OME J/L Combo vs 2.5" Heavy Lift

[DuManchu]

Well, after much deliberation I have decided not to lift the Cruiser yet.

My first mods will be Hanna sliders and tires.

I have too much preventative maintenance that needs to be done beforehand. At least I'll have some peace of mind knowing I'll be starting on a solid foundation.

Thanks for all the advice, and helping me avoid a potential moneypit.

-Andrew

 

[NorCalDoug]

Hey Doug....do you think I got the added vibes on my LX because I didn't use CC bushings with the J's? I used the Slee plates.

dunno.

What kind of vibration were you getting?

The Slee plates are supposed to be used with 4" lifts...did you end up with 4"? Did you add spacers/packers to get yourself up to the "right" height for the caster correction plates?

As for the bushings...you need to decide which way you're gonna go -- CC bushings or slee plate -- you don't mix the two...
The CC bushings will correct caster up to a set point -- I don't know where you are with your configuration to give you a good answer.


If you're at 4"...there could be any number of things causing the vibrations -- tell me about your driveshafts.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

dunno.

If you're at 4"...there could be any number of things causing the vibrations -- tell me about your driveshafts.

I'll update you Wednesday. We flip flop shafts and everything then. Thanks!

 

[Hayes]

I spoke with someone at Slee (not Christo, can't remember who) when I was trying to figure out how to lift my truck. They said that they were looking at the possibility of having a few other bushings that altered the caster at various angles (I think the currently available OME ones are +2 degrees?), like +1, +3 etc.

This would be a sweet option for folks who are having a tough time getting their caster within spec.

Not sure if this will actually happen, but it might be another good reason to wait, KC.

Hayes

 

[landtank]

The Slee plates are supposed to be used with 4" lifts.

I can attest to the fact that Slee's caster plates would not work with my 4" lift. At a verified lift of 4" over stock I needed almost twice the correction that his plates provide.

 

[NorCalSam]

I have been beating on mine for a year and zero sag. More travel comes from longer shocks, I ran the L rear shocks with the heavy springs before going to the Js, that setup worked well.

OK .......I fully understand how the L shocks create more travel by pushing or allowing the whole axle to drop further that normal. and yes this give you about 1" more drop or travel if the whole axle can drop. But that almost never happens or is very usefull in the real world. the kind of travel that I was talking about is the side to side type. I would think that this is more needed and my question is how can the L shock push further down than the standerd one creating more travel if on the upside one has installed a lower bump stop?

This is what I don't get.

 

[Flygtenstein]

The question not asked in response to this question is what are you trying to do?

Across the board, there are options to cover just about every ride height need with weight variations from stock to at least 6" over. Miss using springs, or mis-applying them may add height but it adds unnecessary variables.

If you want a 4" taller truck, use a 4" spring, adjust the panhards, adjust the steering and adjust the driveline angles. Once you get away from the cookie cutter OME stuff, you have to pay to play.

J springs were made for diesel trucks. There are two many other good options to get height, ride and performance than putting the "wrong" spring in just to do it.

Who is the cat who bought the 4" Slee kit piece by piece?

 

[Tools R Us]

OK .......I fully understand how the L shocks create more travel by pushing or allowing the whole axle to drop further that normal. and yes this give you about 1" more drop or travel if the whole axle can drop. But that almost never happens or is very usefull in the real world. the kind of travel that I was talking about is the side to side type. I would think that this is more needed and my question is how can the L shock push further down than the standerd one creating more travel if on the upside one has installed a lower bump stop?

This is what I don't get.

Your right, that never happens in the real world unless you drive on uneven terrain! Check out the pictures in this post to see the difference. IIRC the Ls are about 3" longer, so 3" more travel?

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=929349&postcount=35

 

[cruiserdan]

well, it was worth a shot.....I think im going to go with the heavy lift if/when I get around to it.

I wonder how much stiffer the 864s would be than the 863's? The 864s are the super heavy duty rears. Unloaded isnt a problem for me, cause i carry around more crap than i should.....

This thread may address some of your questions:


https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=46773

 

[Tools R Us]

J springs were made for diesel trucks. There are two many other good options to get height, ride and performance than putting the "wrong" spring in just to do it.

So having diesel fuel in the tank affects spring selection? Please enlighten us?

Who is the cat who bought the 4" Slee kit piece by piece?

Many have bought their lifts in stages, is that bad too?

 

[cruiserdan]

Most all of the aftermarket springs we run have origins in OZ. It could be argued that the are all "diesel" springs...


I better rip mine out before I develop a problem........

 

[Tools R Us]

Most all of the aftermarket springs we run have origins in OZ. It could be argued that the are all "diesel" springs...


I better rip mine out before I develop a problem........

No Dan, don't be silly, just dump some diesel in the tank and your springs will be fine!

 

[Flygtenstein]

I meant to poke a little fun at Shott's.

Let's take absurdity farther about the diesel. The front springs were.

Use the spring for the application you have.

OME stock, med, heavy.

Slee 4", 6" medium and heavy.

You get better performance using the spring for what you have, that is all I mean to say.

If you want simplicity, go with stuff as it comes. If you want different go outside the box.

In my mind, there is not comparison. The OME heavy is not for solving the same problem as a J-spring.

 

[FirstToy]

I meant to poke a little fun at Shott's.

Let's take absurdity farther about the diesel. The front springs were.

Use the spring for the application you have.

OME stock, med, heavy.

Slee 4", 6" medium and heavy.

You get better performance using the spring for what you have, that is all I mean to say.

If you want simplicity, go with stuff as it comes. If you want different go outside the box.

In my mind, there is not comparison. The OME heavy is not for solving the same problem as a J-spring.

wtf are you talking about? they are all appropriate for the 80 b/c they were all designed for the 80. People can use whatever they want for their setup.

 

[Tools R Us]

I meant to poke a little fun at Shott's.

That's easy, no challenge there! :shotts:

Let's take absurdity farther about the diesel. The front springs were.

Use the spring for the application you have.

OME stock, med, heavy.

Slee 4", 6" medium and heavy.

You get better performance using the spring for what you have, that is all I mean to say.

If you want simplicity, go with stuff as it comes. If you want different go outside the box.

In my conversation with the ARB rep at SEMA he said that they were developed for a racing application, he didn't say anything about a racing diesel? He said they don't fully support them due to not having caster and driveshaft correction for them, if your willing to deal with correcting that yourself he recommended them. He said they are slightly higher spring rate to deal with them being slightly taller, but never mentioned them needing diesel fuel?

In my mind, there is not comparison. The OME heavy is not for solving the same problem as a J-spring.

There not, there to solve a 1" taller problem!

 

[DuManchu]

The question not asked in response to this question is what are you trying to do?

Across the board, there are options to cover just about every ride height need with weight variations from stock to at least 6" over. Miss using springs, or mis-applying them may add height but it adds unnecessary variables.

If you want a 4" taller truck, use a 4" spring, adjust the panhards, adjust the steering and adjust the driveline angles. Once you get away from the cookie cutter OME stuff, you have to pay to play.

J springs were made for diesel trucks. There are two many other good options to get height, ride and performance than putting the "wrong" spring in just to do it.

Who is the cat who bought the 4" Slee kit piece by piece?

I just wanted a lift, and I wasn't sure what the difference between the J/L combo and the 2.5" OME Heavy kit was.

I only really want about 2.5" lift, but there's a good deal on a J/L combo in the For Sale section, hence the questions.

That being said, this thread helped me understand that all I really want is the 2.5" OME Heavy "Cookie Cutter" Lift, which is going to be perfect for me.

-Andrew

 

[Flygtenstein]

Cookie cutting is good.

Now you know what you need and how to get it.

By application, I mean bumpered or not, slidered or not.

Use what you need.

 

[Tools R Us]

I just wanted a lift, and I wasn't sure what the difference between the J/L combo and the 2.5" OME Heavy kit was.

I only really want about 2.5" lift, but there's a good deal on a J/L combo in the For Sale section, hence the questions.

That being said, this thread helped me understand that all I really want is the 2.5" OME Heavy "Cookie Cutter" Lift, which is going to be perfect for me.

-Andrew

On a stock truck the J's will give about 3.5" in the front and 5" in the rear, a set of heavys about 2.5" and 4", mediums 2" and 3". Pick your springs by how you want the truck to sit and the weight you plan on adding. The spring rates range about 220-250 pounds per inch per spring, if you plan on adding a bunch of weight to one end you will want more spring on that end. You can add spacers, but it's easier to get it close with springs.

http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/tech_OME_coils.html

 

[stevezero]

Thanks for the info Dan. I'm unsure on which springs I should use in the rear now. 863's and i might sag a touch when im fully loaded.....864's mean I'll have to tote my majorly ballasted sister in law everywhere I go...thats not a tradeoff I'm ready to make....I dont wanna be called Ahab.......

 

[sleeoffroad]

So having diesel fuel in the tank affects spring selection? Please enlighten us?

Many have bought their lifts in stages, is that bad too?

The diesel motors are heavier.

---- quote from our site ------------

2. What are J springs?

These springs were developed for the South American Market. In 2001 I met with ARB at Sema and that is where we learned about the springs. Slee was looking for longer springs and shocks to work with our 5" lift. With the help of the South American distributor for OME, we convinced ARB to start importing those. These springs are not part of a 3" lift kit. The springs are not supported by ARB as part of a lift kit. The reason for this is that they can not supply method to correct the caster. To quote from the ARB fitment guide

"OME850J/OME863J coils and N73L/N74L shocks should be installed together, although they do not comprise a kit. Fitment of N73L/N74L shocks requires mandatory installation of .75" (20mm) Front and 1.25" (30mm) rear bump stop spacers to the front and rear suspension to prevent shock absorbers from bottoming out under full compression. These bump stop spacers are not available from OME and will need to be sourced from the installer."

J springs are about 1" longer than the equivalent rated regular spring. In certain cases, especially where the front of the truck is heavily loaded, it makes sense to swap to the J springs in the front to level the truck out. However, whenever the front is lifted above 2.5" we suggest that the caster be measured to determine how close to stock the geometry is.