OME BP-51 OWNERS...... ROLL CALL......... (2 Viewers)

[Taco2Cruiser]

Does anyone have the BP clunk and also have aftermarket front bumper and/or winch?

Or does anyone have a clunk in their rear shocks?

 

[arich]

I've only had issues in the front with clunks. Rear were weeping a little when I swapped them for the new model with the updated rock guard.

 

[Utah200]

Just got word that ARB is shipping updated BP-51's. Some should be arriving stateside as early as next week.

 

[mark71]

Does anyone have the BP clunk and also have aftermarket front bumper and/or winch?

Or does anyone have a clunk in their rear shocks?

My first bad shock was the rear. The sound was much louder than the fronts and there was zero compression dampening. Replaced that one and has been fine ever since.

My two other failed BPs were on the front right (the replacement ARB sent clunked as well). Switched to Nitrocharger struts and clunk gone.

Had the front BP-51s clunking both before and after installing front bumper. Rear was before bumper but after drawers.

Hope this helps.

 

[Markuson]

My first bad shock was the rear. The sound was much louder than the fronts and there was zero compression dampening. Replaced that one and has been fine ever since.

My two other failed BPs were on the front right (the replacement ARB sent clunked as well). Switched to Nitrocharger struts and clunk gone.

Had the front BP-51s clunking both before and after installing front bumper. Rear was before bumper but after drawers.

Hope this helps.

What was the symptom with your rear shock? I've never heard reports of clunking on the rears.

 

[arich]

Just spoke to ARB. The replacements going out will be exactly like mine. That's very good news.
When I asked for what the updates are/were even the tech here in the US are not told.
Happy days are coming for anyone with clunks!!!

 

[mark71]

What was the symptom with your rear shock? I've never heard reports of clunking on the rears.

Made a very loud double POP each time I hit a pot hole (driving on a forestry road at about 15-20 mph) and lost all compression dampening.

Interestingly, compression/dampening rings were frozen, so I think it may have been a different problem from the clunk issue. I didn't try any adjustments until the popping started, so I can't say if it was cause or effect. Definitely took a few miles of pot holes before it started. Started very soft/quiet and worsened rapidly. My fronts never reached that same level of "oh my god, am I going to make it back?"

 

[Markuson]

Just spoke to ARB. The replacements going out will be exactly like mine. That's very good news.
When I asked for what the updates are/were even the tech here in the US are not told.
Happy days are coming for anyone with clunks!!!

Great news! Thanks for the heads up, Anthony!

Looks like they'll arrive just in time for my front/rear bumper installs two weeks from today. Wooooo!

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

My first bad shock was the rear. The sound was much louder than the fronts and there was zero compression dampening. Replaced that one and has been fine ever since.

My two other failed BPs were on the front right (the replacement ARB sent clunked as well). Switched to Nitrocharger struts and clunk gone.

Had the front BP-51s clunking both before and after installing front bumper. Rear was before bumper but after drawers.

Hope this helps.

It does as always, @mark71, you're always one of the best on here.

I was just thinking about how it sounded like more people with either stock bumpers, or less preload on the coil were talking about clunk more. But since you are having clunkin' (that's my new thing, "clunkin'") with both stock and steel bumpers, it makes my theory not work so well.

What I was thinking was about how the coil on the front of BPs is progressive by tightening the wraps and reducing the free height between wraps just at the bottom. On my last truck, I built this really fun long travel monstrosity that used a coil just like the BP-51 coil. It let me get tons of droop without a ton of lift, and part of the coil had to sit on itself.

Now when I would just drive around, I kept hearing this clunking banging sound. I couldn't figure out what it was, I was swapping out control arms, shocks, I even pulled my rear diff and put in by back up diff, still clunkin'. I eventually found it was the coil, when taking the bumps of driving, the coil wraps where hitting themselves.

So back to our BP-51, @arich, you mentioned the truck sits a little higher now, even at 0mm of additional preload, and no clunk yet.
I cranked my preload to an additional 25mm of preload before install, and then went a few more. I like it rough (@Markuson just giggled), but even in super cold I've never got a sound

I did notice when adding preload, the wraps at the bottom of the coil was what reduced. Since we know preload doesn't add lift by raising the coil, it adds lift my increasing spring rate, I'm thinking that with less preload, those wraps may be given just enough space to slap themselves and make an annoying clunk. And with cold weather, the shock has slightly less ability to slow its conversion down, and when people crank the adjusters to 10, it goes away, maybe because its not letting the coil hit itself?

I've been thinking about this because I found myself in an awesome situation a little while ago, having a beer with offroad industry guys, and sitting next to an OME engineer, and I know there were some changes to the internals, but I got the impression that really not much was done to the internals, then arich mentions the ride height and I though of this.

I don't know, just thought I would share, I'm probably way off.

 

[arich]

Now that you mention it. Here are some pics I sent to ARB in January with a similar "theory". I called it spring slap.
Notice the rust between the coils.

 

[Willy beamin]

dude even my icon coil springs were to light weight in my opinion, no slapping but still, thus I switched them - you may be on to something here - hope so that'd be a easy fix

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

@arich, yea that wear rust was the same I had on that rear coil setup I mentioned above.

Interesting thing is that my BPs don't have any wear marks, because those wraps are quite firm from 25+mm of additional preload, and I don't have clunkin'.

We are going to need more people to confirm this though. @Markuson, you said you had clunkin', are your cooks showing any wear? Probably won't be much rust as you live in a very rust free area.

 

[Markuson]

@arich, yea that wear rust was the same I had on that rear coil setup I mentioned above.

Interesting thing is that my BPs don't have any wear marks, because those wraps are quite firm from 25+mm of additional preload, and I don't have clunkin'.

We are going to need more people to confirm this though. @Markuson, you said you had clunkin', are your cooks showing any wear? Probably won't be much rust as you live in a very rust free area.

My clunk is cold-dependent.

I'll check coils for what Arich posted...but like you say, I'm in a near-rust-free area most of the time.

I did receive confirmation from ARB yesterday that my fronts are **in transit** so it will be interesting to compare side-by-side.

 

[Markuson]

FedEx...

 

[JADANT]

FedEx...

View attachment 1471536

Excite!!!!

 

[Reckless]

Glad to see that ARB has found a solution to the problem. Hope to have this someday.

 

[BW200]

Thanks I appreciate that.
I have not been compensated or reimbursed by ARB except they did offer to pick up this latest swap out because I was frustrated.
The only explanation I've gotten is that the bypass valves are Reed Valves or one way valves.
One other member had a theory that it was a hydraulic knock. Couldn't wrap my head around that.
I also pointed out that the last set I pulled out had a spherical bearing that was very loose on one side and extremely tight on the other. THAT would cause a knock. I suggested they abandon those and use rubber bushings. Didn't happen.
I can tell you that they have done something with this set. Even set at the same preload 0mm my truck is a 1/2-3/4" higher in the front that the previous sets and the ride is much softer. I suspect I am testing a revised spring but I have not been told by ARB. I guess they just want feedback. I really like what I'm riding on now. Best the truck has ever felt.
One of the things that boggles mind is ARB never wanted the clunky shocks back for inspection. I've heard this from just about every member who swapped out.
I think if we sent a pair to Brian Jowett for a tear down he'd figure it out.

Lunch is over. Have to get back to work......

Reed valves, huh? Hmmmmm..... If they are sticking closed or jamming inside the tube somehow, then that would definitely take away any softness in the low-velocity float region, and make the compression stroke much harder. Still doesn't seem like that would make a "clunkin' " (thanks @Taco2Cruiser), just would make the suspension harder. Maybe the piston was hitting the reed valve. OME has a video where you can see the shock in animated action. You can see these tapered areas, and I wondered if they were tapered grooves, but that must be the reed valve.

And yeah - that bad spherical bearing would clunk for sure. That's the sort of thing I was talking about in my "opinion" post that I thought would be the most likely source of noise. Any slop in an eyelet or a bolt would do it.

I hope they have fixed it, and your new ones continue to work. They are quiet now, right?

 

[arich]

All is quiet here in NY. Going G on 2 weeks.

 

[Recon Aircrew]

After several weeks of denial, I'm here to admit that my new suspension is noisy. About 2 months with the BP-51's with every sudden and sizeable divot in the road I hear a "CLACK" from the rear suspension. It's proportional in volume to the size of the pothole. Note that I report "clack" and not "clunk" like others have. Maybe my clacks are not of the same origin as clunks reported here, but whatever. I'm bummed.

I can't hear it from the cabin with windows closed and radio off, but it's clear as a bell with windows open, and kinda' embarrassing.

Took it to 4 Wheel Parts when I first noticed it. After looking at it, they said it was my spare tire chain banging around. I was too pressed for time to argue. I inspected it several times and nothing seems loose (which is exactly how it sounds). Clearly, I need to head back and press the issue.

 

[arich]

After several weeks of denial, I'm here to admit that my new suspension is noisy. About 2 months with the BP-51's with every sudden and sizeable divot in the road I hear a "CLACK" from the rear suspension. It's proportional in volume to the size of the pothole. Note that I report "clack" and not "clunk" like others have. Maybe my clacks are not of the same origin as clunks reported here, but whatever. I'm bummed.

That doesnt sound the same. Check the rock guards, is the spare tire tight, exhaust, disk brake guards.
My clunk same through the chassis and was easily heard inside.

Contact Mitch or Erik at ARB if you think it's the shocks. Have your serial number handy.