ARB Dakar Spring Problems

[simonliew]

Hi,
l was installing a set of ZEAL springs on my HZJ77 and yes,the 77 or 75 series bushing will fit in the dakar springeye without the sleeve.
Simon

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Check your caster angle. Lift springs will often remove what little caster there is from the factory.


~John

I have a REAL bad problem of being tossed all over the road. I have the same tires i had before the OME install. was told by an alignment place that my toe in is set just fine.

could these springs be causing some real pull? anybody else having the pulling problem?

 

[Kief]

I think my OME's are doing the same thing... I wonder if they tend to settle into a certain position and the OME are a lot stiffer than the original springs and it shows more than the more supple originals?

 

[jfnall]

How long have those springs been on jf?
They look pretty new,i think it takes a while before its reconizable,looking closely at yours i think they will do the same,i think the steel bush is the problem,maybe too many moving parts in there with that bush if ya know what i mean.

i put those springs on myself less than 1200 miles ago. i am going to talk with the guy i got them from. does almost all jeep stuff, but he was good to work with. i will see if he can check with ARB and see if there is anything a buzz.

i retorqued the bolts after a couple hundred miles, but i am going to recheck them. also, i had the alignment guy check it, but he checked the toe in, not the camber. going to a different place to might be more observant. i will mention the piece that might need to be removed. the pulling problem was immediate. not something that settled in. from the first 10' of the new springs i noticed it.

the fronts are CS004's with the "+" on the drivers side. CS005's in the rear. what are other people running with the similar problem?

 

[Rigger]

I don't like the look of this at all. We need to hear from Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters.

 

[flybynight]

A phone call to Mudrak's in Sonoma would be well advised also.
He is extremely familiar with the installation of OME and has the reputation of a willingness to share his knowledge.

Checking the caster is a good idea.

The bushing seems like an easy problem to work out. Small bushing no worky, larger bushing does. It may wear out but that is part of their job.

All this aside I am still gonna get the OME's, but I will defer to Mudraks skills and have him do the instal. They are still the most proven product. But this thread is some useful knowledge to remember. Interested to here what ARB says.

Good luck with the 2nd opinion as well.

 

[87CRUSR]

What bushings does man A Fre sell with the OME Dakar setup? Anyone know?

I have had mine installed for 2000k miles or so with no pulling issues as of yet. I drove down to baja and went offraoding giving them quite the beating. Onn the drive back to So Cal I experienced no problems. Need to trek more miles I suppose.

 

[goldchaser]

Interesting steering stabilizer. Doesn't the spring make it pull to one side?

ah sixtys guy i see now yours has slid over the bush,if you look at my photo you can see the bush is the right size,the spring is wearing it out real fast,my old petrol 60 had tjm springs,when i got it the bushes were completly buggered,when i changed them a couple were nearly worn right through,but the lips were still good,arb have taken the cheap way out if you ask me,i get the feeling there gonna here some complaining.

 

[Sixty's Guy]

So do you have the OME bushes? I had a lip welded to the sleeve like as posted by Dakar61 on the 4wdmonthly forum.

 

[goldchaser]

na,im off to ballarat tomorrow morn to get them

 

[cabron]

I have my OME with about 500 miles (heavy/heavy) with no such problems so far. Lets get a tally, what spring rate? what bushings? how many miles? using OME shackles? what problem?

 

[jfnall]

fronts medium / rear heavy
started immediately - 1200 miles, no change in pulling
OME bushings - not worn yet, but obvious some where will be premature
OME anti-inversion shackles

jeff

 

[Godwin]

fronts medium / rear heavy
started immediately - 1200 miles, no change in pulling
OME bushings - not worn yet, but obvious some where will be premature
OME anti-inversion shackles

jeff

That u-bolt flip kit may be affecting things. Has that been checked?

 

[Rigger]

I have OME heavy/heavy but, um, it is still sitting on the garage floor, uninstalled - (Sniff) I'll get my act together someday soon, I promise!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Interesting...

Out of all the Dakar springs we've sold (100's of kits now), I can't say I've run across one yet that had an issue with the bushing sleeve moving around on the bushing. I've got some Dakar kits that are coming up on 2 years old now at this point that I see on a regular basis, I'll have to check into that.

Keep in mind, alot of retailers are supplementing different bushings with the OME kits, I know MAF sells their poly bushings, and I've seen others using the Energy Suspension bushings instead of the OME ones (half the price). I'd be interested to know if this has something to do with the issue as well. The aftermarket poly bushings such as the Energy Suspension ones are great bushings, but they might be built to a slightly lower tolerance than that of the OME bushing. That additional "slop" could lead to bushing failure?

Regardless I'll keep my eye on this thread, and I'll start taking a close look at Dakar equipped rigs that come my way.

 

[flybynight]

Thanks Kurt!

 

[Rigger]

Thanks Kurt!

X2.

 

[Godwin]

1 year and 20k miles on a heavy/heavy Dakar suspension with the OME bushings and no problem with bushing wear or odd shackle angles.

 

[goldchaser]

So do you have the OME bushes? I had a lip welded to the sleeve like as posted by Dakar61 on the 4wdmonthly forum.

oh sorry sixty guy,the old ones aren't ome,red ones off ebay.

 

[Stumpalama]

I just found this thread... I know someone with a 3year old Dakkar lift kit with OME bushings that one of the rear inserts is sliding around in the eye of the shackle hanger and you can hear the clunk from during turns... it started to eat up the bushing.
I'll ask if he wants to chime in here.
Hmmm sounds like a call to ARB is in order?