OK, I'm thinking I was wrong with OME shocks

[maxse01]

After 2500+ miles on the 2.5 medium lift from slee, I'm not loving the harsh ride (unless I have 800lbs of people/cargo) and lack of front wheel travel. I on some uneven bumps under acceleration my front tires chirp and the 'trac' light blinks. Everything is adjusted properly, I know this is because there is not much travel on those shocks. What are people doing to correct this?

 

[re_guderian]

Sounds like two separate issues.

 

[maxse01]

So you think the TB's aren't adjusted properly and that's causing the lack of wheel travel?

Harsh ride is to be expected with these, I knew that. But I thought by now it would settle a little.

 

[TexasCrane]

How much measured droop do you have on the front wheels?

 

[maxse01]

I'll jack it up tonight and measure.

 

[Hayes]

The OME shocks are not limiting travel.

 

[maxse01]

OK, then other than the height of the TB's...what else could be causing the easy wheel spin on the fronts?

I'll check again, but it was adjusted to be 1.25 inches lower than the rear for the appropriate "stance". Alignment was done and is correct.

 

[TexasCrane]

The OME shocks are not limiting travel.

That's why I asked about the amount of droop. My guess is that he hasn't hit the 50-60mm recommended minimum. The OME shocks are actually some of the longer travel front shocks on the market. The OME 60000 front shocks have 5.71" of travel. Icon's extended travel shocks are 5.3"

Shock Length Thread

 

[Hayes]

OK, then other than the height of the TB's...what else could be causing the easy wheel spin on the fronts?

I'll check again, but it was adjusted to be 1.25 inches lower than the rear for the appropriate "stance". Alignment was done and is correct.

I'd go with the already suggested culprit of too much front lift (too little droop), or alignment problems, which you've ruled out. Could also be a steering rack problem.

 

[maxse01]

Ok, first thing when i get home is jacking it up and measuring the droop. Center of the wheel to fender, right? I should have about 2 inches...and if I do then what do I check on the steering rack? No leaks and steering works/feels fine.

 

[Hayes]

Ok, first thing when i get home is jacking it up and measuring the droop. Center of the wheel to fender, right? I should have about 2 inches...and if I do then what do I check on the steering rack? No leaks and steering works/feels fine.

Steering issues exceed my first-hand experience. There are many threads on the topic. I think a first order check is having someone turn the steering wheel while you watch for slop in the rack itself. I think a general inspection of the front end might be worth the effort. Tie rod ends, steering rack, wheel bearings. You can check wheel bearings while you've got it jacked up (hold at 12 and 6 oclock, lever back and forth), and really bad tie rod ends will show slop if you yank on them.

That's all I got.

 

[maxse01]

Thank you, I appreciate it.

 

[benc]

The OME shocks are not limiting travel.

I never had my ome with stock upper control arms but I tell you they indeed limit the travel with the spc control arms.
It's not the stroke numbers you need to look at, it's the extended length.


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[benc]

If you are lifted at 2 1/2" than the travel is likely your problem. The ome kit is much better suited at 1-1 1/2" lift. Fwiw I have the same kit as you and am not happy with it either.


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[Mike6158]

Are you using the Slee upper control arms and would it matter? I'm asking because I am considering the OME lift, medium, with diff drop and upper control arms.

 

[maxse01]

Are you using the Slee upper control arms and would it matter? I'm asking because I am considering the OME lift, medium, with diff drop and upper control arms.

I did get the slee UCA's, I wanted to make sure I could bring the alignment into spec. My guy did a 4 wheel alignment and said he only had to make minor adjustments. I had him check it again after 1,000 miles and he said same thing, just some minor tweaks.

 

[maxse01]

If you are lifted at 2 1/2" than the travel is likely your problem. The ome kit is much better suited at 1-1 1/2" lift. Fwiw I have the same kit as you and am not happy with it either.


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I'll probably drop it down another 1/2 inch if I confirm everything else is ok.

Yeah, I expected the ride to smooth out a bit. But with just me in it, it's pretty harsh. I'm running my tires pretty low too (30F and 32R)

 

[85x]

This thread is pretty comprehensive about this topic - 100 too stiff after OME medium lift There are lots of contrasting opinions on this mod.

For reference: I have the 2.5" Medium kit (with the 60000 and 600002 shocks OME tbars, 2860 Rear Coil Springs and SPC UCA's) and find it to be a comfortable (subjective) ride overall (in town and on highways) even without the 3rd row seats, no gear, no bumpers, no sliders and no skids.

Doing my best to be descriptive and not subjective- it is unquestionable much firmer around town (<45mph with no weight) which I think some guys say is "too firm". Admittedly, as everyone mentions, it does ride more smoothly around town loaded down, but that is the point in upgrading suspension, right? Having the ability to carry more weight without the truck getting sloppy is why I personally chose upgraded to OME vs just putting new factory shocks/springs and cranking the T bars. I love the way it handles on the freeway now vs the stock setup. No body roll even with weight and my friends in the car.

I'd say if you want performance suspension that is "softer" most people either go with something tuneable with remote reservoirs or get new factory shocks with the stock tbars cranked. Of course, the Slee, Radflo, Icon shocks are going to cost ya 3x what the OME runs. Gotta pay to play on the suspension but it really all depends on what you want the truck to do well most often. If you are down to put ~4k into your suspension setup, you can have it all. If you want to pay <2k then you obviously have to make some concessions on the ride quality around town while unloaded.

Hope that helps guide your future endeavors and help those who are looking to make this upgrade in the future.

 

[Hayes]

I never had my ome with stock upper control arms but I tell you they indeed limit the travel with the spc control arms.
It's not the stroke numbers you need to look at, it's the extended length.


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We already went the rounds on this topic in the other thread

The extended length of the OME shocks is within a half inch of the other (non extended travel) shocks listed in this thread:
Shock Length Thread

That doesn't mean that available droop in a 2.5" lifted Hundy with OME shocks is adequate, but I'm saying you have to go with the right upper control arm and truly extended length shock to get more droop. The OME shocks are not the problem--they're built to get what little there is with the factory configuration.

They do ride kind of rough, though.

 

[benc]

For me it not the stiffness that the issue, it the harsh unloading of the front suspension, the lack of down travel and the shocks inability to handle the extra downward force caused by the extra preload from cranking up the tb. Per arb USA this there were not designed for over 1 1/2" of lift. Due to the adjustability of the tb people tend to over lift and that is when you get an extremely harsh ride. Sure you can run with 2 1/2" of lift but it will not preform how it was designed to. I think the ome kit is a great option if you don't lift it over 1 1/2",
If your planning to lift over that your best off with a kit like just differentials kit. His kit is designed to to run at a higher height. Or upgrade to the new ome shocks when the become available


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