OME J springs and OME L shocks (1 Viewer)

[Imagery]

Can the Slee new front control arms be fitted with the OME counter bushings and be adjusted back to normal caster range with the J spring setup and would that help with drive angle? I guess it may be able to correct caster but probably not drive angle since it is dependant on lift alone. I don't find a listing for rear adjustables for rear nor can I find anything on replacement CV joints. I just want to see what I could ne getting into later down the road.

 

[Junk]

Imagery,
It's your truck and your money, so if you really want to go the J spring route, then certainly go ahead. Just a few things to keep in mind. There is no one that knows more about the 80 suspension, in the states than Christo and his crew. .... and I should say elsewhere, but I'll stick with here.

Most guys running J springs are taking their trucks through really sick terrain. That said, even the stock suspension and normal 2-1/2" OME lift on these is amazing. During a recent outing, I spotted an 80 with stock suspension and trailer hitch, with 33" TrXus, through what other guys were getting winched out even though they had 35's. Some times more time behind the wheel is the best solution.

Christo is, as always, giving super advice. You need to understand this is a comprimize. You can not expect to lift a truck up to 5", run 37's, go 0-60 in 4.5 sec, get 40 mpg and maintain all the stock handling. Something has to give and your wallet isn't always going to be able to make up for that. Once you hit 35's, EVERYTHING changes. It's a gradual effect, but seems to gain momentum at 35's. That's one reason why I run 295's on street and keep the trail tires for just that - trail.

You're talking going up high. Other things to consider are your cornering and how you do in offcamber situations. Do you like the smell of urine on the floor? Well, get some more lift and get off camber, and you may have some.

Seriously, everyone is trying to give you good advice. It's your money and your truck. IF this is what you want to do, then do it, but.... most of us would not given your situation.

 

[cruiserdan]

.02........

In my automobile owning life time (some 30 years now) I have modified several nice-driving cars in various ways for various reasons. More than once what I did LOOKED good but sucked when it came time to drive it someplace. I wish I had a bunch of that money back, it was an expensive education. :

Fortunately I got my diploma before I got my 80....

 

[PHAEDRUS]

Imagery,
as said by others your truck your wallet. I am happy iwth my 33" tyres( little tag for those of us who miss jim) and standard ame set up. I would normally not consider listening to junk but using 35" tires for daily drivers does have some serious issues. as far as the drive shaft you will probably have to have it made. tom woods does an excellent job on jeep drive shafts havent seen his work on a cruiser but a good guy and he does good work. www.4xshaft.com. no affiliation not even a customer just has done work for freinds jeeps and broncos.
Dave

 

[Beowulf]

Imagery,
You have not mentioned that you are dropping your sway bars. You really need to do this at the time you install the OME L-shocks. If you don't and your axles go to full droop then you will very likely bend or break something, probably the front driveshaft that needs to be replaced with a CV anyway. Full droop doesn't always mean off-road... it could be at the tyre shop when they put on your new 35's.

-B-

 

[Photo_Cruiser]

Regarding pull, After installing OME 2.5" running on 33's I feel my rig does wander a little to the left. I still need to get to Muddraks for Gary Kardum to press my caster correction bushings, so that is not done yet. Question is, should the caster correction fix this. What can an alignment do for me, being that this is a solid axle, adjust toe in? Lastly and this is pretty stupid, I initially disregarded the tags on the springs on install, which I think were labeled DS, PS, and first compared them with the stock springs to make sure I had the long on the long side short on the short side etc. And then I noticed the DS and PS were correct, meaning that the spprings were tagged for a US vehicle, If someone put em on backward, would the rig be way crooked or would it be subtle....more curious here...I got them right

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=PHAEDRUS link=board=2;threadid=4688;start=msg35936#msg35936 date=1062085751]
Imagery,
as said by others your truck your wallet. I am happy iwth my 33" tyres( little tag for those of us who miss jim) and standard ame set up. I would normally not consider listening to junk but using 35" tires for daily drivers does have some serious issues. as far as the drive shaft you will probably have to have it made. tom woods does an excellent job on jeep drive shafts havent seen his work on a cruiser but a good guy and he does good work. www.4xshaft.com. no affiliation not even a customer just has done work for freinds jeeps and broncos.
Dave
[/quote]

FWIW, we used to have shafts made by Tom. It used Spicer parts and an adapter. Every single one failed. Some less than 5k miles.

 

[cruiserdan]

If the springs are in backwards you would have a noticable lean to the left. As caster is the "return to center" I would imagine that will help when it's corrected. When you lifted it did you notice if your steering wheel was still "on center"? If it was not and you removed it and re-centered it, the steering box is now "off center" and will try to return. That too can cause a pull.

 

[Photo_Cruiser]

I didn't remove or re-center anything, regarding the steering box. I just did the springs, shocks and stabilizer. would the stabilizer cause this in any way? I imagine it is the caster, and need to get that corrected, feeling pretty wanderish on the freeway. What about getting the front end re-aligned??

 

[cruiserdan]

It really sounds like caster. I think that'll do it.

 

[PHAEDRUS]

photo-,
christo correct me if I am wrong cause I will need to move my springs but arent the ome springs labelled for aus spec veh? I have my labeled ds on ps and so forth.
christo and all.
I guess it goes to show what works on a heep might not work for a cruiser.
Dave

 

[cruiserdan]

Dave,


If I have my story straight OME's used to be labeled "DS" and "PS", now they are labeled "LH" and "RH" to avoid the LHD/RHD issue.



Dan.

 

[Photoman]

Dave,
I got some springs from Christo about 6 months ago. Two said LH and RH and two said DS and PS. Maybe two from old stock? Anyway I put the PS on the DS (US) - the DS on the PS (US) - the LH on the DS (US) - and the RH on the PS (US). Simple enough.................... cept I could be all wrong.
Bill

 

[Imagery]

Ok well the parts are all here now and I think I am going to send them back for exchange. I believe I will for the time until later when and if I decide to go 5", I will just go with the 850/863 setup.

This should work fine for me and should still work fine with the addition of a sle or other rear bumper. Like I said, I am currently running medium load 860's in the rear and probably light load 851's in the front. You can see how raked my front is in the second picture I posted during breaking as the front really pushes down. Also, I have noticed that there was not enough load capacity as I needed on several camping trips, fully loaded, full tank and three friends. I was almost down to the stops and they would bump going over humps in the road. I think I will end up being quite happy with the 850/863's. I can later on go up to 3 or 5" and 35's when I am ready to make that investment for the complete package.

Remember I said I have 285/75 R16 M/S BFG which is the equiv. to about 32" and I would like to go up to the next size from there which is 295/? R16 M/S BFG's and that is equivelent to something like 33.5". I'll double check with my tire man to make sure.

 

[cruiserdan]

-I-,

285/75/16 and 305/70/16 tires are in the 33 inch catagory. 315/75/16 tires are in the 35 inch catagory. So, you already have 33's.


Dan.

PS, Hey Bill, was that with the cruiser backed in or nosed in. I'm still visualizing your install with one leg hung over the edge of the bed :

 

[Junk]

[quote author=Imagery link=board=2;threadid=4688;start=msg36047#msg36047 date=1062101082]
I am going to send them back for exchange. I[/quote]

UHG

 

[Junk]

Maybe I should have said - yeah do it and buy my 36's in the classifieds.

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=Photoman link=board=2;threadid=4688;start=msg36037#msg36037 date=1062099845]
Dave,
I got some springs from Christo about 6 months ago. Two said LH and RH and two said DS and PS. Maybe two from old stock? Anyway I put the PS on the DS (US) - the DS on the PS (US) - the LH on the DS (US) - and the RH on the PS (US). Simple enough.................... cept I could be all wrong.
Bill
[/quote]

OK, to confuse it a little more, they are now marked LH/RH, however ARB-USA puts a sticker on the box saying that the LH should be installed on the RH

We don't agree and either put DS on PS or LH on LH. Never had a problem with a truck that leans

 

[Beowulf]

>> however ARB-USA puts a sticker on the box saying that the LH <<
>> should be installed on the RH <<

And if you call ARB to get clarification they will tell you that the "new" LH means the left side of the truck if you are standing in front of the ARB bumper and looking toward the rear at the Slee rear bumper.



j/k

-B-

 

[cruiserdan]

The easiest thing to do is put the right side springs on first, then you will have 2 Left ones. :


Piece of cake