A Couple Nagging Issues Following OME 2.5" Lift Install

[shocktower]

I hadn't considered this - I didn't rebuild the calipers when I did the brake job. How would I check?

Check to see if one is dragging, or pull a wheel off, and remove the pads and see if one is really hard to push one of the pistons in, if one is really hard, this maybe a problem, also a bad bearing and caliper, good luck with the demon of the car that hunts

 

[ElJayBird]

Just got off of the phone with Toyo - my original pressure wasn't far off. Toyo recommended 37psi front and 40psi rear based on a load of 2245lbs per front tire and 2405 per rear tire. I'm not even near that fully loaded so I'll start there and work my way down.

 

[elripster]

If you have mismatched pressures between the front wheels that could cause a pull but otherwise, if they are equal, it is unlikely to be the culprit. If you have far too little caster, which in your case you do, the added drag of lower tire pressure could help with the return-to-center effect but in the end, it would just be a patch for too little caster which will cost you fuel consumption in the meantime.

Of course tire pressure is easy to change where the caster bushings are more work.

Frank

 

[zonker]

I've only installed one lift (OME 2.5 on an 80 series), but I found that the 12-Ton Harbor Freight press was severely taxed getting the OEM bushings out. I was literally hanging all my body weight off the thing. That was with an overnight soaking of PB Blaster and some tapping (theoretically helps with penetration). Then again, it may simply be that I should have applied force and then just left the thing to sit for awhile...? The Cruiser in question had minimal rust, but it wasn't pristine.

I bought the HF 20 ton press on sale last weekend in anticipation of installing another lift soon.

Oh, and the first truck rode great after the lift with max caster. It's kind of confusing, though, so I can imagine how someone could easily install them with the wrong alignment.

Just to add to Gummycarb's response. When he (Gummycarb) was helping me with my OME Heavy 2.5" lift.. everything he stated was correct with one addition. The application of heat to the LCA metal surrounding the bushing. We used a propane torch.. not MAP and held steady heat while pressing the bushing out. There is NO way you would ever overheat the metal given the amount of heat that is conducted away due to its mass. However it does help to loosen any adhesions and provide a slight opening for any lubricants to suck down between the LCA and the OEM bushing. I would however recommend a 20t press as 12t is a little on the light side.

Also in regards to tire pressure I agree with Landtank. However just to expand a bit on what he stated. The weight specified on the sidewall and the max PSI are together in life. A single tire will support that much weight at the max PSI. You want to find a pressure that will give you a perfect contact patch for the weight you are carrying. Setting the pressure by how the truck handles will not provide you with optimum traction nor tire life and could be dangerous. Too little pressure and you run the tisk of overheating the tire and should you have to swerve on pavement.. losing the bead and control. Too much pressure.. reduced traction and tire life. This whole statement is based on driving on pavement and NOT about airing down in the dirt.

Weigh each end of the 80 and divide the paired tires by 2 and determine the percentage below max weight.. then apply that percentage to the max pressure. Will at least get you in the ball park. To dail it in perfectly.. some chalk and dry pavement to view your actual contact patch. Then a tire depth gauge over time to insure even wear. The chalk and gauge will put you spot on and you shouldn't have to do it again if you stay with roughly the same tire size. Since 95% of us have to drive on pavement a fair amount of the time.. getting the most amount of money out of our tires is kind of important as they are not cheap!

After our install on my 80 and tires (255/85/16 loadE) at 47psi all around.. loaded for a trip.. the handling is truly perfect and I have not had it aligned. I will however do it at some point just to recenter the steering wheel and to be sure it is spot on. I can take my hands off the wheel at 65mph and it stays dead straight (caster) no matter the pavement. Sure if it was really bad.. I probably would not let go of the wheel. So the handling can be very good.. or I just got lucky. I do believe there are a lot of little pieces of the install that need to be dead on and not just close enough for government work.. the LCA bushings being the standout.

 

[scottryana]

Like I said just do the chalk roll out test, and you will get better results and better tire wear.

Pretty sure it's the load limit that's determined by pressure. Here's a link to the Toyo load and inflation table. I'll give them a call today to confirm because 65 seems a little high to me as well. But after googling around and talking to people, it seems reasonable with this particular tire. I'll feel better hearing it directly from Toyo.

Load & Inflation Tables

 

[zonker]

Like I said just do the chalk roll out test, and you will get better results and better tire wear.

Couldn't agree you more @scottryana! Pretty simple and at the same time very effective.

 

[Pmoney]

Not me, pulled from slee

 

[Pmoney]

I saw that pic - I was hoping to find a pic of them installed and mounted. I'll google around a bit to see what I can find

 

[Pmoney]

Ok I gotta chime in here about this because that slee pic is opposite from the directions straight from OME I just put the 2.5 but went with heavy all around after taking it in for alignment my castor shows I'm into the -2s and-3s the dude said that no uneven tire ware was visible after confirming with a gentleman that knows his s***. so on the Highway it gets squirrelly around 70 but straight as an arrow other than that I'm thinking the ONE is what I went off of for that second bushing so I'm going to push it out and go with the slee. With summer here it shouldn't really matter but on Ice it'll probably be bad not sure if anyone has had or have seen that the directions are different thanks

 

[Pmoney]

Ok I gotta chime in here about this because that slee pic is opposite from the directions straight from OME I just put the 2.5 but went with heavy all around after taking it in for alignment my castor shows I'm into the -2s and-3s the dude said that no uneven tire ware was visible after confirming with a gentleman that knows his s***. so on the Highway it gets squirrelly around 70 but straight as an arrow other than that I'm thinking the ONE is what I went off of for that second bushing so I'm going to push it out and go with the slee. With summer here it shouldn't really matter but on Ice it'll probably be bad not sure if anyone has had or have seen that the directions are different thanks

 

[Pmoney]

Also was wondering if anyone knows of the plates will get me back into the +s I assumed they were for 4" or greater

 

[zonker]

When I installed the non-urethane TJM bushings into the LCA's.. I felt the OME template that came with it was a bit misleading. I scanned it and flopped it 180".. then enlarged it I believe 6% to 106% of the original size. It then matched up perfectly with the arm. This allowed me to place it below the LCA while on the bench and precisely mark on the outer edge and inner machined surface as to the exact alignment of the bushing for install. Turn the arm over and scribe a line between the inner and outer marks for verification while pressing. Swabbed a bit of Wurth CU1100 around the inside of bushing bore.. pressed the bushing's in pretty effortlessly.

Driving on the freeway at speed unwrapping a candy bar with both hands and I am dead straight. Even with grooved pavement. Coming down off of a local mountain pass late last week.. I pushed in the rain. Handling was all that I could expect from a lifted vehicle or a 20 year old SUV for that matter. I had a little bit of Oversteer from the rear on left hand sweepers.. but that will be another project to calm that down!

 

[Pmoney]

Good thinking with the blowing up of the directions. My axel is pushing out so I think I pushed them in the wrong angle. I don't have weight on the front yet so I'm wondering if this will somewhat correct the issue. I'll play around with it with all this spare time I have lol. Also noticed one of my wheel bearings to be almost shot. Drives straight as an arrow but just squirrelly with speed