Here is a newbie question... during my last outing at the dunes, I "Tested" my bump stops quite a few times, (bottoming out during the transition from flat ground to the slope of a big dune)... How hard of a hit can these things take, and when should I be concerned of damage to anything after bottoming out?
Thanks......

 

I accidentally tested mine while not paying attention and riding on a regular dirt road with a rut across it and put a small crimp in the exhaust upstream of the muffler.

 

Tested my fronts by stomping on gas in first till about 5000 rpm then let off REALLY hard

 

Sorry, don't know about your original question, but I'm curious... How did this happen with 3" of lift? Are you running stock springs, or really long bumpstops?

 

trying to recreate the Jeep commercial with the "Dune Rollercoaster?"

 

Let's just say you have to visit the dunes to understand how this occurs.

I would recommend being careful in the dunes. Those transitions can really jump out at you and I would assume you can easily over use the bumpstops. On my CJ, I could not go to the dunes without breaking motor mounts when I bottomed out. if you plan on spending a lot of time in the dunes or at high speed, check into air bumpstops. They are becoming a lot more common and less expensive.

Oh, and its not the bumpstop that you will damage on too hard of an impact. It will be other things that you bend or break, such as the axle tubes, Cs, or even cracks in the pressure points on the frame.

 

If you crack the frame you must really be getting some air, so you might want a real roll cage

 

keep an eye on ur front axle, cuz it'll bend

 

Agreed that a roll cage is highly recommended, for any kind a air or even agressive offroad driving. But as far as the frame, it really does not take much to crack it; some of the welds and pressure points, especially on the older jeeps, are not that great. If you are hitting your bump stops (other than crawling with articulation), I think you are close to potentially cracking your frame or welds.

 

Dunes are no joke, I bent a D30 shaft like it was plastic.