Rancho Suspension is one of the biggest names in aftermarket suspension products today. We recently took shipment of a set of its RS5000 shocks, one of the more popular choices for off-road enthusiasts, and now it’s time to do a little showcase and talk about what these shocks can do.

The RS5000s have been a great offering for replacements in off-road rigs. They’re not at the level of bypass and coilover shocks absorbers for the more dedicated prerunner or high-intensity rockcrawling machines out there, but they capture all of the right traits to even out the balance of mostly on-road, sometimes off-road usage in the vehicle they’ll be installed on: a 2001 Ford Explorer 4×4. The Explorer is a recent purchase by yours truly, and will be driven all over Southern California, Nevada, Arizona – and who knows, maybe even Baja!

The RS5000 shock absorbers have been around since 1985, and been expanded to support hundreds of makes and models from all over the world. They are the most popular shocks ever sold by Rancho.

Fitments of the RS5000 have broadened quite a bit since 1985, the first year of their production. Nowadays, Rancho makes them for everything from Land Cruisers to CR-Vs.

Part of the appeal of the RS5000 is the level of technology that goes into them. It starts with a twin-tube cellular gas design, and added to it are: 10-stage velocity-sensitive valving, for a better highway driving experience; an expanded tube for increased fluid capacity and reduced internal temperatures; and double-wall construction.

Also featured on the RS5000 is a 5/8-inch-diameter hardened, double-chromed rod, a 1 3/8-inch-diameter full-displacement piston, and glass-filled PTFE piston seals.

The ones for the Ford Explorer 4×4 travel about 4.5 inches in the front, and 10 inches in the rear. This should permit for a smoother ride as the SUV heads out for adventure with the coming desert season.

Our 2001 Ford Explorer 4×4, seen here driving through Indian Truck Trail. With the new RS5000s going in soon, we should be able to detect a difference in how the vehicle rides over bumps and small rocks, as well as how it handles driving on asphalt.

Though this is a Spotted In The Shop, we will actually be doing the installation from the comfort of a home garage – jack stands, sweat, and everything else that comes without the convenience of a two-post lift, but it will be done the way true off-roaders do it.

Look for our forthcoming tech article in the near future, where we will be doing an extensive overview of not just the RS5000s, but also the newly released RS5000Xs. In the meantime, check out Rancho Suspension on its website and Facebook page.

We will be comparing the RS5000s (pictured above) against the newly released RS5000Xs in the very near future. Stay tuned for the tech article!