Help me pick out new shocks

[RandyS]

I am going to buy in the next month some new shocks for my 92 FJ80 with 88,800mi
The kind of ride i like is a firm but not to firm ride without allot of body roll.
I am torn between OME, OEM, & Bilstein, the kind of driving i do is 90% pavement and if i am lucky 10% on back roads, i just don't get out and 4 wheel anymore. I will be staying with my stock springs because i can't afford to change them right now, so i would like to here from you guys on what shocks you put on your LC and why did you chose that brand.
Randy

 

[Rogue]

OEM & OME have a very different feel to them.  I have had both and currently have the OME long travel shocks and am very pleased with them.  
Also, consider the Edelbrock shocks.  They are a bit on the high priced side, but they are quite an upgrade from OEM.  I had them for about a year before I went to the OME stuff.  They turned the Cruiser into a whole different animal.  I would have a set for you, but a friend yanked them out of my trash pile and paid me to install them on his Cruiser.  

Getting paid to get rid of garbage is great. :G

 

[Hltoppr]

I really like the OME firm shocks on my 1992. Night and day difference over OEM.

Highly recommended.

-H-

 

[Seminole]

Same here, OME hvy springs-low lift w/ OME firm shocks(I forget the #'s). Ride difference is night and day. Not really all that expensive. I think my set up was 550 - 600 bucks and worth it.

 

[cary]

I'll through in a vote for bilsteins to use with the stock springs. I keep seeing complaints about the stock shocks, but frankly if the cruiser is bone stock and you don't carry heavy loads, they are well dampened. My gripe with them was that once you put 4 people and another 100-200 pounds, the suspension was underdampened. I think the reason that a lot of the guys don't like the stock shocks is that they have added sliders, bull bars, etc, and the extra weight overwhelmes the stock shocks.

The Bilsteins are a little stiffer over small bumps, but seem to have less compression dampining and more rebound dampining on the big stuff. They improve the road feel a bit, but it is not a night and day difference.

As far as OME, I haven't used them, ridden in a vehicle with them, or had any other exposure to them (aside from their lift springs I ran in my pathfinder which were excellent quality). I do believe that matching of compenents is important and if I were to buy their springs would get the shocks valved accordingly. That said, I have to wonder if the OME firm valve shocks would be to firm on a stock LC. There is a big difference in valving requirements for a vehicle that weighs 4800 empty and one that weighs 5800 empty (i.e. Cruiser with 33's, winch, sliders, front and rear bumpers, etc). Shocks that work great on the heavier vehicle would likely be harsh on the lighter one.

If I had to guess, I would say in order of increasing valve firmness, the shocks would be OEM Toyota, Bilstein, and then OME Firm. You have to decide how much ride quality you want to give up, and adjust according to vehicle weight. Just remember, my opinion, is just that, and in this case is nothing more than semi-educated guess.

Cary

96 TLC, BFG's 265, Bilsteins, other than that bone stock. It is pathetic when you get 15mpg for a tank of gas and you feel like you won the lotto.

 

[sjcruiser]

If you're keeping the stock springs, it's better to go with Bilstein since you're 90% on road.
I did go with OME firm valved shocks with OEM springs - made a different but not much. After I swapped to OME springs as well, it's a whole world different!

Frank.

 

[Curran]

If your plan is to keep the stock springs, I think Rogue is right. The Edelbrock shocks are sweet. Bilsteins have a nice reputation, but the self-adjusting capability of the Edelbrock's is awesome.
I had a set on my F250 and it changed it from a 6840 lb (empty) pogo stick, to a relatively smooth machine. Toss a load of firewood in the back and the ride got even better. At the time I added them to the truck, I was living in the middle of the Ozark Mountains and on many occasions I had to make an emergency maneuver to avoid some Billy-Bob swinging wide around a blind corner straddling the yellow lines. I can say without a doubt those shocks helped keep me under control and on the road. If I were going to keep the stock ride height and springs, I wouldn't hesitate to buy them again.
CJ

 

[Junk]

If I was staying w/ stock springs, I'd get the Rancho 9000's. A local club dude had 'em and hands down it was the nicest riding 80 I'd ever been in.

 

[Beowulf]

Randy,

All of the above recommendations are good. I'll throw out a slightly different suggestion so you have something else to think about.

I'm assuming you have enough money saved for OME shocks since you mentioned they are being considered. That's about $300 or so. You can get a set of OME no-lift springs for about $240 and a set of new OEM Toyota shocks for about $100; total $340. That is the route that I would recommend since, IMHO, you'll get the best ride from the new springs and you'll have some decent shocks until you can go with better shocks.

-B-

 

[Junk]

.... or , you could B's route with the springs and buy someone's slightly used OME shocks when the move onto the Jsprings and L shocks.

Either way, you'll eventually end up on SWAMPERS.

 

[Hltoppr]

Yup, Junk has an excellent point, I'm running his old OME firms with no complaints... There are plenty around, just ask. I'm sure someone has some sitting in the garage.

-H-

 

[Junk]

Yeah, with suspension bits, there's always a ton of used stuff floating around. A lot of guys are always looking to move up to the newest and greatest stuff. .... and a lot of times they don't really wheel their truck so the stuff is in decent shape. Heck in our local club a lot of times we just give stuff away to each other to help the new guys that don't have all the cash. Just keep your eyes out.

BTW, these trucks are awesome right out of the showroom, so even with no lift your truck will be great in the woods.