2.5" or 4" Lift...Shackles, Springs and Shocks (3 Viewers)

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Having spent a great deal of time driving Land Cruisers around the world with OME, Dobinson, Icon, Rancho/Pro-Comp, etc. I personally think their is great value in the OME springs for the money. Perhaps they have some good marketing at current, that wasn't the case when we started using/installing/selling their parts nearly 3 decades ago now. We were still having to order direct form Australia and few in the US had heard of them even just a few decades ago. Sure the cost of the all-inclusive kits is up there but compare apples to apples and they are a good value imo (which is certainly biased but again we sell OME, Dobinson and could/have sold Rancho & Pro-Comp but don't like to).

My 2 cents, you got what you paid for :D

Great to read opinions form people with a lot of experience. I hope you can help me too find some answers for my BJ42 (1981, diesel 3.4):

1. Can I put OME or Iron Man greaseable anti-inversion shackles and pins on the original leaf springs? (the current shackles are homemade, I need to change them)
2. Would you go with OME shackles & pins even if they cost $150 more than Iron Man equivalents? (in my region)
3. Would you put a steering damper on a 40 that has no power steering and does not go off-road? (I'm thinking here about the already heavy steering at low speeds on the road / parking lot)
 
Great to read opinions form people with a lot of experience. I hope you can help me too find some answers for my BJ42 (1981, diesel 3.4):

1. Can I put OME or Iron Man greaseable anti-inversion shackles and pins on the original leaf springs? (the current shackles are homemade, I need to change them)
2. Would you go with OME shackles & pins even if they cost $150 more than Iron Man equivalents? (in my region)
3. Would you put a steering damper on a 40 that has no power steering and does not go off-road? (I'm thinking here about the already heavy steering at low speeds on the road / parking lot)
You probably should start your own thread specific to your 40, or use the search function.
 
You probably should start your own thread specific to your 40, or use the search function.
I'm mainly interested if there is a difference between OME and Iron Man shackles and what people who have seen both recommend. That I did not find after a lot of searching, the comparisons are usually between springs & dampers.

The first question might sound like a noob question, I know they fit, but I was wandering if they are designed only for lift kits since all the OME and IM springs are lifted. The third question just popped out after reading the comments here.

Didn't feel like it's worth a new thread.
 
I'm mainly interested if there is a difference between OME and Iron Man shackles and what people who have seen both recommend. That I did not find after a lot of searching, the comparisons are usually between springs & dampers.

The first question might sound like a noob question, I know they fit, but I was wandering if they are designed only for lift kits since all the OME and IM springs are lifted. The third question just popped out after reading the comments here.

Didn't feel like it's worth a new thread.
I tried to buy Iron Man shackles and poly bushings yesterday. They were out of the RH anti inversion shackle and the dude from IM told me it would be August or September before they had anymore.

I've decided to rock my stock leaf springs for a while longer and just change the shackles and bushings. Was going to just buy OEM shackles and bushings but the pins are NLA and the shackles with bushings are $60/shackle. I sourced a whole kit and bushings through Man A Fre instead. The grease fittings aren't protected like the Dobinson/Iron Man units are. However, I removed all my old steering components yesterday that have exposed grease fittings and they have lasted 45 years with no damage.

I'm not sure if the OME shackles and bushings fit the stock springs. Call Cruiser Outfitters, they will know.
 
I've got OME shackles on the front with Skyjacker springs. The eyes of the springs are smaller than the OME springs so I have smaller Skyjacker bushings and they fit the shackles and springs perfectly. IIRC the pin of the shackle is 5/8" but it don't know the OD of the bushing. I think OME shackles will be fine with stock springs as long as you have the right bushing.
 
You can buy many different sizes of bushings from $pector Offroad to suit whatever setup you come up with.
 
I'm not sure if the OME shackles and bushings fit the stock springs. Call Cruiser Outfitters, they will know.

I live in Europe and, unfortunately, getting parts form US in not that simple (shipping costs, taxes & time). I was hopping I would find answers to my questions on this forum.
 
I live in Europe and, unfortunately, getting parts form US in not that simple (shipping costs, taxes & time). I was hopping I would find answers to my questions on this forum.
I would figure there would be overseas vendors. Cruisers were more popular overseas than stateside I think. Very popular in Asia and Africa. I would assume parts would be easier to access from there than from the US, and I’m sure there are vendors. I could be mistaken though.
 
I live in Europe and, unfortunately, getting parts form US in not that simple (shipping costs, taxes & time). I was hopping I would find answers to my questions on

I live in Europe and, unfortunately, getting parts form US in not that simple (shipping costs, taxes & time). I was hopping I would find answers to my questions on this forum.
@cruiseroutfit can OME shackles and bushings be used with stock 40 leaf springs?
 
Anyone know if this is still the case?
Ristretto, you'll be happy to know that Pro-Comp springs are made by NHK, they are the company who builds genuine Toyota springs. When Downey was in business, we were lucky enough to get to use NHK, and NHK designed more features into a Downey spring than the number of features that genuine factory springs had. Eventually Toyota's factory spring features caught up with Downey springs though. Only problem with your suspension now is Pro-Comp uses Gabriel as their shock supplier, and Gabriel's tend to be on the stiffer side of life.

Where are OME spring made? Do they settle in much?

According to this article in Four Wheeler the Skyjacker springs are made in the USA.

As for shocks, Im a big fan of Bilstein and their history of working with the OEMs including Toyota. The plated 5100s do better with salt than painted shocks.
 
IIRC OME’s are now manufactured in Indonesia. Mine flattened out over time (front bumper and Warn 8274), so I finally swapped them out for Skyjackers. The Skyjackers are new so time will tell how they hold up but I will say the springs are a little longer and my axle moved forward about 3/4“ and result was a really good shackle angle. Ride is superior to the old OME’s IMO.

OME bushings will not work with stock springs, the OD of the bushing is too large to fit the spring eye.
 
IIRC OME’s are now manufactured in Indonesia. Mine flattened out over time (front bumper and Warn 8274), so I finally swapped them out for Skyjackers. The Skyjackers are new so time will tell how they hold up but I will say the springs are a little longer and my axle moved forward about 3/4“ and result was a really good shackle angle. Ride is superior to the old OME’s IMO.

OME bushings will not work with stock springs, the OD of the bushing is too large to fit the spring eye.
because the omes just take stock length leaves and arch them harder to achieve the lift....thats why they need the anti inversion shackles.
 
because the omes just take stock length leaves and arch them harder to achieve the lift....thats why they need the anti inversion shackles.
If that is true then the shackle angle would be worse then stock and give a worse ride?

I replaced the blown out Rancho shocks and old skyjacker springs my BJ40 came with with procomp 2.5” lift springs and Bilstein shocks all around. Huge improvement!

Of all the reading I did if you do go with OME springs get the light ones. Seems like the other options are meant for cruisers moving a lot of weight around.
 
IIRC OME’s are now manufactured in Indonesia. Mine flattened out over time (front bumper and Warn 8274), so I finally swapped them out for Skyjackers. The Skyjackers are new so time will tell how they hold up but I will say the springs are a little longer and my axle moved forward about 3/4“ and result was a really good shackle angle. Ride is superior to the old OME’s IMO.

OME bushings will not work with stock springs, the OD of the bushing is too large to fit the spring eye.
Do you perhaps have an email addy for them please? I have been busting my head trying to contact them from Cape Town without any luck , please ?
 
What brand of shackles are you running?
I bought my 75 fj40 with a rough country 4” with standard shackles. I run 33x12.50x15 on widened toyota steel rims. The ride is horrible, very rough, all over the road, rear springs are too short, shocks probably shot, etc. Your setup seems like the way to go with the tires and rims I have. I’d ideally like to lower it but I don’t want to take a chance of the rear tires rubbing.
 

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