OME Bushing Noise

[Front Range 4x4]

I'm not convinced the noise from my front OME springs is coming from the bushings but I'm suspecting it is. anyone able to shed light on this one way or the other? I'm about the replace the shackles and figure it would be a good time to look into the noise.

TIA!

 

[RockDoc]

Mine make a creaking noise I attribute to bushings as the suspension flexes. I used to have a knock or pop with weight shift on turns, that turned out to be shifting eye insert sleeves.

 

[mrlocksmith]

So how do you know when the bushings are going bad? Would the noise go away if you greased the shackels? My OME Heavy makes a popping noises now and again too


Mark ???

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Heavy greasing of the bushings quiets them for a very short time as does power washing them. Sure seems to indicate the bushing. I'm looking for info, I don't have an answer.

 

[RockDoc]

This thread deals with the sliding insert problem, should be easy to determine if that is your issue: https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/201928-arb-dakar-spring-problems.html If it is just bushing noise, I don't have anything to offer, that has never really bothered me.

 

[lehiguy]

This is pretty normal. I have had the same set of OME springs for 12 years and in that time I have put 180K on them. Some of the bushings have died, about half, but they creak and pop thier whole life through unless bathed in grease but even that is only temporary. Rubber is quieter but doesn't last nearly as long. I had considered cutting "grease grooves" in the shackle pins and also in the sides of the shackle where the side of the bushing rubs to allow the grease to move to all the contact surfaces but I never found sufficient motivation to do it nor is there any gauranty that it work work. I don't even hear the popping anymore, I'm too used to it to notice.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

RockDoc, I've read that thread and it doesn't appear to be what I'm talking about.

Lehiguy, I've been of the "get used to it" attitude but since I'm swapping shackles I thought about it again. The grease groove idea is along the lines of what I'm thinking. The OME greasable pins may have something to do with it in my view but I could be wrong. I'm putting on MAF supplied 4+ anti-inversions and I like the 4+ pins better because they have a grease slot, I suppose i'll be able to answer my own question when I get these installed.

Note the slot in the pin:

 

[lehiguy]

RockDoc, I've read that thread and it doesn't appear to be what I'm talking about.

Lehiguy, I've been of the "get used to it" attitude but since I'm swapping shackles I thought about it again. The grease groove idea is along the lines of what I'm thinking. The OME greasable pins may have something to do with it in my view but I could be wrong. I'm putting on MAF supplied 4+ anti-inversions and I like the 4+ pins better because they have a grease slot, I suppose i'll be able to answer my own question when I get these installed.

Note the slot in the pin:

I think you would still have to make a way for the grease to get up on the sides of the bushings. BTW, What keeps those pins from rotating in the shackle instead of with the shackle? That's a common problem which leads to the shackle's side plates wearing into the pins. I welded a tab on my shackles to keep the bolt head in place so it moves with the shackle.

 

[overhanger]

If your experience is like mine, the 4+ shackles won't change any noise related issues.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

I'll find out soon enough and if the noise remains I'll continue to live with it as I have the last few years.

 

[hoppie]

My OME popping noise happens because the springs shift slightly against each other. Noticed the springs were not exactly parallel to each other, and could see a wear pattern on the main spring which marked the amount of movement. Totally unimpressed with OME springs. You'd think after more than 20 years they would have addressed this issue(s).

 

[ntsqd]

Were the spring bought from MAF or one of the other OME vendors? I was disappointed to learn that MAF doesn't normally send you the OME bushings, they use some other brand.

I've been told that urethane bushings need to use silicone grease, not petroleum based grease. Plenty of folks here have said otherwise, but given the original source, the owner of a long time successful 4X shop, it makes me wonder.

 

[lehiguy]

My OME popping noise happens because the springs shift slightly against each other. Noticed the springs were not exactly parallel to each other, and could see a wear pattern on the main spring which marked the amount of movement. Totally unimpressed with OME springs. You'd think after more than 20 years they would have addressed this issue(s).

You will never find a leaf spring that doesn't do that; it's the nature of the beast. And I seriously doubt that you can find a leaf spring that is superior to the OMEs. And the noise is from the bushings my padawan youngling, much yet to learn of the OMEs you have.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Follow-up:

I installed the 4+/MAF shackles which leveled my 62 front to back and after 2 weeks I can say I no longer have the popping in front. My OME bushings still looked like new so i left them. I attribute the lack of noise to the slotted greasable bolts vs the OME with grease holes. Only a couple weeks as my DD and one trail so I won't say I found the solution but it worked for me so far. Who knows if it will start again tomorrow but so far, so good.

Just one man's experience to throw into the mix.

 

[hoppie]

You will never find a leaf spring that doesn't do that; it's the nature of the beast. And I seriously doubt that you can find a leaf spring that is superior to the OMEs. And the noise is from the bushings my padawan youngling, much yet to learn of the OMEs you have.

The noise is not from the bushings. None of my other vehicles with leafs moved around like my OME's, and non made any noise. So no, it's not the nature of the beast. You can park your smart comments too.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

There's no doubt in my mind any longer that the popping is the bushings and bushings alone. Since I put on my new shackles with what I consider better greaseable pins the popping is gone for the first time since I've had OME springs.

 

[lehiguy]

The noise is not from the bushings. None of my other vehicles with leafs moved around like my OME's, and non made any noise. So no, it's not the nature of the beast. You can park your smart comments too.

Your assesment differs from vitually everybody else's. Denial won't help you solve your problem. I have had the same set of OMEs for 12 years and 175,000 miles. I have removed the springs and bushings too many times to count in the course of all the other mods I've done. If you're having leaf movement issues, then your clamps are tweaked or your U bolts are not tight enough. But I promise you, reguardless of what you might think, the popping sounds are from the bushings, period. The day you actually have a pop come form your leaf spring is the day you break it.