OME Lift Upgrade

Romer · 05-27-06, 01:50 PM

I originally installed a 2.5" medium OME lift after I bought my truck. I had selected the medium based on the fact I had no accessories to weigh it down. After I added the front ARB Bar and winch, I added a 1" Mr. Gasket to compensate.

I noticed running the same trails at Moab this year, that my front and rear dragged a lot more than it did last year. That's because I added the winch and Slee Rear bumper since then.

I also am in the process of adding a dual battery system which will add more weight on the front.

My goal was to get back to, or slightly above were I was with the unloaded truck. That way, I would not have to worry about modifying the castor correction. Also, that way, I only had to change the springs, read that as cheap and easy.

I swapped them last night and thought I would share the results for those of you who are contemplating a similar change.

The first picture is the front wheel well. Removed OME851 and 1" Mr. Gaskets and installed the OME850J's. Notice about an inch of lift which puts me right were I wanted to be.

The second picture is at the Hitch (Slee Bumper) and there would appear to be slightly more than an inch of height difference. This is removing the OME860's and replacing them with OME863's.

Romer · 05-27-06, 01:54 PM

Canit Really tell much of a difference from 10 feet away.

Drove fine with no issues as well. Now I just have to wait 11 months for Moab 2007

Tools R Us · 05-27-06, 01:59 PM

How about a whole truck pic from the side. Is it level, vibes? How is it handling with the new springs?

spartan · 05-27-06, 02:19 PM

Come on man - all that work on your truck and you haven't painted your garage. At least put a coat of primer on it. LOL

Romer · 05-27-06, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tools R Us

How about a whole truck pic from the side. Is it level, vibes? How is it handling with the new springs?

Handles great. Don't notice any difference from a handling perspective. Sits pretty close to level with the back end slightly higher. Thats just what I wanted so when it get's loaded up, it won't be ass down.

Romer · 05-27-06, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spartan

Come on man - all that work on your truck and you haven't painted your garage. At least put a coat of primer on it. LOL

what for? Then you have to keep the walls clean, and fix holes from banging and wipe off the grease prints from when you leaned against the wall.

I like the current look!

spartan · 05-27-06, 02:49 PM

Your truck looks great Romer. I finally leveled my truck with the poly spacers from MAF and I can't tell you how much better it looks. I also think it rides and drives better with weight redristribution. You????

Tools R Us · 05-28-06, 12:47 AM

Looks great, glad it worked with no issues!

4x4CPOSEADOG · 05-28-06, 07:53 AM

Romer,

Your rig is looking great. You have the same color as mine. When is Moab 2007? I would like to go so I can experience cross-country driving and off-roading with you guys.

cruiserdan · 05-28-06, 08:10 AM

That is interesting Ken. Your rear bumper height is about 1 1/4 inches below mine (with 864's) exactly the change I measured when I went from 863 to 864. The OME springs are very consistant. We have the same height tires and my front flare measures the same as yours WITH a Mr Gasket packer on top of my 850J's. What measurement do you have in between the end of the front spring bumper and the spot it contacts on the axle housing? Was that measurement taken after you added the second battery?

Romer · 05-28-06, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruiserdan

That is interesting Ken. Your rear bumper height is about 1 1/4 inches below mine (with 864's) exactly the change I measured when I went from 863 to 864. The OME springs are very consistant. We have the same height tires and my front flare measures the same as yours WITH a Mr Gasket packer on top of my 850J's. What measurement do you have in between the end of the front spring bumper and the spot it contacts on the axle housing? Was that measurement taken after you added the second battery?

It was with the Dual batteries installed.

From the bottom of the rubber cone to the top of the bottom plate there is 5"

spartan · 05-28-06, 05:28 PM

Hmmm - just for the heck of it I measured the front of my truck - 38.75 inches in the front with 850's and 30MM poly spacers. Tires are 285 Revo's - tall tire. My 2.5 inch lift + 30MM is taller than a 4 inch lift? What size tires are you running?

Are Toyota flares smaller than pink panty flares?

Romer · 05-28-06, 09:31 PM

So, I never took baseline measurements, I am guessing my new lift is about 3 inches. Anyone have data that would help me figure that.

Trying to figure how close I am to needing L shocks. Opinions?

Tools R Us · 05-28-06, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romer

So, I never took baseline measurements, I am guessing my new lift is about 3 inches. Anyone have data that would help me figure that.

Trying to figure how close I am to needing L shocks. Opinions?

Measure hub center to flare edge, stock is about 19.5".

nakman · 05-28-06, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Measure hub center to flare edge, stock is about 19.5".

just measured 22 5/8", looks like a 3" lift- Also 38" to the floor.. 850J, 33" Trxus, ARB, M12, Dual batts, snackster cooker. (863 rear)

semlin · 05-28-06, 10:40 PM

good data points. gotta get'em installed and I'll post up my own from the move from 851/860s with no packers to the same set up. Romer how long did it take you to do the springs. I am thinking a couple of hours?

Romer · 05-28-06, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by semlin

good data points. gotta get'em installed and I'll post up my own from the move from 851/860s with no packers to the same set up. Romer how long did it take you to do the springs. I am thinking a couple of hours?

You need some big jack stands to jack the frame up so the tire is off the ground. Remove the tire. Disconnect the swaybar and disconnect to rear shock mounts and push down on the axle.

I needed a another jack (bottle) bewteen the axle and the frame on the front as well.

On the front shocks, whenyou take off the bottom bolt, you need a big pliers to hold the shock in place or it will spin. I think Nakman said to remove the top bolt on the front, but I thought the bottom was easier.

Remember that the longer spring goes with the longer side of the axle (one is slightly longer)

It took me 3 hours, but it would have taken probably half the time to do just what I said. I had to rig something for my smaller jack stands and did one spring at a time. Then I had to repeat step #6 to evaluate it's safety.

semlin · 05-28-06, 10:58 PM

step #6 requires a lot of checking.

i recall that on the original install getting it high enoughat the front took most of my time. This time I plan to do one corner at a time as I think it will be faster.

e9999 · 05-28-06, 11:45 PM

stock is more like 20" I think from hub center to flare.

spartan · 05-29-06, 10:35 AM

Shocks - take the top off first. Hit it quick with a 3/4 " impact and a long socket. It will come right off. Same for install. Impact will run the nut down before it has a chance to spin. Have someone just hand hold the piston shaft if needed.

semlin · 05-29-06, 10:59 AM

how do you fit a 3/4 drive socket onto the DS top shock mount?? A std. 1/2" wobble and socket won't fit for me. I think christo has a 1/2" drive socket with a built in wobble for that job.

Romer · 05-29-06, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spartan

Shocks - take the top of first. Hit it quick with a 3/4 " impact and long socket. It will come right off. Same for install. Impact will run the nut down before it has a chance to spin. Have someone just hand hold the piston shaft if needed.

I found it easier to do the bottom nut and then use a bottle jack between the axle and frame to create seperation. I first looked at the top, but FOR ME, the bottom was easier, and when I took the bottle jack off, it went right back into the hole.

cruiserdan · 05-29-06, 11:18 AM

I prefer to un-do the bottom nut. I don't do either usually because I have an old SST for macpherson strut springs and I pop the tire and while the jack is under the axle I put the sst on the spring and tighten it up. I then let the jack down and set the frame on a jackstand and when the axle drops the spring is free...

I then remove the two nuts that hold the spring hollow to the frame and bring the spring and the hollow out togther.

semlin · 05-29-06, 11:29 AM

and then, presumably, you compress the new springs by carefully stacking 20 cases of M1 ammunition on top of them before attaching the strut SST

cruiserdan · 05-29-06, 11:31 AM

Where, exactly, is your spy camera anyway?

spartan · 05-29-06, 11:41 AM

Back on shocks - not springs - this is for shock removal / installation ..... I had a blonde moment(s). My wife is blonde - that counts....

Extension with flex for drivers side. Use 3/4 to 1/2 adaptor if needed. The 1/2 air wrenches just don't spin up quick enough to run the nut down before the shaft spins. Usually have to finish that one up the old fashioned way though. Ratcheting wrenches work wonders for this. If you don't have air wrenches, get a full set of ratchet wrenches and you will be a happy customer.

Everybody knows this, but for gas shocks you need to elevate the frame of the truck enough to get full extension on the shocks or it's a real PITA to pull or install. Call me old fashioned, but the easiest way to do this is with the Hi-Lift jack sitting in the back / or clamped to to your truck somewhere. Forget the floor jacks. Just lift it up tilll you get full extension with eqalized pressure of the shock on the corner you're working on. Then it's easy off - easy on. Same for front and rear shocks.

Lower the jack for compression before tightening the top shock nuts in front.

Works for springs too once you disconnect shocks.

nakman · 05-29-06, 11:47 AM

Undo whichever shock bolt seems to want to spin. Last time I did the bottom nut on the DS, top nut on the PS- but you only need to disconnect one end if you want to do this w/o compressing the springs with a SST or by other means..

semlin · 05-29-06, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruiserdan

Where, exactly, is your spy camera anyway?

lucky guess

spartan · 05-29-06, 12:17 PM

For spring installations I would always disconnect the bottom shock mounts - much easier to replace.

landtank · 05-29-06, 01:38 PM

Spring install isn't that hard,

I lift the truck up on stands and remove both tires, disconnect both lower mounts to the shocks and then change out both springs. I leave the sway bar attached and have plenty of room.

Doing one side at a time is a real PITA because you need to flex tha axle to get the springs changed out.