OME suspension?

[tacollie]

According to wheelers OME coils will work with other shocks.

 

[Redline]

Wheelers? Complete name/website?

I really like my OME springs. I think they handle the weight I have on the front of my V8 4Runner very well, even a nice, controlled soft landing after about 2-feet of air on the sand course at this years ExPo Trophy.

I have yet to be dissatisfied with the OME struts that are inside my front coils, though I have yet to really push them on high speed washboard roads for many miles (all day), but may be forced into this situation later this year ☺ ☺

If people already have the OME springs, assuming that many of us start with OME as our first suspension, why not keep the springs if the rate is right and just drop in a better shock/strut? Is there no strut out there on par with the Donahoe or Sway-A-Way coil-overs to put inside an OME coil?

James

According to wheelers OME coils will work with other shocks.

 

[colotaco]

According to wheelers OME coils will work with other shocks.

That's my quandary, who knows the real deal on OME suspension? I can get the bilstein struts cheaper right now than the OME, but every other site says you can or can't install different struts with OME springs. BTW, should I pay the dealer to put together the springs and struts or is it easy and safe to DIY?

 

[tacollie]

Call me colotaco. I can answer and explain all the instale questions. I honestly don't know about the springs.

Redline the OME for the new Toyotas has different spring rates based upon your needs, the OME for the older Tacomas and 4runners doesn't have different spring rates. They just lengthen the spring based on yiour needs. They work great but my front coming down from 2 feet of air is going to send the front end plumiting towards the bumpstops. They are still a lot better than stock and still best bang for the buck in my opinion. I would still have them if they came with a higher spring rate.

 

[Jacket]

That's my quandary, who knows the real deal on OME suspension? I can get the bilstein struts cheaper right now than the OME, but every other site says you can or can't install different struts with OME springs. BTW, should I pay the dealer to put together the springs and struts or is it easy and safe to DIY?

You can do a lot of different things, including running OME springs with your stock shocks. And while I don't have first hand experience with the Bilsteins, there's no reason why you could not run these either if they are a compatible length, and provide a lower perch for the spring to rest on. The theory that you need to buy into (or refute) is that the OME springs and struts were designed in tandem, and you will get best overall performance with a coilover system where the parts were designed for each other. This is certainly how ARB advertises their products, but since they do not sell it as a completely assembled coilover "system", it raises the questions you ask.

I personally opted for the OME package all around, and it has served me well. If the money you would save with the Bilsteins is significant, then give it a shot. The worse thing that would happen is you will change your mind, and buy a set of $150 OME struts. But if the money difference isn't that great, I would opt for the match set of OME's.

Now while I believe that is true for the Tacoma front IFS, your options are much greater in the rear. Go with whatever you want.....

 

[Jacket]

Wheelers? Complete name/website?

http://www.wheelersoffroad.com/

Great place to do business.

 

[Redline]

Okay, I thought that might have been the place, I had them bookmarked.

http://www.wheelersoffroad.com/

Great place to do business.

 

[Redline]

Tacollie:

Explained in that manner the comments from people moving up from OME on their older trucks to a 'coil-over' makes more sense. My 660-lb. coils are very close in spring rate to the 650-lb coil-overs that SAW or Donahoe offer, that everyone says will support the weight of a heavy winch bumper. I'm far from an expert on suspension, but the heavy-duty 886 front coils on my 4Runner seem to support the weight of my winch/bumper very well. I assume/hope they will last for a very long time/many miles, and I'm reluctant change to coil-overs unless I have a problem with the OME strut not handling the way I drive the car. Or maybe if I have an extra $1000.00 sitting around someday...

Is there actually an advantage to the traditional coil spring/strut combo over the 'coil-overs'? Meaning, are the HD OME 886 Springs more of a spring than the spring on a coil-over (if that makes any sense)?

.....

Redline the OME for the new Toyotas has different spring rates based upon your needs, the OME for the older Tacomas and 4runners doesn't have different spring rates. They just lengthen the spring based on yiour needs. They work great but my front coming down from 2 feet of air is going to send the front end plumiting towards the bumpstops. They are still a lot better than stock and still best bang for the buck in my opinion. I would still have them if they came with a higher spring rate.

 

[jbs]

Tacollie:

Is there actually an advantage to the traditional coil spring/strut combo over the 'coil-overs'? Meaning, are the HD OME 886 Springs more of a spring than the spring on a coil-over (if that makes any sense)?

As I understand, both are actually "coil over shock" design, meaning that the shock is in the center of the spring (like on the front of our 4Runners), as opposed to cases where the shocks are not concentric with the springs (like on the rear of our 4Runners). What is really usually meant by "coil-overs" is ADJUSTABLE coil-overs. On these (the DRs and SAWs being examples), the spring plate is adjustable (on the threaded shock body), allowing it to be moved up and down to adjust ride height. This is more expensive, and as a result is usually a feature only included on higher end shocks/springs. Higher end shock and springs sold together like this have usually been designed to work well together, and the shocks may include such features as adjustable damping and rebound or remote reservoirs. So "adjustable coil-overs" usually provide a notably nice ride with all the good characteristics you look for in a suspension. Some of this may come from the adjustability, but it is largely due to the fact that adjustable coil-overs are just generally higher end, high quality pieces. That said, I love my OME suspension. It works great for my uses.

I could be wrong about all of this though, so hopefully someone else will chime in.

 

[snakeii]

I lost a little height after installing the Shrockworks bumper and will have to wait until I figure out what suspension its getting before ordering the winch. I'm fairly familiar with the suspension (including coil overs) of road cars (like a 89 sc mr2) but when it comes to the Tacoma... whoa, lots of choices to make mistakes with. I'd like to do it right the first time. The 6" lifts from FabTech, etc are out of the question, although the height looks pretty darn good. From what I've been reading on TS, TTORA, EP, etc it sounds like OME will fit the bill. For the trails I occasionally go on I need some lift (especially in the front now) without worrying about hitting the roof with every single branch in New England. 3" would probably be enough, maybe 4".

So my question is, how do I know what I'll need? Should I just call up one of these shops, tell them what I have and where I want the truck to be? At this point in time its my only driver so I cant render it useless for the highway or turn it into a money pit.

Thanks for any tips or suggestions!

 

[Redline]

Do you have the Shrockworks and the stock springs? If so I bet it is sagging lots. I have the same bumper and Warn M8000. The 886 V8/HD coils seem to work very well for little money.

I lost a little height after installing the Shrockworks bumper and will have to wait until I figure out what suspension its getting before ordering the winch. I'm fairly familiar with the suspension (including coil overs) of road cars (like a 89 sc mr2) but when it comes to the Tacoma... whoa, lots of choices to make mistakes with. I'd like to do it right the first time. The 6" lifts from FabTech, etc are out of the question, although the height looks pretty darn good. From what I've been reading on TS, TTORA, EP, etc it sounds like OME will fit the bill. For the trails I occasionally go on I need some lift (especially in the front now) without worrying about hitting the roof with every single branch in New England. 3" would probably be enough, maybe 4".

So my question is, how do I know what I'll need? Should I just call up one of these shops, tell them what I have and where I want the truck to be? At this point in time its my only driver so I cant render it useless for the highway or turn it into a money pit.

Thanks for any tips or suggestions!

 

[snakeii]

Do you have the Shrockworks and the stock springs? If so I bet it is sagging lots. I have the same bumper and Warn M8000. The 886 V8/HD coils seem to work very well for little money.

I should have measured before hand, but I think I lost roughly 1/2". Thanks for the suggestion on the coils. Maybe I'll pick those up quickly and worry about upgrading the shocks later down the road. Maybe throw in some CA's... Id rather get the sliders first.

I'm debating which winch to go with, either the Warn or the Ramsey profile. The only powered winches I have experience using are mounted on HUMV's, 2 1/2 and 5 tons, so I can only pick between the two from the reputations and suggestions. I've heard that the Ramsey's spools are known to break in half, and I should go with the Warn.

Thanks Redline.

 

[Redline]

Before you run out and buy something on that previous post, let me say a few more things about my suspension.

OME kit-

Rear is simple spring and shocks. I did add air overload springs for the weight after adding a rear bumper/tire carrier/trailer instead of adding stiffer OME springs. I like the adjustability and got this idea from Brad/Tucson T4R.

Front- Purchased the firm/HD 886 coils with my kit knowing I would put a bumper/winch on ASAP. While waiting for my bumper for months I got impatient and installed the lift without the weight for the HD springs. The car didn't drive poorly but wasn’t great, and the caster was too far out to adjust properly. The front sway bar also rubbed on the lower strut mount.

To fix these two issues: added Downey FJ sway-bar relocation kit, and All-Pro's Uni-ball upper A-arms. No more issues with the sway-bar (easy fix) and the A-arms brought the geometry back to where it needed to be. Any shop can align the front-end now and if drives great with the weight on the springs. I would say don't use the stiffer springs if a bumper is far off. I didn't like it without the bumper.

I should have measured before hand, but I think I lost roughly 1/2". Thanks for the suggestion on the coils. Maybe I'll pick those up quickly and worry about upgrading the shocks later down the road. Maybe throw in some CA's... Id rather get the sliders first.

I'm debating which winch to go with, either the Warn or the Ramsey profile. The only powered winches I have experience using are mounted on HUMV's, 2 1/2 and 5 tons, so I can only pick between the two from the reputations and suggestions. I've heard that the Ramsey's spools are known to break in half, and I should go with the Warn.

Thanks Redline.

 

[snakeii]

Before you run out and buy something on that previous post, let me say a few more things about my suspension.

OME kit-

Rear is simple spring and shocks. I did add air overload springs for the weight after adding a rear bumper/tire carrier/trailer instead of adding stiffer OME springs. I like the adjustability and got this idea from Brad/Tucson T4R.

Front- Purchased the firm/HD 886 coils with my kit knowing I would put a bumper/winch on ASAP. While waiting for my bumper for months I got impatient and installed the lift without the weight for the HD springs. The car didn't drive poorly but wasn’t great, and the caster was too far out to adjust properly. The front sway bar also rubbed on the lower strut mount.

To fix these two issues: added Downey FJ sway-bar relocation kit, and All-Pro's Uni-ball upper A-arms. No more issues with the sway-bar (easy fix) and the A-arms brought the geometry back to where it needed to be. Any shop can align the front-end now and if drives great with the weight on the springs. I would say don't use the stiffer springs if a bumper is far off. I didn't like it without the bumper.

I can see how the adjustability of the bags can come into play while pulling a trailer. The biggest/heaviest trailer I've towed so far was the biggest Uhaul dual axle, although it pulled it just fine it would have been nice to stiffen and raise the back a tad. I'm looking at setting up a M416 trailer (still looking for the trailer) so that ability would be a nice feature to have.

Thanks for the info. If theres anything else you can think of, you know where I'll be...

BTW, when you installed the bumper, did you remove those black plastic pieces on either side of the fenders, where the OEM bumper seemed to have been supported? It seems like they are rubbing on the Shrockworks, every big bump and/or pot hole (lots of them this time of year) it thunks. When I finally pull the bumper back off for the winch install I'm figuring I'll pull those supports off. I cant think of anything else that could be making a racket, except if the Shrockwork supports that bolt up to the side of the frame are shifting... I did pick up some new bolts, as I found the ones supplied by Shrockworks had too long of a shank. Maybe this weekend I'll have the time to install them and perhaps that will help.

Rear swing arm bumper, sliders... they are slowly creeping up on the next to do list.

 

[tacollie]

Having had OME and a high end set of coilovers, I would go with OME and put the money elsewhere. The SAWS are amazing, but I could have dual cases in now instead. I would also figure out the weight of my front end to adjust accordingly. For example, with a lighter bumper and synthetic line the OME 882's on my truck would be great. I am leaning towards a SAS now, other wise my next vehicle would most likely be OME in the front at the very least.

The SAWS are amazing, but I could have dual cases now instead. Maybe if I lived somewhere else like I would feel different.