New OME springs, somethings wrong (1 Viewer)

[Spring Grover]

Hi all. In the middle of a frame off, getting ready to set the tub hopefully soon. I installed 4 new OME medium springs, 2.5" lift on the rig early spring (I've lost the tags with model numbers) so I can land the frame. I've been staring at these shackles all summer knowing something is wrong, and now it's come to roost because I don't want to set the tub with them like this. I think I did it right? The shackles are obviously pointing the wrong way. Granted there's no weight on the rear, but I had a 800 pound weight on it for a month, still the same. I'm 165 and bouncing on the bumper can barely get the rear to move. Set the engine, front didn't move,..much. I've searched hi and lo for info, the last thing I wanted to do was post pics and get a rap on the knuckles from you all, but I need a solution here. Not currently running a hard top sop hardly no weight gonna be in the ass. If it needs to be fixed, I'd rather before I set the tub. Either they are really,..springy or I'm gonna take a shellacking here. I'm ready

 

[jim land]

Shackles are a little too long

 

[cruiserpilot]

Put some weight down on that. That same thing has happened to me. It will push the shackle out
properly. Past experience for me is the shackles with a solid center angle like that restrict the proper
twisting of the springs. I cut mine right down the middle.

 

[mattressking]

Nothing is wrong - OME is known for being short. You need to run stock length shackles and put the entire weight of the truck on it....then drive/flex it.

 

[B y r o n]

Until you have full weight on the suspension, there is no way of knowing if the shackles are to long or not. Put it all together and then adjust shackle length if needed. Do not tighten shackles until it has full weight on them.

 

[Vandal FJ]

I had this happen on the factory shackles. The nuts on the bolts were too tight and locked up the shackles. I loosened them off to snug and totally fixed the issue.

 

[Spring Grover]

Hmm. I think already I'll grease the heck out of them, be sure they're loose, the put the impact on the bolts to spin em real good, that's a thought. As for putting weight on it, I had already, for a month, but if the bushings are sticky. I'll do that tomorrow. Keep `em coming guys, thanks

 

[Spring Grover]

Shackles are a little too long

Shackles 5 1/4" zerk to zerk. I was running these on stockers. Thoughts?

 

[jim land]

Shackles 5 1/4" zerk to zerk. I was running these on stockers. Thoughts?

You don't need more than 3.5"

 

[jim land]

I had this happen on the factory shackles. The nuts on the bolts were too tight and locked up the shackles. I loosened them off to snug and totally fixed the issue.

Stock shackles can not be over tight

 

[65swb45]

You don't need more than 3.5"

If you intend to actually wheel the truck, you do. But it seems resto rigs rule the roost any more.

I relocated the shackle hangers on two of my rigs to get the appropriate angle/range of motion.

 

[85roktoy]

I have the same setup. Not far from being straight up and down but they have been fine.

 

[Spring Grover]

Nice rig Rocktoy. That's exactly how mine will look when done. Thanks for sharing those pics, maybe the best I can hope for is the shackles vertical. If you don't mind me asking, what size shackles you running? Not sure how to measure these but mine are 5 1/4" zerk to zerk. I may have too much shackle for this configuration. Also what size BFG's are those? I'm running 31's, afraid if I go bigger, won't fit under the garage door.
To Mark, to be sure, this truck will be going to Dairy Queen and back with my kids, or the like. Only wheeling we do here in northern Illinois is fast swerves to avoid potholes, and a good suspension is needed when you miss and hit one! Sadly, all we can do is make em look pretty, there's no where to go. Moose Lodge parking lot car show, every Tuesday, there's this curb. Get some articulation. Just saying...

 

[Jetlander]

Nice rig Rocktoy. That's exactly how mine will look when done. Thanks for sharing those pics, maybe the best I can hope for is the shackles vertical. If you don't mind me asking, what size shackles you running? Not sure how to measure these but mine are 5 1/4" zerk to zerk. I may have too much shackle for this configuration. Also what size BFG's are those? I'm running 31's, afraid if I go bigger, won't fit under the garage door.
To Mark, to be sure, this truck will be going to Dairy Queen and back with my kids, or the like. Only wheeling we do here in northern Illinois is fast swerves to avoid potholes, and a good suspension is needed when you miss and hit one! Sadly, all we can do is make em look pretty, there's no where to go. Moose Lodge parking lot car show, every Tuesday, there's this curb. Get some articulation. Just saying...

There’s more to life than just Illinois… Sounds like you don’t belong there.

 

[85roktoy]

Nice rig Rocktoy. That's exactly how mine will look when done. Thanks for sharing those pics, maybe the best I can hope for is the shackles vertical. If you don't mind me asking, what size shackles you running? Not sure how to measure these but mine are 5 1/4" zerk to zerk. I may have too much shackle for this configuration. Also what size BFG's are those? I'm running 31's, afraid if I go bigger, won't fit under the garage door.
To Mark, to be sure, this truck will be going to Dairy Queen and back with my kids, or the like. Only wheeling we do here in northern Illinois is fast swerves to avoid potholes, and a good suspension is needed when you miss and hit one! Sadly, all we can do is make em look pretty, there's no where to go. Moose Lodge parking lot car show, every Tuesday, there's this curb. Get some articulation. Just saying...

Thanks it’s a work in progress! These are the 1.5” CCOT shackles. I’d have to measure them but they look the same as yours. 33x10.50 BFG’s but they’re a hair smaller than most 33x10.50’s. Remember it’s only like 1.5” in height to top of vehicle difference on the 31’s to 33’s. I’m going to switch to Toyo’s or Geolanders in the future as they’re slightly taller and I want something more aggressive.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

If you get an opportunity to get the OME shackles, do so. They are a far superior design to those one piece types, IMO. Funny you should have brand new OME springs and not OME shackles. I can't see the bushings, but OME's yellow bushings are also top quality. Prior posters are all correct about the weight helping the angle. From what I've read on the OME's, their springs can be a bit short, causing some of the off angles. Also, the OME shackles have a non-inversion design, that those don't. On my previous OME spring kit, I had my fronts invert at times (even with their little non-inversion tab) and needed to use a strong, long lever to put them back in position. YMMV.

 

[85roktoy]

I agree with Blue but the OME shackles were crazy expensive compared to the CCOT ones. I believe around $500 for just the shackles but that was total all parts for 8 locations.

 

[Vandal FJ]

Stock shackles can not be over tight

Mine were... probably due to the thicker Skyjacker bushings that came with the lift. It negated the built in shank on the bolts that stopped them from being tightened too much. At any rate, many ways to skin a cat when it comes to FJ40 trouble shooting...

 

[Mark W]

OME leaf springs are too short. Always have been. They must have some reason that they do this, but hell if I know what it is. Other than making their super cool anti-inversion shackles a requirement that is. And they will not "work in" much either. Finish the truck. Load it up and see how they sit. If the springs do not flatten enough to extend beyond the shackle mount under your normal load, you can remove a leaf to encourage more sag.

Those one piece shackle designs are a terrible idea. So are plates secured with free spinning bolts. Separate side plate with fixed pins on one side are by far the best. design.

Shorter shackles will not help you. In fact they would make it worse, make you more likely to invert the hackle due to the short spring. Longer will not solve the problem either. Longer shackles ARE advantageous for spring flex, soft ride and articulation. But the system has to be designed to take advantage of the length and not too long. Too gentle a shackle angle can create problems if you overdo it.

Mark's answer of relocating the shackle hangers is the best answer to make OME springs work ideally.


Mark...

 

[Mark W]

Mine were... probably due to the thicker Skyjacker bushings that came with the lift. It negated the built in shank on the bolts that stopped them from being tightened too much. At any rate, many ways to skin a cat when it comes to FJ40 trouble shooting...

As you said, the bushings were/are incorrect. Properly matched and installed OEM shackles can not be over tightened.

Mark...