Help me form a plan... lift, tires...

[subspd]

I have come up with a new plan...
I want a lift and 33" tires but I do not want the ride to change... my wife wouldn't have it. Remember I have to make an 8hr drive almost every other week.
2" lift is my goal, without making the ride harsh on potholed roads... 33" tire as well.
So if I go with OME rear spings... which ones?
OME shock all the way around... could I use stock length billy HD's?
Crank the front bars as far as is safe...
Diff drop...
Should give me a near stock ride and give me the desired lift... right?

 

[wngrog]

Don't be scared off by the ride quality of the the OME torsion bars. It is fine.

Cranking the stock bars will give you the same ride as long as you don't crank them too high and start lifting tires and gettign to the limits of the shocks.

The OME torsion bar has a heavier "spring rate" and takes more resistance to make it twist (flex)

That is what the differnent feel in the ride is coming from.

That said, I breifly noticed it when I first installed the lift, but I never feel it now.

I noticed more ride change when I went from 16" wheels with street tires to 18" wheels with street tires. Not as much sidewall to absorb the bumps.

Most lifts are accompanied by changes in tires and 90% (non-scientific guess) of the different road feel is due to the change in all the factors such as spring rate, shocks and tires.

My suggestion to those that complain about ride quality is to drop 10# out of the tires. My NTGs spec 50# of pressure and I run 35#

At 50# on the 18" wheels I felt everything. I dropped to 35# and the ride is great.

 

[wngrog]

Oh and BTW, do the 865's OME Medium. The 863's are too damn stiff IMO.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Based on what you say you want:

865 springs
OME shocks
FACTORY T-BARS...unless you add a front bumper

(863 will put your rear too high up, and are STIFF, especially without a rear bumper)(On WNGROG...the 863 or 865 and OME T-bar make a great choice. He's got an ARB bumper)

That's how you lift your truck and maintain your ride. IF you add a front bumper later, THEN add the T-bars. The factory T-bars will flex better also.

Diff drop not necsessary at 2" though I'd do it.

Make sure you keep an AT tire on like the BFG. Mine are pretty silent and stay that way all their life.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Oh and BTW, do the 863's OME Medium. The 865's are too damn stiff IMO.

You mean 864 or 866 (not 865)?

865 are medium
863 is heavy and constant 200KG

The 100-series 866 is the quiv of the 863 though shorter overall.

 

[subspd]

Ok now I am really confused what rear springs will give 2" lift and not affect ride?

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Ok now I am really confused what rear springs will give 2" lift and not affect ride?

See my 1st post. 865

WRNROG recommended HEAVY 80 springs, the 863. You'll hate those unless you have a loaded truck. Too high in the rear too.

 

[subspd]

I dont have any other mods right now but from what you are saying I don't have to do the front t-bars until I do the bumper... right? And what is a safe lift with the front t-bars cranked? 1.5-2"? And I should do the OME shocks? Or stick with stock length billy HD's?

 

[SINCITY100]

IMO..

Although I am sure you can get by with your stock shocks, You still might want to consider a different brand when lifting and adding springs to your rig, and even more so when going with bigger tires...The top aftermarket shocks (Bilstein..OME, etc..) can deliver a much better overall ride than the stock units can.

I also think that you will be happy (for now) with a nice set of quality A/T tires, your O.E. bars cranked up and a set of 865`s in the rear.

But..

Here`s the deal ( Trust me, I know this from experience ) decide what suspension set-up to go with by determining what you REALLY plan to do with your 100, possibly even a few years down the road...you dont want to have to do it (suspension) all over again... As soon as you put bumpers, armor or all those "neccessary" accessories on it, the lighter rate springs simply can`t cut it. ( I`ve had to go from stock to OME 866`s... and now to 864`s ! )


Just remember..
Ride quality will suffer (in one way or another) with almost EVERY mod you make to your Cruiser, so plan ahead !

Peace !

 

[wngrog]

Sorry to confuse the numbers.

I would run "medium" springs in the rear. Whatever that number is.

I have 865's and the ass of my truck went up 3+" with a Slee bumper and cheapo drawer system.

 

[subspd]

IMO..

Although I am sure you can get by with your stock shocks, You still might want to consider a different brand when lifting and adding springs to your rig, and even more so when going with bigger tires...The top aftermarket shocks (Bilstein..OME, etc..) can deliver a much better overall ride than the stock units can.

I also think that you will be happy (for now) with a nice set of quality A/T tires, your O.E. bars cranked up and a set of 865`s in the rear.

But..

Here`s the deal ( Trust me, I know this from experience ) decide what suspension set-up to go with by determining what you REALLY plan to do with your 100, possibly even a few years down the road...you dont want to have to do it (suspension) all over again... As soon as you put bumpers, armor or all those "neccessary" accessories on it, the lighter rate springs simply can`t cut it. ( I`ve had to go from stock to OME 866`s... and now to 864`s ! )


Just remember..
Ride quality will suffer (in one way or another) with almost EVERY mod you make to your Cruiser, so plan ahead !

Peace !

I was planning on Billy HD's but they only come in stock length so if I go with the rear OME springs and crank the front t-bars should I go with OME shocks or could I use the billy's?

 

[wngrog]

Go straight to the OME shocks. The length diffence is not enough to worry about.

Also, I remember the Bull buildup and he showed the stock and OME front shocks to be very close to the same length.

 

[subspd]

I guess what I am trying to do is avoid using OME shocks, I would really like to use billy HD's instead but are they long enough for use with a 2" lift? Has anyone tried this or measured them?

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

I dont have any other mods right now but from what you are saying I don't have to do the front t-bars until I do the bumper... right? And what is a safe lift with the front t-bars cranked? 1.5-2"? And I should do the OME shocks? Or stick with stock length billy HD's?

Yes...factory T-Bar is fine. Lift is same....up to 2.75". It's when you add weight you need to ditch the factory T-bars.

OME shocks, yes. I don't know what a billy HD shock is.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

I have 865's and the ass of my truck went up 3+" with a Slee bumper and cheapo drawer system.

Not possible! You must have 863.

SUPSPD....do not worry. If you add 865 springs you'll not be up 3+ inches. Get the 865 for your 2" desire.

 

[Greg B]

Not possible! You must have 863.

SUPSPD....do not worry. If you add 865 springs you'll not be up 3+ inches. Get the 865 for your 2" desire.

Nolan has 863's just like I do. He must have bumped his head getting out of that buggy in Moab and forgot what springs he's running in his 100.

Subspd, do what Shots says and run the 865's. They will give 2" of lift and along with the OME t-bars will be perfect for an otherwise stock 100. You will love the ride after you go with this setup. It is very nice.

 

[Imola Red]

I guess what I am trying to do is avoid using OME shocks, I would really like to use billy HD's instead but are they long enough for use with a 2" lift? Has anyone tried this or measured them?

Hopefully you will get your answer.

everybody keeps answering with the same repeat answer that is always given about a lift, "it's great use OME bars and shocks". Even though you don't need the t-bars if you aren't adding any weight to the front and who know's if you really need to use OME shocks.

Hopefully we can find out if the billstein shocks will work. Again you don't have to do the OME torsion bars if you aren't adding any more weight to the front.

 

[FirstToy]

how about just getting the tires first and seeing how it feels. Do one thing at a time and it will be easier for you to troubleshoot and easier for your wife to adjust.

 

[spressomon]

I'm with FirstToy on this one. #1) The 33" tires will, more than likely, be stiffer than your stockers. You stated your wife isn't interested, essentially, into turning your 100 into anything stiffer riding that what you have now (this is gonna be tough)...and hence you don't need any lift at all (from this perspective). And, with everything that I have heard on 'MUD, the Bilstien route would be the best for overall handling, etc. (although the billies will firm up the ride...) without the need or expense of adding 2" in height to roll around the streets and highways. You did not state if you want to wheel your rig or not. I would imagine from your "wife" comment you probably do not...keeping stock height eliminates the diff drop too.

Keep it simple!

 

[Greg B]

Hopefully you will get your answer.

everybody keeps answering with the same repeat answer that is always given about a lift, "it's great use OME bars and shocks". Even though you don't need the t-bars if you aren't adding any weight to the front and who know's if you really need to use OME shocks.

Hopefully we can find out if the billstein shocks will work. Again you don't have to do the OME torsion bars if you aren't adding any more weight to the front.

Yes, the shocks are subjective as well as the t-bars. If you like Bilstein better then go with those. As far as the t-bars go, I would change to the OME even without the lift. The factory ones are just too soft in my opinion. I hate how the nose of a 100 dives down when braking. Its like riding in a Lincoln towncar or something. The OME t-bars and rear coils make the suspension so much more sporty.