SOA Baja style (1 Viewer)

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Dec 7, 2004
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Location
Coronado, CA
Well, after months of dealing with severe spring sag in the front, I pulled the plug and took a gamble on adding OME heavies to the front.

Background story, over the last 6 months or so my ride quality has slowly diminished to the point where I didn't even want to drive my Cruiser anymore. I had weird clunks coming from the drivetrain, vibrations at speed, and lots of tranny fluid laying around to say "hi" in the morning. Lesson learned from this entire experience.........know your driveshaft guy well, know his business dealings, and know what kinds of products he uses on his shafts. Never realized my Tom Woods CV shafts were replaced with some piece-o-crap CV's with Chinese u-joints whose lifespan lasted the short time they were on the balancer. My flanges were drilled to accept these crappy shafts and the hole on the flange and the hole on the shaft weren't even the same size. Needless to say, the bolt fits one hole well, but is way too small for the other. Wonder how I sheared the bolts on both the front and rear shafts and I wonder why they tried to come apart on me while traveling 65 on I-15.

In the end, I ended up rebuilding the t-case and trans (with slight mods done to the trans). New shafts front and rear, new spring plates, shock mounts, shocks, sway bar links (seem a yard long), and finally the OME heavies only on the front. I know there are lots of stink bug 60's running around, but how many baja 60's do you see??? I'll post pics once the shock value of a Cruiser saggin' in the wrong direction wears off.

Oh yeah, the ride is amazing and there are absolutely no driveline vibrations. I drove from LA to SD and cruised about 70-75. Best part, it still fits in my garage with OME/SOA and 37's. Woke up this morning to a garage floor sans puddles.
 
Not sure what you are saying. Are the Tom Woods shafts built with inferior parts? Are the shafts responsible for the puddles of ATF?

I ask because I am considering doing an SOA on my FJ60, and was thinking of using the OME springs on it now. Still not sure what you were getting at, but it did sound like you had lots of issues. Good job getting it on the road.
 
Sorry for not making it clear. Cody got it right. I HAD some nice Tom Woods shafts that I took in for a rebalancing after a couple smacks offroad and left the shop with some crappy shafts that were built with low quality parts. I never bothered to really crawl underneath to make sure they were the same shafts. They were black and had fresh grease so I figured they were still my Tom Woods shafts.

This entire situation started a chain reaction over the course of 6 months that led to the need for a t-case rebuild. Andrew, if you decide to go SOA, I would still recommend Tom Woods. As far as using your OME springs...........I'll get back to you when I get a chance to take it on some trails. It feels really tall compared to SOA with flat springs.
 
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Don't know if I am going to match up the rear. IF I did, it wouldn't be with OME in the rear because that would be too tall. Maybe AAL in the rear pack or something. Let me post some pics and you guys let me know if it is fugly.
 
Here are a couple shots. The one next to a stock 62 gives a good reference.

I'm going to wait until the front settles some before posting a side shot. I know you guys would give me a hard time if you saw it.:flipoff2:
 
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If its not enough to show in that 3/4 shot it cant be that bad. Those new springs will settle in a good bit as well, especially soa.
 
doesn't look THAT bad...

...and even if it is a little "baja" style you're in SOCAL and you'll fit right in with all the other baja-ed out rigs

give it some time...wheel it and it will probably settle in fine

you have a great lookin rig by the way :cheers:
 
AgentO, you might change your mind as soon as I post the side shot. That 3/4 shot masks the rake really well.

JohnK, thanks for the compliments, and yes, I really fit in with all the other lifted trucks down here in SD now (although I could always go full width front and keep the rear axle stock for the ultimate baja look).
 
Here's the side shot. For some reason when I take a pic it doesn't seem as raked compared to actually being there.

So, do I let it settle some or should I put an AAL in the back?
 
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I think it looks fine, but if you want it lower you could always yank the heavy leaf out of the OMEs, isnt the difference between a medium and a heavy just one leaf?
 
I think it looks fine, but if you want it lower you could always yank the heavy leaf out of the OMEs, isnt the difference between a medium and a heavy just one leaf?

yes it is ..
 
just pull the OME leaf. The "heavy" setup has two leaves (the 2nd and 3rd from the top) that are the same. Pull one.

That'll settle it down 1/4" for the width of the leaf, and at least a 1/4" for the springiness... maybe more like 1/2".

Maybe not enough to ride level, but better.
 
Thanks for the info on the spring pack. Good thing is, I can take that leaf out and if it starts to sag a little over time, I can always put the leaf back in.

Hey Tapage, what's it like wheeling with the SOA+OME? Did you start with stock springs and then add the OME, or did you go right to SOA and OME?
 
Hey Tapage, what's it like wheeling with the SOA+OME? Did you start with stock springs and then add the OME, or did you go right to SOA and OME?

I buy my old OME suspension in 2002 or so .. I wheel it a lots and after chane to SR from MAF .. and my final conversion was the SO.

I really like SO + SR + OME flex pretty nice, not at all that I want .. but hey are only springs ..
 
Not sure what you are saying. Are the Tom Woods shafts built with inferior parts? Are the shafts responsible for the puddles of ATF?

I ask because I am considering doing an SOA on my FJ60, and was thinking of using the OME springs on it now. Still not sure what you were getting at, but it did sound like you had lots of issues. Good job getting it on the road.



I would find some good stockers. I have stock fj62 springs on my SOA and I still think they are too high. OME are gonna have ya sky high.
 
I would find some good stockers. I have stock fj62 springs on my SOA and I still think they are too high. OME are gonna have ya sky high.

Lowtide, do you regularly go through springs, or have they held up for you? When I went SOA, I got rid of my OME springs and bought brand new factory height springs only to have them go inverted after a couple years. Now I'm back to OME (at least in the front). How do some of you guys get your flat springs to last???
 

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