My OME Install - One man job - my tips

[hjdca]

Hi Guys, I just finished my OME install on my 1988 LC that I bought from Man-a-fre. I installed it by myself, and I have some tips.. I bought the deluxe kit with the extended brake lines and rear sway bar links:

1. Have 2 rachet straps handy to move the axle to line up the leaf springs pin.. I had to move it in two directions. Without the rachet straps I would not have been able to do it by myself. I included a pic of the straps in use.
2. My rear axle wraps, lower and upper rubber isolater and axle bracket, were like new, so, I decided to reuse them, you can see them in the pic. this lowered the rear 1/4 inch. So, I did not need the bushing for the rear springs that came with the kit.
3. I used the pinion angle shim for the front springs.
4. My brake lines had plenty of room, so, I decided not use the stainless brake lines.. Those were a waste..
5. No matter what the springs said, I lined them up with the arch towards the sky and the two higher ones I put on the drivers side, both front and back. The back spring was about 1/2 inch higher than the other, the front spring was about 1/4 inch higher than the other.


I have 31 inch tires on stock rims.. Measurements on both sides from the floor to the edge of the fenders and quarter panels are:

Front drivers 36"
Front passenger 36"
Rear driver 36.5 "
Rear Passenger 36"

The ride and stance are fantastic... The only thing I regret is that I did not do the lift 2 years ago when I first got the itch.. Enjoy the pics !!

 

[rrv333]

Great job! I'm envious of your skill and tenacity. It took a buddy and I two days for my swap.

 

[esh]

Great info. I used a hi-lift to spread the leaf pair to get the pin in.

What angle shim did you use?

 

[hjdca]

Great job! I'm envious of your skill and tenacity. It took a buddy and I two days for my swap.

I have done 3 lifts by myself.. 2 Old K5 Blazers (over axle) and a '75 Bronco (coil front). This was my first under axle... it still took me 50% longer than I thought... Interestingly, the rear took longer to do than the front.. None of my bolts, nuts were rusted, and my old bushings were in good shape and they all came out easily... , so, I am sure this made a big difference on time..

 

[hjdca]

Great job! I'm envious of your skill and tenacity. It took a buddy and I two days for my swap.

Great info. I used a hi-lift to spread the leaf pair to get the pin in.

What angle shim did you use?

The Man-a-fre kit comes with a nice billet aluminum shim that is 3 deg. I believe.. You put the fat side of the shim facing the front of the car.. This fixes Caster.. The truck tracks great, no issue... I have 31s and my tie rods, etc... are in great shape.

 

[hjdca]

Note also, the original springs I took off were both slightly higher on the drives side. the rear about 1/2 inch, the front about 1/4 ". The new OMU springs are pretty much almost exactly the same delta .. I thought that was impressive and my truck is just right, 1/2 inch higher in the drivers back and pretty much no delta in the front.. I tow dirt bikes, and i went from a 2" drop hitch to a 5-1/4" drop hitch.

 

[gregnash]

What size lift is this? Looks to me like ~3"?

 

[hjdca]

What size lift is this? Looks to me like ~3"?

yes, 3 inch lift, for an '86 to '90, Man-a-free kit part number -- OMEKIT-60DMLS.

I got 3 inchs in the front and about 3-1/2 to 4" in the back.. Mine is an '88 FJ62. I also kept the rear isolators and spring wrap, which countered the shims in front, and reduced the rear by 1/4", helping with "stink bug".

 

[Michael Hanson]

My two cents, its not safe to do this alone. Mike

 

[Finnyfam60]

Man-a-fre install instructions: (from SR, but seems the same logic/geometry/physics as non SR lift)
6. Now you may re-install your leaf springs with the caster shims supplied. The thick side of the shim goes to the rear. Remember to torque the u-bolts 95-105 ft. lbs. should do nicely.

 

[hjdca]

Man-a-fre install instructions: (from SR, but seems the same logic/geometry/physics as non SR lift)
6. Now you may re-install your leaf springs with the caster shims supplied. The thick side of the shim goes to the rear. Remember to torque the u-bolts 95-105 ft. lbs. should do nicely.

We have a discrepency.....

In front of me right now, I have the printed directions that Man-a-fre gave me in the box when I picked up the kit in Simi Valley. On page 1, item #8, last sentence in the paragraph says, "Caster Shim mounts with fat end towards front of vehicle(shackle)."

This is what I did and the truck handles great, so, I doubt it is wrong..

 

[hjdca]

We have a discrepency.....

In front of me right now, I have the printed directions that Man-a-fre gave me in the box when I picked up the kit in Simi Valley. On page 1, item #8, last sentence in the paragraph says, "Caster Shim mounts with fat end towards front of vehicle(shackle)."

This is what I did and the truck handles great, so, I doubt it is wrong..

Now, if you changing pinion angle in the rear, then, the fat end would be towards the rear.. The fat end always goes towards the shackle, front or rear... front for Caster, rear for pinion angle..

 

[Finnyfam60]

Now, if you changing pinion angle in the rear, then, the fat end would be towards the rear.. The fat end always goes towards the shackle, front or rear... front for Caster, rear for pinion angle..

That makes sense: SR puts the shackle at the rear of the front spring, so shim would be fat side toward rear (shackle). (I dont understand this stuff very well though....)

 

[slacker24-7]

My two cents, its not safe to do this alone. Mike

agreed, but when i did my OME install alone, as with most other things, its because i either do it alone or it doesnt get done. I have no real help that lives anywhere around..
OP nice looking 62 ! watch those shims if you used the aluminuim ones, i have had a couple break, anytime i use spring shims its the weld in steel ones tacked in place

 

[hjdca]

agreed, but when i did my OME install alone, as with most other things, its because i either do it alone or it doesnt get done. I have no real help that lives anywhere around..
OP nice looking 62 ! watch those shims if you used the aluminuim ones, i have had a couple break, anytime i use spring shims its the weld in steel ones tacked in place

I used the aluminum shims, but, they were not cast, I hope they do not break..

thanks for the complement, that is the original paint and interior(no tears), 70K original miles. Always garaged... I doubt there is many like it out there.

I have done all my lift kits alone, 4 of them now, I do not have anyone to help me... You need two jacks, 5 jack stands (2 real high jack stands), 2 or 3 rachet straps, 2 or 3 big blocks of wood to use with jack, ie. 4x6, 6x6 .. I use the 3 small jack stands on the axle and pinion angle and the two big jack stands on the frame... You need the wood to jack the car high enough to put the springs on..

 

[klinetime574]

Flex that suspension and then look at your brake lines. They are not a waste.

I would also agree that doing that alone is dangerous. I hope you at least told someone what you were doing

Clean truck. Love that paint scheme

 

[hjdca]

Flex that suspension and then look at your brake lines. They are not a waste.

I would also agree that doing that alone is dangerous. I hope you at least told someone what you were doing

Clean truck. Love that paint scheme

Thanks.

Yea, my bro knew, he lives 3 hours away.. He was calling me on the phone... I also have a '70 Chevelle SS396 that I am constantly under... If the neighborhood starts stinking, my bet it will be the Chevelle that did me in, not the LC...

The brake lines looked fine when the suspension was at full travel on the blocks... I bought the brake lines, and have them in the garage anyway, now that you said that, I will change them before I hit Pismo on the July 4th weekend.. I have one of those power brake bleeders that hook up to your air compressor... Those things are killer for bleeding brakes..

 

[klinetime574]

Yeah good plan.

My stock lines were functional but they were cracked all along the outside. 25 years old when I changed them!

 

[Finnyfam60]

Super clean rig! Nice work!
Mine was solo too. 2 large-ish stands on frame, 3 for axle, one floor jack (derailed my install when it didn't work the first day, so I had to completely reseal/restore it - it was my pa's (snap-on), had to be done) no straps, handheld breaker bar, bfh, etc...

 

[hjdca]

Super clean rig! Nice work!
Mine was solo too. 2 large-ish stands on frame, 3 for axle, one floor jack (derailed my install when it didn't work the first day, so I had to completely reseal/restore it - it was my pa's (snap-on), had to be done) no straps, handheld breaker bar, bfh, etc...

I do not know how you did it without the straps and without 2 jacks. You're good !! ;My leaf pins were always off by 2 axis. I also used my impact wrench and air tools. Cranking those ubolts by hand is not fun.. Another trick I used was by raising or lowering one end of the axle, I could get the pin hole to move in or out enough to mate things up again...