Will I regret this mod? (2 Viewers)

[warkins]

Ok, from reading the archives, it looks like everyone is really happy with their OME setup. I am leaning heavily towards the 861/862 (low lift) since this will still be a daily driver for my wife. Right now (at 80K miles), being a stock LX450 and not the LC, the slight side to side wallow is evident on the freeway and so I am thinking that the suspension upgrade is the prudent thing to do. However, having test driven LCs during the last few months, I am wondering if perhaps I should just stick with putting original equipment LC shocks on the LX and call it good for now.

Anybody regret either going with the 861/862 or not going with the 861/862 and simply upgrading their LX shocks to the LC shocks?

Mike

 

[reffug]

OME IS THE SHIZZLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Brentbba]

Mike,

On my '94 LC I first replaced the original shocks with Rancho 9000's. They are the adjustable ones. If firmed up the ride some. Couple of months later I did the 861/862 mod and LOVE it. Wow, what a difference. No more wallow at all.

Do it. You will not regret it at all. Mine is a daily driver as well. For my scout trailer towing needs, I really wanted the heavy set up but with the 2-3" lift the LC wouldn't have fit in the garage anymore.

You don't say where you are, but if in So. Orange Cty, CA, you are welcome to give my rig a test drive.

PS - have 285's now as well.

 

[Beowulf]

Mike,

In situations where someone is tight on money I will recommend using the stock Toyota (OEM) shocks with or without the Old Man Emu (OME) springs. The optimum upgrade is the OME springs with the matching OME shocks.

-B-

 

[T Y L E R]

Mike ,

Another vote for OME here . I wallowed ( as did my 80 ) in the decision to go OME , until I started corresponding with a fella in the States there . This goes way back to the 80scool board days ... and I was still viewing OME as a 'lift kit' , in the most primative sense . This guy was in his 50's and he finally said , "Do it .. you won't regret it !" . I took his advice seriously , realizing that he was in it for something beyond simple 'lift' . OME replaces your stock suspension , and in doing so leaves you with a much safer vehicle . No more wallowing in the turns etc . It's 3 yrs later now and I love the way my 80 rides ... got the bug to go a little bigger , so I may jump up to the J-springs this spring , but thats a whole other discussion .

"Do it .. you won't regret it !"

TY

 

[warkins]

Wow! Thanks for the quick replies.

I'm in Arizona, so I won't be able to take you up on the offer for the test drive.

You wouldn't happen to have a pic of it handy with the 285s on it, would you? Just curious. I think it was landandsea that ended up getting more lift than he was expecting when he went with the 861/862.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[cary]

I highly recommend doing the 861/862 combo. It really makes a nice difference in the handling without excessively stiffining up the ride. Personally, I prefer Bilsteins over the OME shocks because they last forever. I have heard of the OME shocks wearing out after 50-100k miles.

Concerning the amount of lift, the 861/862 combo gave me about 1" lift front and rear. Remember, OME designs their springs primarly to help with heavier loads and vehicle dynamics on unimproved roads. The lift is secondary to them. If you look at how the vehicles are used in Austrailia (for the most part) it makes sense, expediation type 4 wheeling, often the entire family and their gear. I have to say the biggest benifit of the OME 861/862 combo is when you have 3+ people in the back, instead of floating and topping and bottoming out, the truck feels well balanced (this a result of firmer spring rates and increased shock dampining).

 

[syrinxstar]

I first made the switch to OEM-LC shocks for my LX and it did improve the ride a bit as Brent noted. Then I changed over the springs to 861/862 and found that it made a significant improvement. I read all the same posts you have and the ones Tyler mentioned on 80sCOOL - the bottom line is do and you won't regret it. Except maybe the need to get a bigger lift - but that will come with time

At this point, I don't see how the ride could be so much better to justify the OME shocks over cdan's great pricing on the OEMs.

 

[sjcruiser]

Get the OME springs first, where you'd benefit from most of the improvements; then go with the OME shocks later if you're not happy with the current shocks (I take from your first post that you're having LC shocks now, NOT the Lexus softer OEM ones).

If you're going with OME shocks, you might want to use the OEM upper shock bushings instead of OMEs; haven't done this on mine but from my experience with smaller cars, there are a huge difference in comfort tradeoff (for performance).

IMHO,
Frank.

 

[concretejungle]

Since you said it was a dd for your wife, i will just mention that when i lifted my truck with the 2.5" lift, my mother and other sissys complain about having to jump up into the truck. I don't think it's that bad. But a wife might have a different opinion on how high is high.

 

[reffug]

Since you said it was a dd for your wife, i will just mention that when i lifted my truck with the 2.5" lift, my mother and other sissys complain about having to jump up into the truck. I don't think it's that bad. But a wife might have a different opinion on how high is high.

Maybe I'm just one lucky bastard. But my wife loves the OME on our truck and it is 3", she wouldn't have it any other way. Heed my words concrete............
"Marry the right woman "

And on another note, as far as driving goes let your wife drive a lifted OME rig.................
and I think you will find as previously mentioned


OME IS THE SHIZZLEBIZKIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yaa, it handles a whole hell of alot better too.

 

[warkins]

That's fantastic...Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for (it will help to sell the concept to my wife too )

Mike

 

[reffug]

That's fantastic...Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for (it will help to sell the concept to my wife too )

Mike

Awesome before and after pics......................

Still you want to sell the wife - let her drive a OME rig

... It is awesome so much tighter and responsive , she

will truly be impressed. We have a 4 year old and a 1 year old and my

wife loves climbing the sliders(EXTRA SAFETY) to load the kids.

If you think more lift is where you might go eventually I suggest

you think this through from all angles......

just 02 can't even buy a cup of coffee with it...............

 

[T Y L E R]

Guffer , any more smilies , and I'd be throwin a petite mal over here !

As far as getting the lil one into the back .. you could always do what I did with my 4" lifted 4Runner . When I was visiting family (grandmother etc ) , I would always keep a rubbermaid stool handy for them to access / egress . In your wife's case , that would also help her reach the child seat etc without getting covered in mud or snow/salt .

 

[reffug]

Guffer , any more smilies , and I'd be throwin a petite mal over here !

Least my chit has done more than hit a curb at Starbucks during lunch rush.

It takes fewer muscles to smile than frown ,

Would think a nut shaver would know that.............................

Oh and grand mal's are interesting

 

[reffug]

Oh yaa forgot to say.........


T

Thanks for 500 you FAWK

 

[G-Cat]

My wife's 80 (97 w/ 130K) has the OME Heavy front/medium rear and runs 285 BFG ATs. It is our only family hauler (for now) and we have 3 kids (4 years, 2 years and 9 months). My wife and I both LOVE it...it handles better, looks better and gives an even better view of the road. You won't regret it...in fact, my oem springs/shocks went out with the trash last week!

Good luck.

 

[landandsea]

Mike,

I've had the 861/862 for about 18 months. If I had to pick just one mod for a stock 80, it would be the 861/862.

Handles more like a sports car now. Plus, I think it's a safer vehicle with the 861/862.
I've had a couple occassions that I've had to swerve hard in one direction and then immediately hard the other direction. I mean fast and hard. I had precise control that I'm not sure would have been there with the old mushy springs.

As the others said - do it.

Ed

 

[warkins]

Being that I bought the vehicle for a few reasons (one of which was safety for my wife and kids), Ed's recommendation is the clincher. Just this last weekend I was traveling down the highway at about 65 and a guy in a lifted 68 or 69 Ford short bed about two to three car lengths ahead and to the right of me had a blow out of his driver's front tire (probably a 35 to 37 inch tire)...he crossed in front of me trying to get his truck under control and came to a stop along the center retaining wall. After that incident, I told my wife (who was in the passenger seat at the time) that I was really glad we were in the LX (based on all of the stories about accidents that people have been victims of on this board, I was confident that we were safe or would escape with only minimal injuries). Having that extra level of safety by having a vehicle that could be even more sure-footed by simply putting on some better springs and shocks is the most compelling reason I can think to get the 861/862 at this point.

Thanks to everyone that responded!

Mike

 

[Harridig]

Mike-

Been meaning to add my 2 cents here as I have been running the 861/862 combo for 4 months now. My shocks/springs were the first "stock" parts to go. I will never regret the purchase. I will second everything that has been said so far as it is all true!

I put 20mm packers up front to compensate for the ARB up front and 5mm packers in the rear. I have about an inch and a half all around. I run 285's and my wife loves driving the LC, it is not too bad of a climb at all.

We also bought the 80 for safety reasons on the road and the ARB was right after the OME. There is definately better control of the LC with the OME at high speeds.

I just posted my 80 on the readers rides page so you can check out what it may look like.

Later-

D