Best on-off road shock for dailey driver

RC are cheaper and ride just as firm/bad. :unsure:
I don't have experience with RC shocks, so I'm only providing information on what I have experienced. I don't mind Bilsteins. Had them when I was on 33's with OME 2" coils. I also have the black max currently installed, so I know where OP is right now...I prefer that softer ride, but it sounds like the he wants a firmer ride. In between, I've tried the forum approved Rancho 5000x, and some KYB Monomax. The monomax is decent, but very limited length choices, and they were far too stiff in the rear. Ranchos suck, IMHO.

Thus, my recommendation for Bilstein.
 
99 tj with 3" suspension lift. mostly on road but i do woods riding in florida so no major flexing just bumps. what would be best shock just installed skyjacker black max and NOT happy.
i do tow trailers on the road

Lower your tire pressure to 26psi onroad.

You need to know lift height, the extended length, compressed length, and amount of travel. That way you can choose the right shock for your rig. Buying one based on a company saying it’s for a 3” lift is not how it’s done properly.

$500 budget is your limiting factor in quality.
 
I don't have experience with RC shocks, so I'm only providing information on what I have experienced. I don't mind Bilsteins. Had them when I was on 33's with OME 2" coils. I also have the black max currently installed, so I know where OP is right now...I prefer that softer ride, but it sounds like the he wants a firmer ride. In between, I've tried the forum approved Rancho 5000x, and some KYB Monomax. The monomax is decent, but very limited length choices, and they were far too stiff in the rear. Ranchos suck, IMHO.

Thus, my recommendation for Bilstein.

I'm a fan of controlled ride and am quite happy with the 5100's. I never pull a trailer and rarely load heavy.
 
Maybe some pictures of your lift, control arms, track bars etc would help.

I'm happy with my Black Maxx shocks but I did overload my Jeep and blew the rears. I'm pretty sure I need new springs.

-Mac

Shouldn't correctly set bump stops prevent blowing your shocks?
 
Shouldn't correctly set bump stops prevent blowing your shocks?

Probably and possibly.

We were occilating up and down on some bad washboards for hours...I think I overheated the shocks.

I'm pretty sure the bump stops are in correct spots. I need to do a more exhaustive check with my new 35s.

-Mac
 
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Shouldn't correctly set bump stops prevent blowing your shocks?

Yes no sort of. When we argue for a 50/50 travel split, part of the reasoning is to give the shocks time and distance to slow the travel speed before full compression. Let the shocks be the final limit to travel. The jounces are there to slow the speed of the last bit of travel distance. Extend the bump stops to let the jounces to their job of assisting slowing the shock speed, not to be the travel limiter.
 
Probably and possibly.

We were occilating up and down on some bad washboards for hours...I think I overheated the shocks.

I'm pretty sure the bump stops are in correct spots. I need to do a more exhaustive check with my new 35s.

-Mac

Sounds like you put the shocks through it that day lol.

I blew mine on my truck having a little too much fun in the dunes once (i.e., being a young dumb dumb).
 
Extend the bump stops to let the jounces to their job of assisting slowing the shock speed, not to be the travel limiter.

Or the front brake lines... seriously...the PO put a 4" lift on it...I was testing flex to see if I needed to make spacers for the bump stops...and the brake lines were acting as limiting straps.

-Mac
 
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Extend the bump stops to let the jounces to their job of assisting slowing the shock speed, not to be the travel limiter.

That's great to know thanks for sharing. I forget that those jounces squish down a bunch (makes good sense).
 
Or the front brake lines... seriously...the PO put a 4" lift on it...I was testing flex to see if I needed to make spacers for the bump stops...and the brake lines were acting as limiting straps.

-Mac

That's a perfect argument for fully cycling the axles without springs installed 😉
 
That's a perfect argument for fully cycling the axles without springs installed 😉

Even scarier I hadn't removed the springs! Just a quick and dirty test with a jack before my first gravel road shakedown. Started my adventure off with this Jeep ordering Crown brake lines.

-Mac
 
That's great to know thanks for sharing. I forget that those jounces squish down a bunch (makes good sense).

Those who use Currie bump stops will notice that they do not have a definable hard stop, unlike the factory bump stop cups. The only usable purpose of the Currie bumps is to slow travel speed. When we build shock mounts, the shock defines the limits to travel.
 
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OMG Mac the intro lol (1st & 4th; the front DS!!!)

I'm hooked already needing to know that Willow made it ok :)

Lol she's fine! We rescued another dog...Lady...the Umpqua Hot Springs video I dropped a little while back... don't winch to a rotten tree...tip just brushed her coming down...she was fine and hid in the Jeep the rest of the night.

I'm not kidding when I say I break sh!t. =)

-Mac
 
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Those who use Currie bump stops will notice that they do not have a definable hard stop, unlike the factory bump stop cups. The only usable purpose of the Currie bumps is to slow travel speed. When we build shock mounts, the shock defines the limits to travel.

I unfortunately bought poly Energy ones... you know when you hit em...I think they're one or two notches down from steel on the hardness scale.

Energy Jounces, Optima battery and Gearworks Transmission shop (seven transmission swaps before I gave up and bought a Novak AX-15) - three of my biggest mistakes.

-Mac
 
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Lol she's fine! We rescued another dog...Lady...the Umpqua Hot Springs video I dropped a little while back... don't winch to a rotten tree...tip just brushed her coming down...she was fine and hid in the Jeep the rest of the night.

I'm not kidding when I say I break sh!t. =)

-Mac

Poor dad lol

Screen Shot 2023-03-20 at 12.35.47 AM.png


Edit: Super awesome of your father-in-law to drive 6 hours in order to let you keep having fun. I assume he knew he'd be doing this before you even left. lol
 
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