- Thread starter
- #381
This is good to know. Something I never looked into or knew about. I'll order some spacers and remove the rubber isolators.
Build Sandy the Tan FJ60
- Thread starter Hokie LX
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This is good to know. Something I never looked into or knew about. I'll order some spacers and remove the rubber isolators.
I'm just one guy with a big opinion on this. Might want to poke around for other advice.
I'm right though
reddog90
SILVER Star
I called, they don't sell Dobinsons springs and didn't know if their spacer was compatible.
@wngrog have you used the Cruiser Outfitters center bolt spacer with Dobinsons springs?
cruiserteq.com
@wngrog have you used the Cruiser Outfitters center bolt spacer with Dobinsons springs?
Center Bolt Spacer - Stainless Steel - Fits 6x Applications (CROUTSSCBS)
Center Bolt Spacer - Stainless Steel - Fits 6x/7x Applications (CROUTSSCBS)
cruiserteq.com
- Thread starter
- #385
I know you've installed a lot of these kits. Have you seen any issues? I do understand the point about torque. The truck came with the rubber isolators on the OME leafs when I bought it and thought that's just how it went together but it's hard to get a torque spec on the ubolts since the isolators just compress and absorb the force which ends up bending the perches.
I'll do some more searching on the topic and see what should be done.
@TRAIL TAILOR and @crikeymike any input on using rubber isolators vs. none with a center bolt spacer with the Dobinson's leafs?
I never ran the rubber isolators, but they came from the factory. Just sing your heart song, it doesn't matter, as long as you retorque your u-bolts after 500 miles or so.
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No rubber is what I've always gone with, even back when I worked for OME. I'm not familiar with that spacer though.
I'm sure if the rubber was really doing some magic, Toyota would have kept using it in later models, but I'm not aware of anything past a 60 series that did use them.
Which part number shocks are you waiting on? We stock the full Dobinsons 6x suspension lineup @ Cruiser Outfitters, I'm not familiar with any back-orders on our stock fwiw.
I called, they don't sell Dobinsons springs and didn't know if their spacer was compatible.
@wngrog have you used the Cruiser Outfitters center bolt spacer with Dobinsons springs?
Center Bolt Spacer - Stainless Steel - Fits 6x Applications (CROUTSSCBS)
Center Bolt Spacer - Stainless Steel - Fits 6x/7x Applications (CROUTSSCBS)
You called Cruiser Outfitters and they said we don't stock Dobinsons? There are 13 of us there so it's possible you caught someone not in the know. We stock 6x Dobinsons springs and shocks. I'll get everyone in the building (and out of the building) up to speed on that, I apologize for the confusion.
Fwiw, If you have a product fitment or tech inquiry, we've always asked customer to email that way it gets routed to the best person to answer. The phone sales team is geared up to take orders from customers with a list of part numbers. Best is info@cruiseroutfitters.com
To answer your question, our center bolt spacer works with OME, Dobinsons and others springs!
Test fit some just now
OME did have applications to retain the rubber cushion and keep the retainer by using spacers that would prevent it from getting crushed or causing torque issues.
The spacer however is a much better solution. We had them made in stainless for better longevity
Center Bolt Spacer - Stainless Steel - Fits 6x Applications (CROUTSSCBS)
Center Bolt Spacer - Stainless Steel - Fits 6x/7x Applications (CROUTSSCBS)
cruiserteq.com
My opinion is to ditch the rubber isolators and go with the center bolt spacer. I've been quite vocal here on Mud about this over the past few decades
We include information on this in the install notes that ship with our OME and Dobinsons kits.
- Thread starter
- #391
Thanks @cruiseroutfit for the info. I'm also waiting on Front Dobinsons IMS shocks for my 60. They were on backorder is what I was told until February. That may just be for folks who drop ship though. If you stock them then obviously not a problem.
The center spacer is just to help locate the spring pin in the axle perch? Does this still retain the u-shaped cup or is that not needed any longer?
The center spacer is just to help locate the spring pin in the axle perch? Does this still retain the u-shaped cup or is that not needed any longer?
The factory rubber isolator and plate increase the diameter of the locating pin, like a sleeve that encompasses the spring pack. The spring perch then has a large hole in it to center the whole assembly. If you remove the rubber isolator and encompassing plate, then the spring center pin is like a hot dog down a hallways in the spring perch. Thus, you need the center spacer talked about above to make sure the spring stays centered in the spring perch.
See my edit above.
@Hokie LX I can confirm that the OME CBS01 works perfectly on 6x Dobinsons rear leaf springs. I did that almost exactly a year ago. Also, somebody (I think you) mentioned above that the lower spring plates can actually get bent trying to torque them over the rubber pads. If I had a dollar for every cupped rear lower spring plate I've seen, I could buy another Cruiser. The rubber pads don't add any worthwhile benefit, make it difficult to install aftermarket spring packs, and at worst it's dangerous to use them with non-stock suspension.
@cruiseroutfit I have been told on the phone that y'all don't sell Dobinsons as well. Granted that was probably 12-18 months ago. Thanks for clarifying your situation! Also, this is really interesting: "OME did have applications to retain the rubber cushion and keep the retainer by using spacers that would prevent it from getting crushed or causing torque issues." Must have been some flat pieces of metal to take up that gap. It's a historical footnote I was unaware of.
@cruiseroutfit I have been told on the phone that y'all don't sell Dobinsons as well. Granted that was probably 12-18 months ago. Thanks for clarifying your situation! Also, this is really interesting: "OME did have applications to retain the rubber cushion and keep the retainer by using spacers that would prevent it from getting crushed or causing torque issues." Must have been some flat pieces of metal to take up that gap. It's a historical footnote I was unaware of.
reddog90
SILVER Star
Yes, right before I posted that. Thanks for clearing this up! Just ordered some on your website.You called Cruiser Outfitters and they said we don't stock Dobinsons? There are 13 of us there so it's possible you caught someone not in the know. We stock 6x Dobinsons springs and shocks. I'll get everyone in the building (and out of the building) up to speed on that, I apologize for the confusion.
Fwiw, If you have a product fitment or tech inquiry, we've always asked customer to email that way it gets routed to the best person to answer. The phone sales team is geared up to take orders from customers with a list of part numbers. Best is info@cruiseroutfitters.com
To answer your question, our center bolt spacer works with OME, Dobinsons and others springs!
Test fit some just now
View attachment 3534514
We've stocked Dobinsons parts (primarily coils/shocks and all things 8x/100/200) for quite some time, back when @crikeymike was my sales rep there. Most leaf springs were special order until the last couple years when we started stocking them. We're still adding to the physical leaf spring inventory as we get regular stock orders. For comparison, we have 200-250 OME leaf springs in stock at any given time and maybe just ~40 Dobinsons, but that number will continue to grow and match up over time. Chance in the sales office (phone) is great with Dobinsons applications and is building out more and more of our own internal Dobinsons build sheets. If you have questions on Dobinsons, he's a great resource. Email is always good too as that will get sent to someone with Dobinsons knowlege.
Upside to a 7500+ part inventory is availability of parts, downside is even I'm not 100% up to speed on everything we have in the building. This is evidenced by a phone rep saying we don't have Dobinsons leaf springs yet I walked back to put a spacer on one
We meet regularly to address these and I'll make sure everyone here is leveled up I still have some of the old kits in stock, they are in blister packed with an OME logo from the 80's, wall art at this point. They are still offered fwiw.
They are/were available in 5 sizes that correspond to the combination of OME leaf spring and the retainer. So basically they allow the retainer to be installed and torqued.
@cruiseroutfit You guys are great. I wasn’t criticizing, just passing along a data point. Everyone over there has been fantastic to work with.
Thanks for the photo of the OME widgets too. To me that proves that the rubber isolators aren’t meant to be simply thrown on the new springs packs. They wouldn’t have engineered a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.
Thanks for the photo of the OME widgets too. To me that proves that the rubber isolators aren’t meant to be simply thrown on the new springs packs. They wouldn’t have engineered a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.
- Thread starter
- #398
Thanks guys. Ordered a pair of the center bolt spacers and I’ll pull the isolators when I swap rear springs left to right to see if it helps my lean.
You can also pull a leaf out of the high side rear pack. I did that recently on one with a bad lean.
- Thread starter
- #400
Did some tinkering with the Dobinsons as I wait for the front shocks to ship.
My shackle angle was beyond 90* front and rear with the leafs installed. I know they may break in a little but I wanted to get the angle back under 90* before driving it. Pulled a leaf front and rear and also got rid of the rear u-cups and isolators in favor of the center bolt spacers from @cruiseroutfit.
I swapped the rear leafs side to side when I pulled the rear leaf and it completely 100% leveled the truck side to side. Then I pulled a leaf from the fronts and the truck is leaning 0.5" left to right. I'll toy with it further once I get a couple hundred miles on it with a couple hundred pounds in the back.
Shackles before:
And After:
Spacers:
My shackle angle was beyond 90* front and rear with the leafs installed. I know they may break in a little but I wanted to get the angle back under 90* before driving it. Pulled a leaf front and rear and also got rid of the rear u-cups and isolators in favor of the center bolt spacers from @cruiseroutfit.
I swapped the rear leafs side to side when I pulled the rear leaf and it completely 100% leveled the truck side to side. Then I pulled a leaf from the fronts and the truck is leaning 0.5" left to right. I'll toy with it further once I get a couple hundred miles on it with a couple hundred pounds in the back.
Shackles before:
And After:
Spacers: