Old Man Emu "Popping" noise. (1 Viewer)

[dirtdobberoffroad]

from the looks of the video its the second leaf sliding side to side on the main leaf.

 

[Paul07]

again my cruiser makeing stupid noises wich drives me crazy
its the OME bushings who are toast
OME bushings worn out after 10000km only

 

[lcwizard]

Stake or weld the sleeves. This has been an issue since OME ghanged their designs to the Dakar spring when they moved production from Australia to distant lands

 

[cruisedeisel]

I would NOT weld anything to a leaf spring, you will change the tensile strength of the metal and cause your leaf spring to crack and then break. I am talking with experience. Try to eliminate that sleeve and go with OEM bushings.

 

[Landpimp]

Mine is pre Dakar, I get the clunk as well but from what I can see, it's the one(on each side) of the front spring leafs shifting, does it less when it's wet and more when it's dry. I lubed the spring packs last summer and the clunk noise went away or was not as noticeable, now it's back

 

[lcwizard]

this much weld will not effect the spring. I haven't found a bushing that will work with the sleeve pulled. It ends up close to a chevy which has a 1 1/2" eyelet but the pin hole is a little sloppy at 3/4" and you have to grind length and shoulders.

 

[Sacto60]

I had George at (Valley Hybrids, Stockton CA) install my OME on my 87 FJ60 not quite a year ago. He said after the install that these things need to "settle" in and that I need to keep torquing the main bolts periodically after the install. I get the same style popping noise too. Not sure who installed yours or when, but I'd bet all you have to do is tighten things down (really tighten) and drive some, then tighten again, until they settle. Or call George in Stockton CA.

 

[franklin40]

i just did a tack weld right at the end of the curl. it's enough to keep the sleeve in place but doesn't affect the spring metal in any way except possibly the last 5mm which i figured doesn't offer much strength or flex anyway. much quieter though not perfect since that's been done.

 

[Landpimp]

I ran rule out the sleeve in my case, it's not a dakar, it's original OME which does not use the sleeve. And it still has a pop.

Going to look at it again today. Everything has been torqued more than once over the years, but will again.

 

[doug720]

I recall seeing a GoPro of a 60 front suspension trying to locate the popping. I remember it showed it was one of the springs shifting when turning.

There was a post where someone made some HD steel leaf clamps. It was claimed they stopped the popping.

 

[Landpimp]

few years ago I had the wife turn the wheel back and forth as I watched the front end, the popping came from one(on each side) of the leafs shifting. last summer I put it on the rack and greased all everything up, including between the leafs and it made it go away, but back again this year. For 10 years it made no pop, then it started to pop, maybe 20,000 on the suspension(which is all OME, including the bushings)

I recall seeing a GoPro of a 60 front suspension trying to locate the popping. I remember it showed it was one of the springs shifting when turning.

There was a post where someone made some HD steel leaf clamps. It was claimed they stopped the popping.

 

[jawjatek]

I've had it since the day I installed the kit. Pisses me off.

 

[drewid20]

I've had it since the day I installed the kit. Pisses me off.

Yep. Same here. Low speed corners turning and it pops. Very annoying but this thing isn't exactly quiet and rattle free to begin with.

 

[87CRUSR]

Another popping front end here. Sigh....

 

[IBFJ62]

Mine went away with new bushings. Then came back...

 

[wngrog]

I think as long as this is common and the Cruiser is not breaking apart you are good.

 

[DevonBen60]

few years ago I had the wife turn the wheel back and forth as I watched the front end, the popping came from one(on each side) of the leafs shifting. last summer I put it on the rack and greased all everything up, including between the leafs and it made it go away, but back again this year. For 10 years it made no pop, then it started to pop, maybe 20,000 on the suspension(which is all OME, including the bushings)

Agreed, tighten the u clamp bolts very tightly and keep them tight.
I have oem rubber bushings with light duty springs. They only knock if the bolts loosen.

 

[wngrog]

I tightened my spring clamps and regreased my bushings and BOOM.

Silence.

I love Mud.

 

[YotaJosh]

I never knew this was such a common issue. My OME's have done this for a long time. Usually worse after they've been recently wet.

I just labeled it "leaf spring noise" and kept an eye on things.

 

[wngrog]

Like I said. I looked here to see if it was something of major concern. Seems common.