ome medium before/after plus a few aftermath questions (1 Viewer)

[semlin]

Well the ome medium 851/860 lift is on and I gained 2.5" in front and 3" in back for now. It took 6 hours by myself to do the shocks/coils, but I think 2 of that was spent trying to jack the thing up and it would have been faster if I hadn't stopped to scrape off some rust and repaint the rear shock plates. I also think i screwed up the torque on the shocks.

So the questions I had are:

1. Why does Christo's write up say you need to have bottom of the front rotors 12" off the ground when the axle is drooping to get the coils out? That is some serious height and was time consuming and a little scarey to do with a good 20" 3.5 ton floorjack (thanks Riley) and the oem bottlejack and after I had finally done it I didn't need anywhere near that height (see photo below). I also notice at another point in the write up he says that after setting the axle stands on the frame and then lowering the axle you will probably have the tires touch the ground unless you have big axle stands. This makes no sense because if you are trying to get 12" above the rotors, your tires will be 3 or 4" off the ground when the axle drops. I did not bother with this on the rears and had no trouble getting the coils off with about 6" of clearance between the rotors and ground.

This is not a critiqie of Christo by the way. It would have taken a lot longer without his info and I am very very grateful for it.

2. Can you really get 51 ft lbs of torque on those ome shock boltsas per the fsm? I turned them for ages and made them bulge pretty good but got nowhere near that much torque on the torque wrench. Christo's write up says to do it until they bulge and not to overtighten them so I just went until they seemed to bulge and installed them but now I am wondering if I should go back and have at them some more. I suppose the downside will be a bouncier ride?

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Looks good!
Did you remember to adjust your LSPV?

 

[Junk]

Some of us cheat a lil bit when swapping springs - it's just easier and quicker with same end result - old spring out and new one in

Never checked the amount of torque - simply watched the bushing shape.

 

[Riley]

Hey Simon, Congrats!!

I was a little worried when I didn't see you posting anything till now. Looks good too.

Any problems getting the old shock bolts off?

 

[Beowulf]

Simon,

The truck looks much better with the taller springs. Most of us like the difference with the OME springs & shocks.

In the future, it's easier to do one corner at a time.

-B-

 

[semlin]

and so what does the bushing look like when done right?

i tried to do the lspv but could not figure out which bracket you guys are talking about lowering in past posts so need to study the fsm some more. There is one bracket on the frame and on the axle and neither look adjustable. hold on, just looked at it again: is it the adjustment that allows the valve to slide on the frame bracket?

edit: thanks Riley, I tried to call you around 6 to drop off the jack. The bolts were all ok and the lower rear ones came off with a regular 1/2" ratchet. The shocks were not stock (made in USA but no brand name so jobbers I guess) and whoever installed them seems to have used remembered the anti-seize (which looked like teflon tape )

 

[cruiserdan]

Very nice Simon. have you had a chance to drive it yet?

Torqueing the fronts is problematic, especialy the LH top nut because of the brake master. I have used a 3/8 impact wrench with success and I watch the bushing round out.

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Perhaps I missed it, but what size tires are those? Truck looks great!

Ary

 

[semlin]

Simon,

The truck looks much better with the taller springs. Most of us like the difference with the OME springs & shocks.

-B-

Yes wulfman, I have always though it looks good but my old aftermarket shocks were quite stiff and handled well in traffic so I held off for quite a while. It wasn't until last summer when I went out with Riley and saw what a difference the extra height can make on the trail that I started to think about it seriously. I am more into exploring trails and camping so I was able to have quite a lot of fun in stock form.

C-Dan, drove it about 10 miles and it was like a different truck. the steering is a bit floaty until your dogs deliver the new control arm bolts, and it does feel a tad bouncy, but my knees don't hit my chin anymore when I cross railroad tracks so that's a good thing and the truck is much quieter.

Ary, 265/75/16 BFG ATs or 31.8s as I like to call'em

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Cool deal, I'm debating slipping on a set of OME shocks and springs to replace my tired OEM stuff. It looks like you've got plenty of room in your wheel wells for bigger tires now

 

[sea2skydad]

Looks great, Simon! Perfect weather too, for roadside wrenching. Have you figured out how you're going to press the cc bushings in and out?

 

[sleeoffroad]

1. Why does Christo's write up say you need to have bottom of the front rotors 12" off the ground when the axle is drooping to get the coils out?

When I wrote that I had not done a lift on the ground in some time. Thought 12" was a good enough number. Bottom line is you need enough. I guess I could change the 12" to "adequate"

 

[T Y L E R]

Simon,

Looks killah dude !


Now .. can you please get out of those 27" tires you look like you have on there?


35's baby!


TY

 

[semlin]

When I wrote that I had not done a lift on the ground in some time. Thought 12" was a good enough number. Bottom line is you need enough. I guess I could change the 12" to "adequate"

um, so for future reference, you don't really need 12", about 6" will do the job and is adequate. Most guys will find they don't have a enough jack if you specify 12". What were we talking about again?

 

[elmariachi]

i tried to do the lspv but could not figure out which bracket you guys are talking about lowering in past posts so need to study the fsm some more.

Its a linkage attached to the driver's side rear of the rear diff housing and has a long slender rod running to it from a valve mounted on the driver's side frame crossmember. You need to move the shackle that controls the valve rod back into position. The stock distance from center to center of the linkage bush pins is 90mm. On a 2.5 to 3 inch lift, you need to loosen the two lock nuts and move the linkage UP towards the underside of the truck about another 6-8mm (for a total distance of 96-98mm). Go here for a diagram and further description: http://www.lcool.org/technical/80_series/brake.html.

Other MUD members have messed with the lower part of where the bracket mounts to the diff. I have found it much easier to just unlock the two nuts and adjust per above. Takes 5 minutes.

 

[T Y L E R]

I have found it much easier to just unlock the two nuts and adjust per above. Takes 5 minutes.

Agreed...just loosen one nut at a time, and go the inch further or whatever is called for and then turn the other nut to tighten it all up again. By leaving the one nut where it is at first, you leave a reference as to where you began, so you don't have a problem. If you move both you might be pooched; not knowing how much you've adjusted it. (4:55 secs )


TY

 

[Rookie2]

So after going through this process, what are your thoughts on your original idea of trying to do this using the OEM bottle jack?

Looks good.

Rookie2

 

[semlin]

So after going through this process, what are your thoughts on your original idea of trying to do this using the OEM bottle jack?

Looks good.

Rookie2

No way would i recommend it! I can picture myself trying to get 12" of clearance under the rotors with a bottle jack. Also I did it on the street in front of my house which slopes slightly in two directions (I had to shim the axle stands) so using the bottle jack would have been dangerous when getting the axle stands under the frame.

That said, knowing what I now know about how high to go it would have been possible but a hassle either with two oem bottle jacks or doing one corner at a time.

 

[elmariachi]

Also I did it on the street in front of my house which slopes slightly in two directions (I had to shim the axle stands) so using the bottle jack would have been dangerous when getting the axle stands under the frame.

Now THAT'S a guy wanting to get his OME installed. Good work, glad you are safe and unsquished.

 

[woody]

damn, that looks sharp.....even with the 31.8" tires...lol

Nicely done, still hopin C has Christo's phone number on the list for my birthday gift (for a lift kit, you pervs....!)