Good Ol' Old Man Emu

[cruiserhead75]

I have had suspension issues and looking into buying new springs and shackles. Has anyone had good experiences with Old Man Emu Leaf springs? I have heard good and bad stories. I know they sell coils that work well on 80's and have heard good things about 60's leaf springs, but i know very little about their leaf springs for 40 series. I want a better ride and am trying to fix my shackle angle. I don't have money for custom springs, or i would be looking at Alcans. Do Old man emu's ride well? last long? Are their other leaf springs that someone can recommend?

 

[samwise]

Welcome to Mud!
Try the search function you will find more than you know what to do with, at least thats my experience. You will find lots of good stuff on OME, but it all depends on what you want to do. I just put OME on my 78 and love them, great ride, decent flex, and I got a really good deal. But just search and you'll find Tons of info. Best wishes.

Jon

 

[Liam]

i was reading a thread today where it said the OME springs pushed your axle forward a few inches, noticeable inches....

here is the link.. https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/275683-suspension-wheels-installed-finally-wtf.html

 

[brewhaw]

lookin to get a suspension kit myself. i have exhausted this site in search of a definite answer and there is not one. some like one thing and one likes another. guess it depends what your gonna use em 4.

 

[hedonist]

i've run ome on my cruiser for 5-6 years and liked it so much i put them on my other 40. the ride is very smooth. not as smooth if you go heavy duty, but still better than stock. i would highly recomend them, never had any problems, good ride height and so far they have held out well (i drive my rig hard, its a dd and then drive to moab, run the trails then drive home,etc).also, if you flip the rear springs you get 3-4 inches in length

 

[brewhaw]

did you get a whole OME kit or r u just runnin the shocks

 

[hedonist]

did you get a whole OME kit or r u just runnin the shocks

if your takin to me, i got the whole kit.both times.
just call kurt at cruiser outfitters! he'll take good care of you

 

[cruiserhead75]

I also have searched the site extensively for an answer to my question. From what i have gathered, OME is not a bad way to go. My FJ40 will be used for the same purposes as hedonist. I drive it everywhere i go everyday, and there are a few annual Moab trips/Trail trips. My only concern is the axle being moved forward, like everyone says OME's tend to do. Samwise (Jon) and Hedonist, did you expericence a re-location in your axle position when you put your leafs on?

 

[cruiserhead75]

here is a picture. not a good close-up, but a picture none-the-less, of the shackle angle. I like the amount of lift i have, I want to retain as much as possible while kicking the shackles out more and keeping the cruiser as level as possible

 

[JOSHCRUZER]

OME are a great kit. not cheap but very well made, offers a great ride and installs easily. worth the money in my opinion.

 

[Liam]

here is a picture. not a good close-up, but a picture none-the-less, of the shackle angle. I like the amount of lift i have, I want to retain as much as possible while kicking the shackles out more and keeping the cruiser as level as possible

you can tell in that picture that your axle has been pushed forward a bit. That would bother me, even if the ride is awesome. There are other kits out there that do not do this and are a very nice ride...

here is a picture of my 2.5 HFS lift, along with a 1.5" shackle lift as well. You cant really tell, but my rear axle is centered...

 

[hedonist]

IT ONLY MOVES YOUR AXLE FORWARD IF YOU FLIP THE SPRINGS. if you dont, you retain factory position, or at least both mine did. here is a before and after if that helps.great lookin 40 liam.p.s that is the ome kit.

 

[Liam]

IT ONLY MOVES YOUR AXLE FORWARD IF YOU FLIP THE SPRINGS. if you dont, you retain factory position, or at least both mine did. here is a before and after if that helps.great lookin 40 liam.p.s that is the ome kit.

thanks!! that is a HFS lift.

from what i've read, if you flip the springs on a OME lift they move backward, if you put them in as they should be they move forward...

 

[MDTyree]

IT ONLY MOVES YOUR AXLE FORWARD IF YOU FLIP THE SPRINGS. if you dont, you retain factory position, or at least both mine did. here is a before and after if that helps.great lookin 40 liam.p.s that is the ome kit.

That's a nice set up, how much lift do you have and what is the wheel and tire size? That looks like what I'm shooting for.
Thanks,
Mike

 

[Pete]

you can tell in that picture that your axle has been pushed forward a bit. That would bother me, even if the ride is awesome. There are other kits out there that do not do this and are a very nice ride...

here is a picture of my 2.5 HFS lift, along with a 1.5" shackle lift as well. You cant really tell, but my rear axle is centered...

That's his rig now, not with the OME! He's asking about an OME, the way I read the posts.

I've got the OME springs on my '76 FJ40 and the axles are where they have always been.

 

[Liam]

That's his rig now, not with the OME! He's asking about an OME, the way I read the posts.

I've got the OME springs on my '76 FJ40 and the axles are where they have always been.

ic....you're right. To me his axle does looked pushed forward already.....

 

[hedonist]

That's a nice set up, how much lift do you have and what is the wheel and tire size? That looks like what I'm shooting for.
Thanks,
Mike

its the ome 2.5-3 inch. i think its the only one they offer for the 40.tires are 33x10.5, although since the photo i added some 1 inch spacers ( rims are the wrong offset). i still think that with the ome you retain the same length wheel base

 

[brewhaw]

liam how do you like the ride with the HFS kit?

 

[brewhaw]

if your takin to me, i got the whole kit.both times.
just call kurt at cruiser outfitters! he'll take good care of you

thanks

 

[cruiserhead75]

I think some of you may be confused, My cruiser does NOT have the OME lift. I am trying to find out about it, thats the point of this whole post. The reason my axle looks forward is patially becuase of my wicked shackle angle. Please post any pics of the kit installed. BTW Hedonist, thats a sick 40 minus the skull, no offense.