Rancho RS5000X Gas Shocks set compatible with 97-06 Jeep Wrangler TJ with 2-3" lift kits

Swapped out my old shocks (no clue what they were — probably “Bone Rattler 3000s” from the feel of it) and slapped on these Rancho beauties. Install went shockingly smooth (pun intended) — no snapped bolts, no thrown tools, no questioning my life choices.The difference on the road? Night and day. The ride is noticeably smoother — potholes and speed bumps no longer feel like personal attacks. Now, to be fair, I’m rolling on 20” rims, so there’s not a lot of cushion coming from the tires themselves. I wasn’t expecting limousine-level refinement, but Rancho definitely tamed the beast. Make your own mind up about the bright red shock boots. I chose to ditch them, but you do you. Remember to check the bolts after a few drives to make sure they haven't come loose as the shocks settle.

I have heard many good things about the Rancho RS5000 series shocks, so when the ride in my Jeep LJ started getting to be a tad too rough, I decided to give them a try to see if they were up to the hype.First a note, I got a bit excited when the box was delivered (even earlier than expected) only to find three shocks in it. A quick call to the seller learned that they sometimes ship from different warehouses, and the fourth shock did show up two days later (on time).Secondly, replacing shocks on a TJ/LJ isn't a bad job but if you are by yourself and only have a minimal set of tools (no Tim "The Toolman" Taylor here), it will take a few hours to do the job; but it is doable. PB Blaster will be your friend, as will a High Lift jack if you have any kind of lift on your rig.But to get to the meat of this review, the RS5000s appear to be up to the hype! Now, I haven't had them on that long; but so far they seem to have taken away the "jolts" I felt with my old Doetsch shocks. The ridden isn't Cadillac smooth but few real Jeeps will be, but I've also noticed a decrease in the noises my LJ used to make. They articulate less than the Doetsches by about an inch, but honestly that isn't going to bother me as I don't offroad that hard (no rock crawler here either!). But for moderate trail use, cross-country adventures, and similar treks I do believe the Ranchos are probably one of the best valued shocks going! Yes, you can get a lot more features for a lot more money, and anyone who lives in the rust belt will likely see some on these shocks after a winter or two; but if you're a Jeeper without an unlimited budget and looking for a great performing shock at a decent price, the RS5000s will be your best bet!

100 zillion reviews were right. These are what you want. Good ride and stability. Nice to have new ones with the initial gas charge still functioning. The worn out Ranchos caused a super annoying rattle in the rear that is now corrected. The charge seems to have slightly raised the Jeep back to where it should be with 3" lift and 31's. This is an ideal setup for a TJ Jeep. Amazing difference in sound and ride quality with the new shocks...Downside: Not as easy to install as I anticipated, but well worth the effort. Rear bolts were worn flat on two sides and that also contributed to the rattle. Something to check on higher mileage Jeeps per my observation.

I recently added a budget lift to my newly acquired 97 TJ and had read that it was possible to run it with stock shocks. While that is true... It was functional but it only took a month before I got so tired of the incredibly rough ride. I looked around on some of the jeep forums to find some recommendations and the Rancho RS5000X was almost universally loved. And the only complaints I saw were regarding that they rust quickly due to EXTREMELY thin coat of paint they come with, complaints which I also see mirrored here.That being said I just installed them yesterday and the difference is night and day. The ride is so smooth now it feels more like my 2013 mazda3 driving on the road which is so much better than anything I could have hoped for.Now to the headline... definitely paint them, the paint was so thin that you could see through it even before I scuffed them up to prep for paint. If you like how they look then just clear coat them or better yet, find a local body shop and bring them to them and ask if they can clear coat them the next time they're painting a car with the left over clear. Just make sure to scuff them up with a scouring pad on the painted areas before you bring it to them. As my father works at a body shop I didn't have to pay to get this done but I can't imagine they'd charge too much to do this and now you know the shock is much better protected than just buying spray paint at the hardware store or walmart.Enjoy your new shocks! I hope you are as happy with them as I am with mine.Minor Complaint: One of my front shocks did not come with the nut for the top and I had to go to the hardware store to get one. Not horrible but definitely annoying.

I’ve installed these now on two different TJ jeeps. I’m very happy with their performance. The boots and paint are also very good quality.

The ride quality has improved a lot from stock. These shocks are perfect for Jeep TJ. The suspension feels soft but sturdy at the same time.