Problem with new Rancho RS5000X shocks

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.

I just called to get confirmation if both shocks behaved the same upon install. And when I went to see the measurements, I couldn’t remember very clearly but apparently one shock was definitely harder to expand and compress than the other. I’m going to have to call 4 wheeldrive and ask what to do because I paid another shop for the install. I hate to be the one losing money for a possibly defective shock. Maybe they can take a second look and check
 
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.
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.

Rancho RS55256 Locked in Compression #2.JPG

...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...
There is a possibility the cause of the rigid issue could be as pagrey suggests.
 
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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.

View attachment 190221

There is a possibility the cause of the rigid issue could be as pagrey suggests.
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.

I loved how the front had a smooth ride after install. I just got this Jeep in February after my previous one was stolen. The raised rear track bar, well I have no idea I haven’t peeked back there. I’ve had to fix a lot of front suspension components. In addition to that... well I bought some front rancho shocks in February. One of them is going bad already. I used it for maybe 3 months then Covid hit and the Jeep was parked all summer. Might have to see if I can still get the lifetime warranty on those.

Also, I saw your original thread with your rancho shocks. I don’t know if I should contact the 4 wheel drive or rancho. I had them installed at a shop but don’t know how that would work with them covering the costs to install new ones. 4 wheel drive has 2 locations in Houston. Maybe they could confirm they’re defective and could swap them out free of charge ? I got no clue. I got to figure something out.
 
Be prepared to cover labor charges. I think there is a good chance 4 wheel drive can inspect the shocks on the vehicle for confirmation.
 
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I called 4 wheel parts and they talked to rancho. They said to take off the lower mount and extend and compress the shock as it hangs a from the upper mount and do that a few times to see if it gets rid of any extra air that could be stuck and causing this. They said to make sure the shaft is in the upper side and the cylinder at the bottom (very important).

They said that if that doesn’t work, then to take it to their shop and they would replace the part and install it as well.

I am hoping this works.
 
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.

I just measured a set of new rear stock springs I have for my 06 TJX stock suspension. Top to bottom, they measure 12" . I use the 5000x rear for 0 to 2 inch lift, and they work great. Hopefully I understood everything correctly. Is it possible you do not have that much of a lift ?

Ray
 
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.
 
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.
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.
 
Update: I did what 4 wheel parts told me to do. The day I called them, they called rancho to verify if the shocks would work given that the rancho website showed they were for a 3.5 inch lift and the 4 wheel parts said 3 inches. Apparently, it can work for a 3-4 inch lift so that wasn’t an issue and measurements are correct.

I did what they told me to do, to remove the shock and compress and extend it a few times to release some pressure (important: shaft had to be facing up when doing this).

it was a little hard to do that since they were very stiff at first but after a couple of tries and a lot of force, it was possible to semi “loosen them up” a little bit, and any pressure/air that could’ve been inside. Got them back on the Jeep and now they work! I did notice one side does rub a little bit against the axle but it’s not much. I had an alignment done recently so I’m assuming they moved the axles quite a bit.

the jeep definitely rides a lot better after doing that to the shocks! The shocks were now extending on their own once compressed unlike before, they wouldn’t even compress and if compressed by force, they wouldn’t extend.
 
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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.
 
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.
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.

I went to my friends shop (the mechanic that installed them) and we both had to put all weight and force over the shock shaft and push it down to compress it. The shock shaft was facing up, the white cylinder was on the bottom (vertically) on the concrete. Some of the white paint definitely rubbed of but it doesn’t matter. We also used a ladyfoot pinch rolling pry bar, put it through the bottom hole to step over it when extending the shock back up.

it was quite a pain. But your might have gotten a better pair than me.
 
I promise you would’ve noticed if your shocks were like mine. They were extremely bumpy due to not compressing at all on their own.
 
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..
 
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..
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.
 
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.

Oh, ok, I thought you were mostly talking about the rear shocks for some reason. The fronts, with the zip tie thing, expanded just fine for me. Like as soon as I cut that thing they shot straight up into the mounts.

That's weird, but glad you got it straightened out.