OME Leaf Springs on 1985 4R

[Toast]

Is there a thread somewhere that depicts all the garbage companies with awful customer service and satisfaction? Seems I always buy something from some place then turn around and find out that the product and company blows..... plus it’s so satisfying to bash companies who have done the same to you... It’s really a good way to improve their business... how else are they supposed to know they suck??? Lol

 

[pappy]

Is there a thread somewhere that depicts all the garbage companies with awful customer service and satisfaction? Seems I always buy something from some place then turn around and find out that the product and company blows..... plus it’s so satisfying to bash companies who have done the same to you... It’s really a good way to improve their business... how else are they supposed to know they suck??? Lol

The only thing I can think of would be in Chat. That is where the company bashing happens.

 

[Mudder]

Bad Sellers - Buyer Beware

Problems with a transaction or business? Reporting a potential scammer? PLEASE, keep comments civil and factual.

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Stuckinthe80s]

Any follow up report to give? How are you liking them?

 

[pappy]

Any follow up report to give? How are you liking them?

Sure. I ended up with the OME heavies, per the recommendation of the folks at Cruiser Outfitters. Right after the install I took them to the Pacific Northwest for a 4 week adventure. They did fine, but didn't settle much. This summer I took the truck to Canyonlands, twice, and all that flexing really settled the packs. I like the ride height, or, I should say, my knees like the ride height. They ride better than the AllPros, but still a bit stiff. But, I'm blaming that on the crappy shocks. At some point I will swap out the shocks. On my Canada adventure last month they were much better, even with the shocks.

My only negative observation is my cross-over steering does hit the oil pan if I drop the truck hard. The spring also makes slight contact with the pitman arm nut when I stuff the driver's side wheel. They do say you need at least 3", and most folks recommend 4", for crossover steering.

 

[ntsqd]

My '84's front OME's had a ding in the top of the main leaf from some part of the pitman arm (too long ago to recall where exactly) and I hit bottom hard at some point, which clearanced the oil pan slightly. Highly suggest tracking down a couple sets of the Pathfinder rear "Figure 8" rubber bump stops for all 4 corners. They require a little modification to make fit correctly, but they are second only to hydro-bumps in bottoming control. Anything made of urethane isn't even in the same epoc, they're that much better and longer lasting. I'll link the pic rather than post it: https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-GX2H5W2/0/8a2a6193/L/i-GX2H5W2-L.jpg It's not the best pic because of the exhaust being in the way, but can hopefully see enough of them to ID them in the yonke.

I thought that the truck rode as good as a leaf sprung truck ever would with those springs and a single pair of 255/70 valved Bilstein 5100's up front. My never realized long term goal was to move to remote reservoir 7100's with the same valving. Fortunately the 255/70 valve stack is their default valving.

I ran RR 7100's on the rear with 275/80 valving due to the GM 63's lower internal friction that made them less self-damping.

 

[Stuckinthe80s]

Sure. I ended up with the OME heavies, per the recommendation of the folks at Cruiser Outfitters. Right after the install I took them to the Pacific Northwest for a 4 week adventure. They did fine, but didn't settle much. This summer I took the truck to Canyonlands, twice, and all that flexing really settled the packs. I like the ride height, or, I should say, my knees like the ride height. They ride better than the AllPros, but still a bit stiff. But, I'm blaming that on the crappy shocks. At some point I will swap out the shocks. On my Canada adventure last month they were much better, even with the shocks.

My only negative observation is my cross-over steering does hit the oil pan if I drop the truck hard. The spring also makes slight contact with the pitman arm nut when I stuff the driver's side wheel. They do say you need at least 3", and most folks recommend 4", for crossover steering.

Thanks for the insight. I have an 85 with a smashed body and an 89 with okayish body and a 3.4 swap. I’m trying to figure out if I want to move the good stuff to the 85 or do a SAS on the 89. I don’t want a super tall lift and also want a decent ride. There’s internet scuttlebutt that suggests you’ll never get a good ride with 85 spring length but then again, it’s a leaf spring no matter what.

 

[ntsqd]

Having owned my old '84 Xcab and now my '88 4rnnr I don't think that the IFS rides as good as the Xcab did. Granted I've not gotten around to putting the Bilsteins on the 4rnnr yet, but I'm kind of doubting that the result will be a better ride than the Xcab. I think that the most that I can hope for is to equal it.

 

[pappy]

Highly suggest tracking down a couple sets of the Pathfinder rear "Figure 8" rubber bump stops for all 4 corners. They require a little modification to make fit correctly, but they are second only to hydro-bumps in bottoming control. Anything made of urethane isn't even in the same epoc, they're that much better and longer lasting. I'll link the pic rather than post it: https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-GX2H5W2/0/8a2a6193/L/i-GX2H5W2-L.jpg

I installed a second bump stop to the rear which helped when I'm loaded. I haven't added anything to the front. Next time I'm at the boneyard I will check out the Nissans for those figure 8 bumpers.

Driving a leaf-sprung truck will never compare to coils, or even torsion bars. They will always ride like a buckboard wagon.

 

[ntsqd]

Agree on coils, disagree on t-bars. The reason being that t-bars have an impressive rising rate. Far, far greater than even a variable wound coil as it 'stacks up'. T-bars need to be very long to ride decently on anything other than pavement. They also are a LOT harder to get the damping rate correct as they need much more rebound than is ideal to put in a damper.

All of that aside I do think that leaf spring ride can be made to be nice. The GM 63 inch springs are a good example to study for how it can be done. The key appears to be reducing the internal friction as much as possible. Those thin spacers in the center of the spring combined with the tip sliders do a very good job of reducing the friction. I made and added such shims to the OMEs now under the rear of my 4rnnr. Can't vouch for a before ride with the OMEs since I made the mod before installing them, but I can say that they're now almost as nice riding as the 63's that I had under the Xcab.