Danila Master
New member
Installed on my G. Thank you Matt
Old Man Emu Suspension now Available for the G-Wagon
- Thread starter ARB_USA
- Start date
nuclearmonkey
Observer
Someone posted this on another site with respect to the OME springs. If / when you get a chance to check it out, can you report back? Also, do you have any before and after pics? Thanks!!
"I tried the ARB springs (in the garage)...the OEM MB springs up front are around 53cm long...the ARB ones are 43cm long...not an issue when at rest (you get a slight lift), but when the suspension cycles, you get a MASSIVE spring dislodging...
This was with the King shocks, then also with the OEM shocks...seeing the catalogue of the ARB OME parts, you can see that the OME shocks are not shorter...so what gives? ARB did not want to return my springs...said they have been with me for more than 6 months (true, but they are brand new and did not do what they were told). "
jmkoz
New member
The roofrack is not an ARB. It is a custom made alloy bar by Tradesman in Melbourne Australia. The vehicle pictured belongs to an AGOA member and is also fitted with Black Widow Storage Drawers.
With reference to the question on the Winch Bar......We (AGOA) have tried to convince ARB to manufacture a winch bar for the G-Wagen but they do not believe the market is big enough to warrant this and so I can only suggest that you lobby ARB USA or ARB in whatever country you are in to get off their hands on this one.
I must say that Ironman 4x4 have at least developed a prototype winch bar and have plans for production (the owner of Ironman 4x4 drives a G55). They currently carry a range of roof racks to suit the G and also have a range of flatpack storage drawers that might suit the G. They also do suspension and have obviously developed a really nice system for the G55 at that is stage with others on the way.
John
Well, I finally went about fitting the +2" springs.
As mentioned earlier, I have the King 2.5" shocks with remote reservoirs and adjustable knobs. Great shocks. When I moved from 265/75-16 to 285/75-16 on the Hutchinson W-1207s, I got a slight rub on the body when fully flexing. I decided to play it tame and go with 30mm spacers. That did the trick of clearance, but the truck swayed a lot given the use of the stock spring rates. Add to that a roof rack, an awning, and sometimes a heavy load in the trunk, it wasn't ideal.
Late 2013, ARB came up with an OME kit for the G...I called up the Abu Dhabi dealer and ordered the springs only (3028 fronts, 3030 rears). I immediately installed them on my truck but when we put the OEMs/OMEs side-by-side, we noticed that the front OMEs were ±95mm shorter in free length than the OEMs. We decided to go ahead with the install nonetheless. Rears were OK free length wise and with the thicker wire we anticipated the desired 2" lift...up front we were skeptical.
Upon installing the fronts and bolting back the lower shock mount, we noticed while on the lift that the front OME spring would play loose at full droop. That wasn't something I could live with given that my front end usually catches some air as I try to crest the tip of the dunes with the 112" wheelbase. So the OMEs had to go out and we went back to stock with 30mm spacers.
A couple of weeks later I was back home and a fellow G aficionado who also owns and runs a premier off-road store, who is the Iron Man distributor for the country, mentioned that he outfitted his 1980 W460 G230 carb SWB with a set and they were "night and day"...added 33" Trexus Interco tires and he was unstoppable (I jokingly say that he runs 4 lockers...as his driving skill is a major advantage
!). Anyways, after seeing that a couple of other aficionados installed the same kit on LWBs with longer shocks and good reviews, I decided to give them a try. I contacted Iron Man in Australia and they provided me the rates of the spring as I wanted to know them before going ahead with another expense on the G that may be a futile path. they were responsive and got back to me with:
The front coils MERC015B have a free length of 485/495mm and the spring rate is 28N/mm
The rear coils MERC016B have a free length of 445/433mm and the spring rate is 35-44N/mm progressive.
So the free length seems to be good for the fronts...I had concerns with the rear "lean" potential...but decided the give them them a try...so...fast forward to 3 days ago...
I went to my local trusted off road outfitter (Ramy 4x4 in Dubai) and asked them to install the springs...I gave them both the OME and the IM springs so they can compare and decide on the best outfit. I don't have a thorough/detailed comparison between the springs with loads of pics (i.e. any!), but the garage manager called me and confirmed that a) the free length of the IM are better suited to the OEMs, and that b) the diameter of the springs were 1mm skinnier than the OMEs...but thicker than the OEMs...so he would recommend going with IMs both front and rear. So we went that route. At the same time we installed a 2.0" King Steering dampener to cope with the tire/wheel combo better. He confirmed later via text that the springs stayed put when the shocks were at their max extension. Cool!
I picked up the car for the relatively short 22km drive back home that included some speed bumps, highway section, high speed turns...etc...what have you. Immediately I noticed less body lean, a far firmer wheel movement after bumps (in a weird way, it seems that the shocks were working better with this height/rate?!), and finally, somewhat comfortable/sporty feel compared with the OEM (not G55/63 like, as that is firm as a board, but less clunky if you know what I mean).
this is merely a "seat of the pants" feel...but after modifying several Land Rovers (this is my first G) with various types of suspension including a high affinity to OME's springs, I can firmly recommend the Iron Man springs for those that seek the same needs as I have. There isn't a large price difference, so that isn't the main factor between the OMEs and IMs, but I feel if you want to go with a "drop in kit" then 4 x springs and 4 x shocks from OME may suit...if you want to go with better shocks that may provide longer droop...the OME's are far shorter up front which may alienate some folks...both are good quality, and both are putting the right efforts towards our cars...but for me the IMs worked better.
I'll report in the future if anything goes bad...for now, enjoying them, and will install the Front Runner inside roof net along with the trunk drawer system for a nice long camping trip to the Oman highlands soon...
(Apologies in the advance for the long rant...)
As mentioned earlier, I have the King 2.5" shocks with remote reservoirs and adjustable knobs. Great shocks. When I moved from 265/75-16 to 285/75-16 on the Hutchinson W-1207s, I got a slight rub on the body when fully flexing. I decided to play it tame and go with 30mm spacers. That did the trick of clearance, but the truck swayed a lot given the use of the stock spring rates. Add to that a roof rack, an awning, and sometimes a heavy load in the trunk, it wasn't ideal.
Late 2013, ARB came up with an OME kit for the G...I called up the Abu Dhabi dealer and ordered the springs only (3028 fronts, 3030 rears). I immediately installed them on my truck but when we put the OEMs/OMEs side-by-side, we noticed that the front OMEs were ±95mm shorter in free length than the OEMs. We decided to go ahead with the install nonetheless. Rears were OK free length wise and with the thicker wire we anticipated the desired 2" lift...up front we were skeptical.
Upon installing the fronts and bolting back the lower shock mount, we noticed while on the lift that the front OME spring would play loose at full droop. That wasn't something I could live with given that my front end usually catches some air as I try to crest the tip of the dunes with the 112" wheelbase. So the OMEs had to go out and we went back to stock with 30mm spacers.
A couple of weeks later I was back home and a fellow G aficionado who also owns and runs a premier off-road store, who is the Iron Man distributor for the country, mentioned that he outfitted his 1980 W460 G230 carb SWB with a set and they were "night and day"...added 33" Trexus Interco tires and he was unstoppable (I jokingly say that he runs 4 lockers...as his driving skill is a major advantage
!). Anyways, after seeing that a couple of other aficionados installed the same kit on LWBs with longer shocks and good reviews, I decided to give them a try. I contacted Iron Man in Australia and they provided me the rates of the spring as I wanted to know them before going ahead with another expense on the G that may be a futile path. they were responsive and got back to me with:The front coils MERC015B have a free length of 485/495mm and the spring rate is 28N/mm
The rear coils MERC016B have a free length of 445/433mm and the spring rate is 35-44N/mm progressive.
So the free length seems to be good for the fronts...I had concerns with the rear "lean" potential...but decided the give them them a try...so...fast forward to 3 days ago...
I went to my local trusted off road outfitter (Ramy 4x4 in Dubai) and asked them to install the springs...I gave them both the OME and the IM springs so they can compare and decide on the best outfit. I don't have a thorough/detailed comparison between the springs with loads of pics (i.e. any!), but the garage manager called me and confirmed that a) the free length of the IM are better suited to the OEMs, and that b) the diameter of the springs were 1mm skinnier than the OMEs...but thicker than the OEMs...so he would recommend going with IMs both front and rear. So we went that route. At the same time we installed a 2.0" King Steering dampener to cope with the tire/wheel combo better. He confirmed later via text that the springs stayed put when the shocks were at their max extension. Cool!
I picked up the car for the relatively short 22km drive back home that included some speed bumps, highway section, high speed turns...etc...what have you. Immediately I noticed less body lean, a far firmer wheel movement after bumps (in a weird way, it seems that the shocks were working better with this height/rate?!), and finally, somewhat comfortable/sporty feel compared with the OEM (not G55/63 like, as that is firm as a board, but less clunky if you know what I mean).
this is merely a "seat of the pants" feel...but after modifying several Land Rovers (this is my first G) with various types of suspension including a high affinity to OME's springs, I can firmly recommend the Iron Man springs for those that seek the same needs as I have. There isn't a large price difference, so that isn't the main factor between the OMEs and IMs, but I feel if you want to go with a "drop in kit" then 4 x springs and 4 x shocks from OME may suit...if you want to go with better shocks that may provide longer droop...the OME's are far shorter up front which may alienate some folks...both are good quality, and both are putting the right efforts towards our cars...but for me the IMs worked better.
I'll report in the future if anything goes bad...for now, enjoying them, and will install the Front Runner inside roof net along with the trunk drawer system for a nice long camping trip to the Oman highlands soon...
(Apologies in the advance for the long rant...)
smbisig
Adventurer
Part numbers per ARB's press release on their website - http://www.arbusa.com/uploads/PDF/newProductAdvice/2014/GWagon_OME.pdf
WarnerD9
Builder
Thank you!
Danila Master
New member
Yes, that is the picture “after”.
I have some pictures on my home computer. Will upload them later.
Danila Master
New member
Else, the rear of the car seem to be not alighted. I mean that left rear side is higher than right side.
The difference is about 2 cm. I already did about 5000 km but the difference still be there. :drool:
The difference is about 2 cm. I already did about 5000 km but the difference still be there. :drool:
Last edited:
Danila Master
New member
BTW, i posted already picture here under the same nickname
http://g-class.ru/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=32986&PN=2
http://g-class.ru/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=32986&PN=2