Old Man Emu shocks on an HDJ80 (1 Viewer)

[harveya]

Just about to buy some OME shocks for my 80 to use with the standard springs. Has anyone had any experience of this. I'm looking for decent ride quality, the Monroe Gas Magnums that I currently have are horrible - banging and jarring ride wher you can feel every smallest pothole and even running over a pen would make your teeth shake.

I have heard great things about OME but would like some opinions from anyone else who has them running with standard springs.

 

[Dale Sr]

whatabout bilsteins?

 

[harveya]

To be honest, I've used Bilsteins before on a VW Golf GTI, great shocks, improved the handling no end, but the ride was very harsh, not very forgiving which is what I want to get away from on the LC. I'm older now, don't need the handling to be as good - I'd buy a sportscar for decent handling, want a nice quiet forgiving ride, more like an Explorer than a Porsche. I've driven other 80s with standard Toyota shocks and the ride was really good considering the solid axles. The Gas Magnums were fitted by the previous owner because he towed a lot, however they are much too hard for me.

Interesting if the Bilsteins are more forgiving on the LC, I suppose they wouldn't be designed for accuarte handling so much as on other cars.

Also Bilsteins are harder to get here in the UK for the LC and much more expensive than the OME shocks.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[roscoFJ73]

Andy I doubt very much that OME make their own shocks and if you can find out who does it will probably be cheaper

 

[crushers]

my understanding is that monroe makes the shocks for OME...
what about factory shocks, i installed a new set the other day and the ride was firm but not harsh at all..
just a suggestion...

 

[harveya]

my understanding is that monroe makes the shocks for OME...
what about factory shocks, i installed a new set the other day and the ride was firm but not harsh at all..
just a suggestion...

I'd love a set of factory shock, however over in the UK, they cost about 3 times as much as the alternatives. I'm generally a firm believer that if you want a motor to run like it did coming from the factory then fit the factory stuff. Generally I would only use aftermarket gear if Factory was not available, however Toyota seem to want to charge more than things are reasonably worth for a lot of things.

In the end I've gone and ordered the OME shocks, hope they are better than the current ones if they are made by Monroe. Maybe it's just the gas magnums that are horrible.

I'll post up what they are like when I get them fitted.

If things don't improve noticeably then may be time for some new suspension arm bushes

 

[crushers]

hummm, here the factory are $40 CND each... and after market are $60 go figure!!
cheers

 

[Tapage]

OME N73 / N70 Front and OME N74E / N71N

 

[bigbrowndog]

hummm, here the factory are $40 CND each... and after market are $60 go figure!!
cheers

Really cheap, good price. O.M.E. for HJ75 are AU $140.00 each.

 

[harveya]

Finally got the OMEs fitted today, big difference. It still rides more firm than standard but very controlled now and no nasty bangs and crashes when going over bumps or into potholes. I think the Polybushes probably contribute to the harder ride.

It doesn't ride like a limo but also it doesn't ride like a 1950s farm truck either now.

Very pleased with them. Interesting that one of the front shockers was also leaking which I hadn't noticed which probably didn't help with the existing ride - problem is there is quite a lot of oil around underneath due to my leaking power steering pump which I will be changing later in the year, makes finding oil leaks in shockers already covered with ATF pretty difficult.