Installing a set of med duty OME springs and I have a question about the metal bracket/rubber isolators that are on the original springs. Do you re-use those or install the new springs with them?
FJ60 OME lift question rear springs (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Lordhelemt
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The height of the metal cap that surrounds the spring pack using the rubber insulator is designed for the original spring pack thickness. When the ubolts are fully tightened, the cap will bottom out on the bottom plate.
70 Series Landcruisers don't use the rubber insulators or cap as far as I know, so it's not like it's a mission critical component.
That being said, I still reused them on my thicker spring packs. Reused the rubber pads too. Just didn't over torque the ubolts.
Held up fine with zero issues after 20 years and untold thousands of miles getting hammered hard on rough dirt roads.
So bottom line: get rid of them or keep them, it doesn't matter.
The bottom plate has the correct sized spacer stud to fit in the bottom hole.: the standard OME springs' center stud is too small and needs a spacer bushing to fill the gap. Don't install them without the optional spacer bushing if you're not using the original clam shell cap.
70 Series Landcruisers don't use the rubber insulators or cap as far as I know, so it's not like it's a mission critical component.
That being said, I still reused them on my thicker spring packs. Reused the rubber pads too. Just didn't over torque the ubolts.
Held up fine with zero issues after 20 years and untold thousands of miles getting hammered hard on rough dirt roads.
So bottom line: get rid of them or keep them, it doesn't matter.
The bottom plate has the correct sized spacer stud to fit in the bottom hole.: the standard OME springs' center stud is too small and needs a spacer bushing to fill the gap. Don't install them without the optional spacer bushing if you're not using the original clam shell cap.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks!
I ended up reusing the bottom plat/rubber isolator and deleted the top plate. The old u bolts appeared to be too short with the top plate installed.
just finished the front. When I dropped the springs there was a 4ish degree shim/wedge between the spring and axel. As those standard? The funny thing is the far side of the shim was towards the front of the spring, shouldn’t it be on the backside of the axel to rotate the diff upwards to reduce the angle for the driveshaft?
Sorry for all the dumb questions but I’m a Cruiser noob.
I ended up reusing the bottom plat/rubber isolator and deleted the top plate. The old u bolts appeared to be too short with the top plate installed.
just finished the front. When I dropped the springs there was a 4ish degree shim/wedge between the spring and axel. As those standard? The funny thing is the far side of the shim was towards the front of the spring, shouldn’t it be on the backside of the axel to rotate the diff upwards to reduce the angle for the driveshaft?
Sorry for all the dumb questions but I’m a Cruiser noob.
I have always heard that once U bolts are removed it is good practice to replace them. Don't know if that's an old wives tale or the gospel. When I installed my add a leafs to make my rear OME springs heavy's and compensate for the extra weight of the Dobinsons bumper I replaced the U bolts. Just made me feel better.
The shims under the front springs are there to correct the caster angle, not align the driveshaft. As unintuitive as it may seem, the shims should be installed in the front to rotate the axle housing downwards at the rear - making the driveshaft angle even worse. Correct caster angle allows the wheels to track effortlessly in a straight line. When it's wrong, steering becomes a much more tedious exercise - it wanders.
The original spring packs didn't have caster shims. Shims are needed for lifted springs
The original spring packs didn't have caster shims. Shims are needed for lifted springs
- Thread starter
- #7
Well that sucks!! I reversed the sims thinking it would better align the ds angle. I guess I’ll switch them back
