Suspension Suggestions (1 Viewer)

[Arleaux]

Alright guys, I want some opinions.

I'm starting over w/ a stock locked 97 w/ pink panties.
This will be my DD.
I want to run 35's. My wheeling is mostly wooded trails w/ lots of mud & no rocks. Will be used to pull a popup trailer, as well as a flatbed loaded w/ lawn equipment. Will also be used for two to three vacations to the mountains (West Virginia). Front (w/ winch) & rear bumpers will be replaced.

If you were building this truck, what would your suspension consist of?

Thanks

 

[C6H12O6]

OME 2.5" heavies.

I have the mediums and they are fine with my non-winch ARB and no rear bumper, but I'm thinking I'll lose a bit of lift with sliders and a rear bumper.

 

[SR.GRINGO]

I'm running the OME heavy set up as in the link below. I also run two OME trim packers per shock to make the 315's fit. I like the set up over all but if I did it over I would go with the new 4" lift Slee has.

http://www.sleeoffroad.com/products/80_suspension.htm#2.5OMEHeavyLoad

 

[CruisinGA]

4" or exacctly what I have right now.

Caster plates, J's + 2.5" in front, and regular J's in the rear.

Plenty of room for 35's, not too tall, cheap, easy to install, works well.

 

[NorCalSam]

Slee's 4" lift

 

[sledge916]

slee 4 inch lit, fits 35 with plenty of room, not stupid high, my dd as well, handles super nice 4 me.

Sethro

 

[clarkrw3]

Slee 4" would be perfect...

 

[semlin]

i would consider heavies and bilsteins, although I run mediums and n73/74s myself . I remain unimpressed by ome shocks on sustained washboard roads and have seen some excellent testimonials on the bilsteins durability and ride. I do not think you give up lift with the bilsteins over the 73/74s. IMHO you also don't need 4 inches of lift for the roads you are describing, so why incur the extra expense and increased risk caster and driveshaft issues.

 

[Arleaux]

Help me out here, why am I not seeing a 4" lift on Slee's website?

 

[sledge916]

call crisco, he he.

he has them, they just are not on his website, lets just say they are bad arse. love them, my cruiser rocks!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Montana Cruiser]

i would consider heavies and bilsteins, although I run mediums and n73/74s myself . I remain unimpressed by ome shocks on sustained washboard roads and have seen some excellent testimonials on the bilsteins durability and ride. I do not think you give up lift with the bilsteins over the 73/74s. IMHO you also don't need 4 inches of lift for the roads you are describing, so why incur the extra expense and increased risk caster and driveshaft issues.

Which Bilsteins would you suggest? I was thinking the board ruled them out due to limiting droop? I'm running heavies and need to some shocks.

 

[semlin]

The stock replacements bilsteins are sold in australia for up to a 50mm lift which is what a heavy and medium OME lift is officially rated at over there (your mileage may vary).

b461477 594mm 365 mm front (extended/compressed)
b461478 591mm 380mm rear

If you compare them to the OME specifications they have roughly the same travel as the n73/74 shocks but are an inch shorter edit: no my math is bad they give up an inch of travel too . The question is whether that difference translates into ride height. Take a look at the OME lengths:

N70 ......... 614 .......... 354 f (neutral lift)
N71E ........ 620 .......... 370 r
N74E ........ 620 .......... 370 f (2.5" lift)
N73 ......... 614 .......... 354 r
N73L ........ 667 .......... 387 f (6" lift)
N74L ........ 667 .......... 387 r


notice that the Ls are less than 2" longer than the 73/74s at full extension yet can be used on a 6 inch lift. that suggests 73/74s would work at 4 inches as well as Ls at 6 inches but we know they don't. This suggests that 73/74s may ride a little lower than their length suggests. Another issue is normal loaded ride height and whether they match up well against the OME springs.

There are a few bilstein users on the board and I have yet to see a complaint that they give away any significant lift, but I would agree there is no definitive answer yet. I would have been the guinea pig if I had done my research before buying OME .


https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=47711

 

[Montana Cruiser]

The stock replacements bilsteins are sold in australia for up to a 50mm lift which is what a heavy and medium OME lift is officially rated at over there (your mileage may vary).

b461477 594mm 365 mm front (extended/compressed)
b461478 591mm 380mm rear

If you compare them to the OME specifications they have roughly the same travel as the n73/74 shocks but are an inch shorter edit: no my math is bad they give up an inch of travel too . The question is whether that difference translates into ride height. Take a look at the OME lengths:

N70 ......... 614 .......... 354 f (neutral lift)
N71E ........ 620 .......... 370 r
N74E ........ 620 .......... 370 f (2.5" lift)
N73 ......... 614 .......... 354 r
N73L ........ 667 .......... 387 f (6" lift)
N74L ........ 667 .......... 387 r


notice that the Ls are less than 2" longer than the 73/74s at full extension yet can be used on a 6 inch lift. that suggests 73/74s would work at 4 inches as well as Ls at 6 inches but we know they don't. This suggests that 73/74s may ride a little lower than their length suggests. Another issue is normal loaded ride height and whether they match up well against the OME springs.

There are a few bilstein users on the board and I have yet to see a complaint that they give away any significant lift, but I would agree there is no definitive answer yet. I would have been the guinea pig if I had done my research before buying OME .


https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=47711

My head spins when I read that thread and then I'm crippled with indecision and a weak ass wallet

 

[C6H12O6]

OME 2.5" heavies.

I have the mediums and they are fine with my non-winch ARB and no rear bumper, but I'm thinking I'll lose a bit of lift with sliders and a rear bumper.

I thought you said 33" for the tires. I started seeing all these 4" spring posts and had to look at the original again.

Yes, 4".

 

[Josh83]

I say OME heavies, with maybe 10-20mm of trim packers in the front if the winch/bumper drop it too much. I like a low rig and I think that would serve you well.

 

[clarkrw3]

Opinions are like...well you know. Yes slee hasn't updated the website in a long time and it is way over do, so just call him! I have never understood the idea of getting smaller springs and putting in spring spacers when you could just get the right size springs in the first place.

2.5 ome
~3 ome heavy
3.5 J's
4 Slee
6 Slee

 

[CruisinGA]

I have never understood the idea of getting smaller springs and putting in spring spacers when you could just get the right size springs in the first place.

To level the truck and end up with the same amount of lift as a kit that costs an extra $100 total. ($25 more a spring for Slee's 4" spring over the J's.)

The 4" springs ARE a better spring, IMO. I'm just too cheap to care enough...

 

[semlin]

My head spins when I read that thread and then I'm crippled with indecision and a weak ass wallet

ok just try the fact the bilsteins shocks are cheaper than the OME's

 

[RWD]

Hummm.. lot's of people like the Slee 4" lift. Can anyone compare the ride quality between that and a OME med 2.5 lift. w/35's. Arleaux did say it was for a DD.

 

[Nay]

You are going to want gears with 35's and the intention of towing. For your use, I'd keep it at 2.5" OME and run 33's. Everything else is going to simply be for looks. Nothing wrong with that for sure, but looks are always a lot more expensive than performance (this is equally true of women and trucks).

Don't buy into this need for a bull bar. That kind of weight is not going to be in your favor, and there aren't any kargaroos that you might be hitting at high speed in West Virginia

Nay