost full flex, it doesn’t hit. We raised the Jeep when we were taking measurements at the shop and once almost fully extended, thats when it was hitting if I recall correctly.You're not alone, a stuck Rancho can happen. https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/recent-bad-luck-with-rancho.14205/#post-235793 I could compress Rancho shocks with one hand/arm during installation, so the resistance you're installer experienced is also not normal for these shocks.
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There is a possibility the cause of the rigid issue could be as pagrey suggests.
Got to check the lifetime warranty on that. But they never felt like these....
What lifetime warranty? Ranchos do not have lifetime warranty..
From what I have measured it has a 3 inch lift. If you look at the pics I posted, the Rear springs show 11 inches. The front ones show 15. I had already purchased the front rancho shocks in February and I knew it needed the rear but since Covid, I didn’t really move the Jeep for about 6 months or so (I’m a student so everything got canceled).
anyway the point is, I got the front one for a 3 in Lift, and same with the rear.
I did notice though that the 4wheeldrive website shows these fit a 3 inch lift in the rear but the rancho website says 3.5in for the RS5000x RS55256.
Either way... the measurements are correct if I did my math right. I just didn’t have an issue with the front ones (other than one is going bad already after only a couple of months of non-abusive use). Got to check the lifetime warranty on that. But they never felt like these.... now one thing to note is... the front of the Jeep does have more weight than the rear. I was told to add weight to the back. I added some concrete blocks and it’s a little better.
I still don’t understand why others didn’t have this issue and I do.
Not that you should but you could go buy the same shock from a big seller like 4 Wheel Parts. Take it home, remove the bad one, and then return it for a refund at a later date. But, I'm not a fan of 4WP, so I don't care if you fuck them a tiny bit.Just be aware, apparently they will not honor the warranty if you purchase from anyone else other than their authorized dealers regardless of proof of purchase and meeting all the criterion in the warranty guidelines. No...I'm not bitter.
Maybe mine came a little too stiff from factory? I don’t know. I’m telling you mine would not extend on their own once the zip tie was cut off. They were VERY stiff and almost impossible to compress.Interesting. I have new RS5000X shocks too. Haven't really noticed any major issues with the ride that I didn't have before, but maybe I'll try that anyway.
Look man I don’t know either. The Jeep is pretty light in the rear and it wasn’t cushioning at all. I drove around for a week almost with 2 heavy concrete blocks that fit in the small tailgate area. They softened the shocks just a tad bit, I guess just what was able to be compressed along the ride which was only an inch or 2. It didn’t start working properly until I did what 4 wheel parts told me to do.Not sure why cycling the rod up/down with your hands helps... Once their installed you’d think the weight of the Jeep would be a lot more force than you could ever exert by hand to get the rod up/down while driving the road and let it cycle that way..
Maybe mine came a little too stiff from factory? I don’t know. I’m telling you mine would not extend on their own once the zip tie was cut off. They were VERY stiff and almost impossible to compress.
They're wider shock bodies, hitting the lower spring perch, you can grind it (perch) down and they won't rub.I did notice one side does rub a little bit against the axle but it’s not much.