My initial impressions of the Rancho RS5000X shocks

[JMT]

I just changed from OME nitro to Rancho 5000x last week. I’m way less impressed with them than Chris. I also have load range E tires and the difference in the ride is minimal. It does ride a bit better, but in no way is my ride with the Rancho shocks and load range E tires smooth or even acceptable on the highway. I have not done anything rough off road yet but I expect them to perform fine.
For the money I’m okay with it slight improvement in ride quality until I move to load range C tires.
My bottom line assessment is that the very hard/stiff side walls on a load range E tire even at 25 psi, cannot be masked by any shock on the market. I was hoping for more of an improvement but I’m okay with the Rancho 5000x shocks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In my review on another thread early this morning, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being an absolute plush ride, I gave the Bilstein 5100's a 3 and the RAncho 5000X a 6-7. It is better, but it is by no means plush, It's a Jeep. Plus, as you point out, tire load will affect this dramatically. Tire pressure is also a dramatic factor. When I ran the Rancho's with 24psi on 33x12.5r15's, C Load, the ride was significantly softer than at 26psi. My rating of 6-7 was at 26psi. If I was rating them at 24psi, I would give them an 8-9. What I learned was that tire pressure is far more significant at pressures in the 20's than most might expect. I'm not sure that its a linear relationship through the 30's and into the 40's, and I doubt it is, but it is important to get the right pressure if you want the best ride you can get without compromising tire wear.

 

[BendLarry]

In my review on another thread early this morning, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being an absolute plush ride, I gave the Bilstein 5100's a 3 and the RAncho 5000X a 6-7. It is better, but it is by no means plush, It's a Jeep. Plus, as you point out, tire load will affect this dramatically. Tire pressure is also a dramatic factor. When I ran the Rancho's with 24psi on 33x12.5r15's, C Load, the ride was significantly softer than at 26psi. My rating of 6-7 was at 26psi. If I was rating them at 24psi, I would give them an 8-9. What I learned was that tire pressure is far more significant at pressures in the 20's than most might expect. I'm not sure that its a linear relationship through the 30's and into the 40's, and I doubt it is, but it is important to get the right pressure if you want the best ride you can get without compromising tire wear.

I can’t argue with your view on tire pressure and it’s effect on ride quality, but for the last 3 years I have used a TPMS ( tire pressure monitoring system) on my motor home. One of the things I have learned is tire pressure varies a lot from cold start and highway temperatures. I have not monitored Jeep tire pressure changes with a TPMS, but I would bet the pressure could easily vary by at least 5 psi, so I think the proper solution is tires that are designed for a light rig like a Jeep and some decent shocks.
I have driven enough Jeeps to know they can ride MUCH better than mine does.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jerry Bransford]

An overly stiff ride is just a normal part of having installed Load Range D or E tires onto a TJ.

 

[Jay P]

I painted mine with a few coats before I installed them and also clear coated them. Boots landed in the garbage. May not be necessary but I hate surface rust on shocks which is quite common and acceptable out here in Salt City. Also they have performed very well off-road for me. The so called stiff coil rate of the BDS coils is honestly a non factor with the RS5000x. Now.. they were replaced for Pro Comp ES3000 and I’ll tell ya that I can’t give those things away.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chris]

I’m looking at em now on Amazon! Where did the 50$ rebate come from?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You buy them and then follow the rebate instructions here:
http://www.gorancho.com/promotions/

 

[Chris]

Curious if the Fox 2.0s you had, had the factory valving or not. My 2.0s are from BDS so I believe they are revalved. I think they ride great. I haven't had any other shocks on the TJ to compare to though.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

My Fox 2.0s were off the shelf, so they had the factory valving. Different valving may have helped, you're right!

 

[bobthetj03]

I usually factor in a 2 lb. increase in tire pressure when hot and adjust based on hot.

 

[JeepZilla380]

I just changed from OME nitro to Rancho 5000x last week. I’m way less impressed with them than Chris. I also have load range E tires and the difference in the ride is minimal. It does ride a bit better, but in no way is my ride with the Rancho shocks and load range E tires smooth or even acceptable on the highway. I have not done anything rough off road yet but I expect them to perform fine.
For the money I’m okay with it slight improvement in ride quality until I move to load range C tires.
My bottom line assessment is that the very hard/stiff side walls on a load range E tire even at 25 psi, cannot be masked by any shock on the market. I was hoping for more of an improvement but I’m okay with the Rancho 5000x shocks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bendlarry, Who's e-Rated tires are you running? I find the same e-Rated Duratracs as Chris ride nice, but they aren't a 3 ply e-rated. I'm running mine at about 28psi, might have to try dipping to 26 to see the difference.

 

[BendLarry]

Bendlarry, Who's e-Rated tires are you running? I find the same e-Rated Duratracs as Chris ride nice, but they aren't a 3 ply e-rated. I'm running mine at about 28psi, might have to try dipping to 26 to see the difference.

Hankook


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ac_]

I haven't used the Rancho's well I ran them on my old YJ, but I tend to agree with @BendLarry, I like the OME Nitro's they seem soft enough on road and offroad, they are over double the cost of the Ranchos, so If I had it to do all over again, if I was putting shocks on my non-daily driver, I would probably save some cash, but on my for-the-most-part-daily driver I like the Nitro's.

Good review, as well as all of the other reviews here, but for me, I am going to stick with the Nitro's I have for now.

 

[JMT]

I usually factor in a 2 lb. increase in tire pressure when hot and adjust based on hot.

Are you saying you run your 33’s at 24-26, assuming they will increase psi to 26-28 when they get hot?

 

[bobthetj03]

Are you saying you run your 33’s at 24-26, assuming they will increase psi to 26-28 when they get hot?

I set them at 25psi cold.

 

[Chris]

Hankook


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs are load E and they don't really ride harsh at all on these Ranchos. However, everyone has a different opinion of what harsh is, so it's hard to say with any certainty unless we rode in each other's TJs back-to-back.

I'm very pleased with the ride now though. Before it sucked, now it's fantastic.

 

[BendLarry]

My motor home has load range
E tires like my Jeep. I have seen many times with my tpms the cold air pressure of 80 psi go as high as 110 psi on a hot day. I suspect on a 98 degree day when the asphalt is probably as hot as 110 degrees your psi gains are much more than a couple psi. On a down grade my high temp/pressure alarm has gone off because of the heat the brakes produce that heat up the wheel and tires. A motor home is much heavier than a Jeep so the issues are amplified.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JMT]

Tires get up to about 200* when hot. Cold they are obviously the surrounding air temp. I’ll try to find the physics formula for calculating pressure increase due to temperature.

 

[BendLarry]

Tires get up to about 200* when hot. Cold they are obviously the surrounding air temp. I’ll try to find the physics formula for calculating pressure increase due to temperature.

It’s more than most people would expect.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BendLarry]

Tires get up to about 200* when hot. Cold they are obviously the surrounding air temp. I’ll try to find the physics formula for calculating pressure increase due to temperature.

My tpms instructions say to set the high pressure limit at 20 percent above the cold pressure setting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Starrs]

My tpms instructions say to set the high pressure limit at 20 percent above the cold pressure setting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The type of tire your running may just be a bad tire. I don’t have any experience with hankook and I know nobody that runs those personally. With everything you have done comparable to everybody else’s setup that’s the only conclusion I can make. It has to be your tires. The shocks are good based on the consensus here, and I’m running E rated on KM2s and I love my ride. It might be your tires, and that problem you obviously can’t fix without switching brands.

 

[glwood]

The type of tire your running may just be a bad tire. I don’t have any experience with hankook and I know nobody that runs those personally. With everything you have done comparable to everybody else’s setup that’s the only conclusion I can make. It has to be your tires. The shocks are good based on the consensus here, and I’m running E rated on KM2s and I love my ride. It might be your tires, and that problem you obviously can’t fix without switching brands.

I run 265/75-16 Hankook Dyanapro ATM Load Range E tires on my Tacoma, and they were on my JK Sport prior to selling it. I have had no issues with them giving a harsh ride on either vehicle. However, both the JK and the Tacoma are heavier vehicles than a TJ...

 

[JMT]

My tpms instructions say to set the high pressure limit at 20 percent above the cold pressure setting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

PV=nRT

It’s more complicated than I thought. The 20% is much simpler. 25psi cold would be 30psi hot