1973Guppie
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Upgrade from OME shocks??
- Thread starter Bigdrewbowski
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- shocks
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1973Guppie
Supporting Vendor
this is just bad advice, air bags should be added for load leveling and load carrying abilities, if you want to improve your ride switch to a better shock, period.
As a mechanical engineer who use to do vibration work... yeah taco is right.
Malleus's explanations are good but the conclusion is wrong. The shock the OP is a combination of stiff springs, stiff tires and stiff shocks. Adding air bags only increases that stiffness. An air bag would be just the thing if he had light duty OMEs in the front and felt it was too soft. I.E. if he had the OPPOSITE problem. Airbags are great for the job of stiffening things up. I use to have them in an old Lincoln and they were prefect for making squish suspension into something stiffer. Sure air ride is nice ands smooth... but ADDING it to what is already there can only increase the shock going to the driver. What airbags inside a coil are doing is decreasing the modulus of elasticity of the spring. The aren't playing a being shocks.
Air Suspension on big rigs works totally differently.
What the OP really needs are is softer suspension that is springs and shocks both. The problem is mainly that heavy duty set on the front. To counter the weight of that bumper offroad it makes the front extra stiff. Down grade those to medium or anything less stiff. Or run your tires at a lower pressure (probably not the best plan).
Malleus's explanations are good but the conclusion is wrong. The shock the OP is a combination of stiff springs, stiff tires and stiff shocks. Adding air bags only increases that stiffness. An air bag would be just the thing if he had light duty OMEs in the front and felt it was too soft. I.E. if he had the OPPOSITE problem. Airbags are great for the job of stiffening things up. I use to have them in an old Lincoln and they were prefect for making squish suspension into something stiffer. Sure air ride is nice ands smooth... but ADDING it to what is already there can only increase the shock going to the driver. What airbags inside a coil are doing is decreasing the modulus of elasticity of the spring. The aren't playing a being shocks.
Air Suspension on big rigs works totally differently.
What the OP really needs are is softer suspension that is springs and shocks both. The problem is mainly that heavy duty set on the front. To counter the weight of that bumper offroad it makes the front extra stiff. Down grade those to medium or anything less stiff. Or run your tires at a lower pressure (probably not the best plan).
- Thread starter
- #24
Thank you! I would love to go with ICON shocks, but they are very pricey. I'll look these up.
I haven't had similar experiences. My ICON VS 2.0 are brutal compared to my TJM XGS adjustables. that being said Im near stock weight so the valving isn't right for me, when I load the truck down the ride is actually pretty good, but empty its brutal.
Makes sense. Dylan at Icon has stated that the shocks are valved for a fully armored 80.
Drew,
sorry the thread turned into what it did. I don't normally chime in like that, but i hate to see bad advice being given to someone asking a simple question. Also, make sure you are looking up the right icon shocks. they make them without the resis and they are about $160 a pop for the smooth bodies...which i think is reasonable. numbers are below:
56509 and 56510
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its my 2 cents that you are probably oversprung on the front and thats most of your harshness, that being said I can't say for sure if a bar and dual batts requires mediums or heavies...heavies might be a bit too much spring and mediums not quiet enough. I guess what Im saying is buy a winch. No thats not what Im saying. I will tell you my experience with shocks, I have light dual rate springs from tjm, and I bought them with their adjustable damper shock. When it was set to 4 (of 9) the ride was sublime, even empty. but they weren't valved very good for higher loads and they eventually died. I now have the same springs but ICON VS 2.0 shocks and they are WAY over valved for my weight. I am going to have them sent in for a revalve this fall to drop the front valving a lot and the rear a little on the bound side, rebound is great.
Which VERSION of the OME shocks do you have? There is a heavy duty version and a lighter duty version. The HD version can create a very harsh ride, depending on tire choices as well as amount of armor and load continuously carried.
I have been doing research on the OME setup that you have because that's what I have wanted. I found one that someone didn't like because it was too harsh. When I bought it and received it, the shocks were a different P/N than I was expecting. When I checked into it, these are the HD version and are VERY stiff.
I have a friend with the SAME lift, but the softer shocks and there is a distinct difference.
The HD shocks are P/N:
60070 front
60071 rear
The softer shocks are P/N:
60018 front
60020 rear
I have not installed my lift yet, but I intend to try the HD shocks that came with it to determine if I like the ride or not. If not, I will switch to the 60018/60020 shocks and try that.
Go to cruiseroutfitters.com site to confirm (@cruiseroutfit ) and they can confirm what I'm saying.
It apparently depends on who you bought the setup from and how they interpreted what you said you wanted.
- Thread starter
- #30
Thank you! I will definitely do some research on those. And, don't worry about the thread. The more people discuss this, the more topics of research I have, and the more knowledge I have.
- Thread starter
- #31
I do have a winch. Forgot all about it. It is a Smittybilt. 9.5K I believe.
- Thread starter
- #32
I have 60018 in front and 60020 in rear. Very harsh ride. Just minor road imperfections jar the entire rig.
Box Rocket
SILVER Star
To the OP, there are literally hundreds of people on here who have suspension on their 80s that don't have a terrible ride. Airbags is not the only solution. Don't jump the gun and do something too drastic yet. Keep using this group to gather information and ideas. You'll be able to find a solution.
Give us a bit more information about your rig. Sounds like you have a front bumper and winch. Do you have sliders, skid plate, rear bumper, tire carrier, rear drawers, carry tools consistently? What size tires and psi?
Give us a bit more information about your rig. Sounds like you have a front bumper and winch. Do you have sliders, skid plate, rear bumper, tire carrier, rear drawers, carry tools consistently? What size tires and psi?
- Thread starter
- #34
ARB Front Bumper with 9.5K Smittybilt winch
Dual batteries.
Stock rims with 285/75 R16 Kenda Klever MT at 35 PSI
3rd row removed
75lb tool bag in back.
OME 2.5" lift from Slee with Heavy front and Medium rear springs
As a daily driver that's about it. I am about 190lbs.
Box Rocket
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #36
Nitrocharger Sport, and yes the Caster Bushings are installed.
Then I think you MAY be oversprung with your spring "weights" for what you WANT in a ride. According to most of the websites for selection with bull bar, winch, etc. the combo is typical.
Another serious question: What tires and what tire pressures are you running?
I run GY Duratrac 285/75-16 with about 35 PSI in them. At 45 PSI, it is like it wants to knock my teeth out crossing RR tracks. TIre type and pressure has a lot to do with ride quality as well.
What do you REALLY use your truck for? Offroading or Mall Crawling? Not intending to be a smartass. This is a legitimate question. My wife will think the truck will ride way too harsh if I set it up for Offroad instead of Mallcrawling.
Edit: I see you answered the tire question.....
- Thread starter
- #38
The truck is first and foremost a daily driver. I bought the springs based on Slee's customer service. They recommended the weights. I am thinking about looking into better shocks to see if I can soften up the ride. I was expecting the ride to be too soft after adding the lift and tires.
REKCUT
SILVER Star
From your description of using this mainly as a daily driver, I would also agree that you probably have to much spring. I use OME heavy front and rear with front and rear bumpers and all the armor and winch. I feel that i have a fairly stiff suspension but its perfect when its loaded down for a trip with rooftop tent and the back end loaded. Ten days in big bend last year and it was a great ride. I am willing to sacrifice a stiff around town ride for better ride in working conditions. If I was using it as a "mall crawler" ( no insult intended ) I would def have gone with a lighter spring setup. Most people seem to equate spring choice as lift amount instead of spring choice for ride quality.
Same principle as the fact my old dually ford was stiff as crap running around town empty but with a gooseneck and load of horses it was a smooth ride.
Same principle as the fact my old dually ford was stiff as crap running around town empty but with a gooseneck and load of horses it was a smooth ride.
- Thread starter
- #40
My wife: The Pig rides too rough. It's not comfortable.
Me: Awesome, I'll buy a rear bumper, skid plates, and rock sliders to soften up the ride.
That sounds like a plan!
Think she'll go for it?P.S. I am not being sarcastic. I really like that plan.
