I recently added an OME Heavy lift and am about to put new 33x10.50s on it this weekend. I have been driving around with about 400lbs. of sand in the back to get the rear springs to settle down. I got the heavy because I plan on adding a 50 gal tank and heavier rear bumper down the road. So my questions is: Will the sand in the back affect the alignment I'm going to have done when I put the tires on?
No. And it won't help your springs settle that much either. The only way I was able to get my OME springs to give my spine a rest was to pull the "overload" spring out of the pack. That was a big improvement and only took about 20 minutes.
while I've yet to try it with OME springs, the quickest way to soften the packs is to twist them up....get opposite corners stuffed in the fenderwells...ditches/berms are great....let it sit for an hour or so, then twist it the other way. Spend a day at it and it will soften them quick.
However, with the HEAVY packs, you may still not be all that soft.
This worked great on a friends Downey 4" packs on his FJ40...said it made an immediate ride and height difference.
I tried 300#'s of sand in the back of my 40 with new Skyjacker 4" springs, didn't make any difference, but flexing it up good did. The more flexing the better.
[quote author=Brussell link=board=1;threadid=5183;start=msg40301#msg40301 date=1063298138]
I recently added an OME Heavy lift and am about to put new 33x10.50s on it this weekend. I have been driving around with about 400lbs. of sand in the back to get the rear springs to settle down. I got the heavy because I plan on adding a 50 gal tank and heavier rear bumper down the road. So my questions is: Will the sand in the back affect the alignment I'm going to have done when I put the tires on?
Thanks!
they only aligment that need to be checked(and unless you replace TRE's then it shouldn't have changed) is the toe in toe out. Correct caster is built into the OME spring and "should" not need to be corrected, if it does 2deg shims should do the trick. I have not have to change caster on my 3 OME leaf sprung Cruisers. I am adding the OEM extra leaf to the front of my OME mediums on my fj60 right now.
Your steering wheel will/was also off after the new springs were put on, should be/been off to the left a good ways, you can correct this by turning the relay rod or way or the other till the wheel is stright.
can also adjust toe in/out yourself with a tape measure, I/we have always go it close enough that the alingment shop doesn't even want to change we any money
Thanks for all the replys! It has a pretty good wander now, but I can't say if it is worse sine the new springs. I have never had it aligned since I bought it so figured it was time. I've heard the the 60's don't take well to 12.50s and I think the 10.50s suit my need a little better, but now I am wondering about needing shims. What is the best way to tell if you need them. and excuse my ingonrance but what is a TRE?
TRE= Tie Rod End. The greasable swivel joints that are on the ends of the tie rod and used on other rods as well. They can wear out and cause slack in the steering.
shims, if you do take in for an alignment they will be able to tell you what your caster is now, compare this to what stock is(they will have this info, or the service manual has it) more(positive) caster is better(to a point), if your negative caster then shims might be needed.
I run OME meduim(now turned into heavy) on my fj60 and 33x10.5's and really like the combo.
You got the TRE figiured out but what I was getting at was, unless you messed with the TRE's or other steering bits then the only thing that would change after adding new springs(and shocks) would be the caster angle and the steering wheel will now be off center(this does not mean it's out of alignment however)
OME springs should have the correct caster built in, I have never had a problem with wander/caster when using OME spring, never added shims(expect when I did a shackle reversal and OME to my fj45, but this is expected)
If you used other than the stock or OME shackles, say a 2+ over stock shackle then YES you will almost for sure need to add shims.
I did replace a tie rod earlier this year. I was had just exited the freeway when I lost all of my stearing! ! Had it been 2 min. earlier I'd be dead. I'll have the guys check it against factory spec.
How do you like the springs? I'm thinking I'm going to have to pull a leaf in the back. The fronts seem fine with the heavy's but the back is really stiff.
Brad
BTW you said you were running 33x10.50s, what tire?
I really like the OME, I have mediums front and rear and I find the ride very nice. Sence I put the suspension on 2 years(?) ago I have sense added a ARB bull bar w/10k Warn, dual batteries. I JUST added an extra OME leaf to the front spring packs, this turns them into a heavy spring, I havn't even drivin sense I put them in, so I can't comment. I seldom have anything in the rear so I left them as mediums. THe OME shocks I run are the firmest and ment for a dsl 60.
If you find the ride to firm/harse you can pull one leaf out of each spring which then turns them into meduims, latter you can add the leafs then you add more stuff.
just read your post again. After the TRE failed, you replaced JUST the one? or please tell me you replace all of them? cause if one went.........then the rest might be much better.
I did replace a tie rod earlier this year. I was had just exited the freeway when I lost all of my stearing! ! Had it been 2 min. earlier I'd be dead. I'll have the guys check it against factory spec.
How do you like the springs? I'm thinking I'm going to have to pull a leaf in the back. The fronts seem fine with the heavy's but the back is really stiff.
Brad
BTW you said you were running 33x10.50s, what tire?
[/quote]
John,
Thanks for the reply! I'd have to check to see if both were replaced but I'm pretty sure they were. I took it to a guy who has specializing in Landcruisers here in SLC for over 10 yrs. Unfortunately, after he did my springs he shut his shop down.
I just put 33x10.50s BFG ATs on this weekend. Anybody that has/ have had this set up recomend a tire presure? I can't remember if I specified that it is a FJ60 with a V8 and a NV4500.
! Had it been 2 min. earlier I'd be dead. I'll have the guys check it against factory spec.
