Big Bore vs Remote-reservoir Shocks for a 79 Series: Which Do You Need?

Both hold more oil than a standard shock to resist fade on rough roads. A big bore uses a larger shock body; a remote-reservoir adds a separate reservoir for even more oil and cooling. We fit big bore for regular off-road and touring, and remote-reservoir for hard, fast, remote work where sustained corrugations would cook a smaller shock. Most tourers are well served by big bore. 

Once you've settled on a lift height for your 79 Series, the shock choice decides how it actually rides and how it copes with heat. Big bore and remote-reservoir both add oil capacity, but they suit different jobs, and remote-reservoir isn't automatically the better buy. Here's how we match the shock to the way you drive. When you're speccing a kit, browse our 79 Series LandCruiser lift kits. 

Why does shock oil capacity matter? 

A shock controls the spring by pushing oil through valving, and that work turns into heat. On long corrugated roads the oil gets hot, and a shock that can't shed that heat starts to fade, meaning the damping goes soft and the ride turns vague and bouncy. More oil and better cooling let a shock keep working consistently for longer. That's the whole point of both big bore and remote-reservoir designs: they carry more oil than a standard shock so they resist fade when the road stays rough. 

Oil capacity buys fade resistance, which is what keeps a 79 controlled on sustained rough roads. 

What is a big bore shock? 

A big bore shock uses a larger-diameter body, so it holds more oil and has more surface area to shed heat than a standard twin-tube. That means more consistent damping on longer rough sections before fade sets in. For most touring and off-road 79s, big bore is the sweet spot: a clear step up in heat control and ride quality over a standard shock, without the cost of a remote-reservoir setup. It's the option we fit most for owners who do real off-road touring but aren't racing across the desert. 

Big bore gives most tourers the fade resistance they need at a sensible price, which is why it's our common recommendation. 

What is a remote-reservoir shock? 

A remote-reservoir shock adds a separate reservoir connected to the shock body, increasing oil capacity and cooling further again. That extra capacity handles the most demanding conditions: high-speed desert running, heavy loads and remote touring where corrugations go on for hours. Many remote-reservoir kits are also height and damping adjustable, so they can be tuned to a build. The trade is cost, so we recommend them where the driving genuinely justifies the extra capacity rather than as a default. 

Remote-reservoir is the pick for the hardest, fastest, most remote work, where the extra oil and cooling earn their cost.