OME Suspension question

pwdrskier · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2015 12:26 pm

So I switched out the Teraflex spacer lift for OME springs and shocks. But the rear end still rides really harsh when I drive over big bumps. Does anyone know why this is?

Gageraid · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2015 1:35 pm

The rear feels the same/same noises as when you had the spacer lift?
OME is a stiff ride, but I can't imagine it feeling anything like a spacer lift.
Give it time to settle, drive over some rough terrain, flex it out, and let it do it's thing and see if the problem persists.
A photo might help as well in case something is visually wrong.

pwdrskier · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2015 5:42 pm

Gageraid wrote:

The rear feels the same/same noises as when you had the spacer lift?
OME is a stiff ride, but I can't imagine it feeling anything like a spacer lift.
Give it time to settle, drive over some rough terrain, flex it out, and let it do it's thing and see if the problem persists.
A photo might help as well in case something is visually wrong.

Rides better than the spacer lift. I guess it is just stiff since I just put it in 2 weeks ago and only but 400 miles on it. Will post a pic when I get home.

oktane17 · **Joined:** Thu Oct 14, 2010 4:22 pm **Posts:** 54

How long does it ride stiff/ take to break in? id like to have an idea im putting mine on next week

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2015 6:52 pm

oktane17 wrote:

How long does it ride stiff/ take to break in? id like to have an idea im putting mine on next week

No way to say in so many miles or so long of a time.
Depends on how you use yours, where you take it etc.
If you install it, then take it off road the next weekend and wheel it like you should , then a few weeks
If you go to the mall and back and forth to work, then month or longer

pwdrskier · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2015 9:59 pm

tommudd wrote:

oktane17 wrote:

How long does it ride stiff/ take to break in? id like to have an idea im putting mine on next week

No way to say in so many miles or so long of a time.
Depends on how you use yours, where you take it etc.
If you install it, then take it off road the next weekend and wheel it like you should , then a few weeks
If you go to the mall and back and forth to work, then month or longer

That makes sense then since i have not taken mine off road and just drove it to vermont and back since i installed the lift.

Johnny · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:14 pm

What if you go over some curbs at the mall, Tom?

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:47 pm

what I've found with mine is that those springs are really cushy if you hit them with enough force. I guess it has to due with the stages? The experts can explain better, but I found that if I hit bumps FASTER, the OME's are amazingly smooth. I drive 43 miles into the wilderness on one of the most remote roads in the country, and now I have a rig that I can cut that trip into 1/2 the time it used to take, all thanks to OME suspension :rockon:

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 4:45 pm

Mountainman wrote:

what I've found with mine is that those springs are really cushy if you hit them with enough force. I guess it has to due with the stages? The experts can explain better, but I found that if I hit bumps FASTER, the OME's are amazingly smooth. I drive 43 miles into the wilderness on one of the most remote roads in the country, and now I have a rig that I can cut that trip into 1/2 the time it used to take, all thanks to OME suspension :rockon:

The reason it feels better now is the fact that it does not bottom out on every pothole railroad track etc.
Before with worn springs and shocks plus being weak from the getgo, you felt each and every interruption in the road where as the springs and shocks now soak all of that up
Now if you think OMEs are amazingly smooth, ride in one with the JBA adjustable coilovers. :wink:

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 4:47 pm

Johnny wrote:

What if you go over some curbs at the mall, Tom?

Well now it all depends on curbs in front of an Outdoor Store or a Bridal Boutique ........................................... :wink:

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:16 pm

hmm, now you got me thinking :JEEPIN:

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:37 pm

Mountainman wrote:

hmm, now you got me thinking :JEEPIN:

Sorry

But after running two different OME setups/ Ironman and now the JBAs
Just a world of difference. I'm so spoiled I hate driving any other KJ now :lol:

pwdrskier · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:11 pm

Mountainman wrote:

what I've found with mine is that those springs are really cushy if you hit them with enough force. I guess it has to due with the stages? The experts can explain better, but I found that if I hit bumps FASTER, the OME's are amazingly smooth. I drive 43 miles into the wilderness on one of the most remote roads in the country, and now I have a rig that I can cut that trip into 1/2 the time it used to take, all thanks to OME suspension :rockon:

But the rear still rides rough. If I go over a speed bump the front is really smooth and the rear feels as if there's no springs or shocks.

lfhoward · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:21 pm

pwdrskier wrote:

Mountainman wrote:

what I've found with mine is that those springs are really cushy if you hit them with enough force. I guess it has to due with the stages? The experts can explain better, but I found that if I hit bumps FASTER, the OME's are amazingly smooth. I drive 43 miles into the wilderness on one of the most remote roads in the country, and now I have a rig that I can cut that trip into 1/2 the time it used to take, all thanks to OME suspension :rockon:

But the rear still rides rough. If I go over a speed bump the front is really smooth and the rear feels as if there's no springs or shocks.

I had this issue with my 4 inch lift until I replaced my rear sway bar links with longer ones. Before doing that, the sway bar was almost vertical, and so it didn't move out of the way well when the suspension needed to compress, like when going over a bump, and it transferred the jolt to the unibody. JBA's longer sway bar links fixed the issue for me, but they might be too long for a 2.5 inch setup.

A different explanation is that your rear bump stops are too tall, so there is very little room to compress the suspension over bumps. Did you extend your bump stops when installing the lift? JBA's extended bump stops are designed to be cut down to an appropriate height before installation, because they are too tall to begin with.

A third and different explanation is just that the springs aren't broken in yet. If you only have 600 miles on them so far, take them off road soon and put them thru their paces. It may be a couple thousand miles before they break in.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:46 pm

tommudd wrote:

Mountainman wrote:

hmm, now you got me thinking :JEEPIN:

Sorry

But after running two different OME setups/ Ironman and now the JBAs
Just a world of difference. I'm so spoiled I hate driving any other KJ now :lol:

Do I have to go over 3 inches with those JBA adjustables? I tend to push the boundaries of rolling this thing as is, so I'd hate to go any higher.

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:53 pm

Mountainman wrote:

tommudd wrote:

Mountainman wrote:

hmm, now you got me thinking :JEEPIN:

Sorry

But after running two different OME setups/ Ironman and now the JBAs
Just a world of difference. I'm so spoiled I hate driving any other KJ now :lol:

Do I have to go over 3 inches with those JBA adjustables? I tend to push the boundaries of rolling this thing as is, so I'd hate to go any higher.

They make a 2.5" kit. The front is the same. You literally tighten 2 nuts to set the height. You can go from pretty much stock height to 4+".

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:49 am

im a bit late here, but as we all know here I have the 2.5" spacers that gave me an actual 3.25" lift. I have Bilstien shocks in the front and stock in the rear currently. I went off-roading 2 weeks ago and the ride was VERY VERY harsh. when I was going 25mph or faster on the trail, the front (although I have heavy duty shocks on) was butter smooth and the rear was constantly popping (overextended) and rough. the ride quality currently is pretty smooth besides the still present bump steer. im looking to install Bilstien shocks on the rear next month.

spacer lifts do ride very harsh but are a great alternative to a full lift kit and are really not intended for long term use. me personally, I don't mind a harsh ride at all! on the trail is the only place I absolutely hate the spacers. and I guess me riding with 50psi in the winter doesn't help at all! 37psi in the spring summer and fall.

http://jeepinbyal.com/liberty-2008-2012-kk/rear-shocks-and-coil-springs/bilstein-heavy-duty-rear-shocks.html

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2015 12:31 pm

PALiftedKK wrote:

im a bit late here, but as we all know here I have the 2.5" spacers that gave me an actual 3.25" lift. I have Bilstien shocks in the front and stock in the rear currently. I went off-roading 2 weeks ago and the ride was VERY VERY harsh. when I was going 25mph or faster on the trail, the front (although I have heavy duty shocks on) was butter smooth and the rear was constantly popping (overextended) and rough. the ride quality currently is pretty smooth besides the still present bump steer. im looking to install Bilstien shocks on the rear next month.

spacer lifts do ride very harsh but are a great alternative to a full lift kit and are really not intended for long term use. me personally, I don't mind a harsh ride at all! on the trail is the only place I absolutely hate the spacers. and I guess me riding with 50psi in the winter doesn't help at all! 37psi in the spring summer and fall.

http://jeepinbyal.com/liberty-2008-2012-kk/rear-shocks-and-coil-springs/bilstein-heavy-duty-rear-shocks.html

Your problem is running too high tire pressure
plus stock springs which are worn out PLUS you don't have the same amount of up or down travel one des with a full spring lift
Not sure how long you shocks are but springs are not giving you much flex in the rear. With that spacer in there you only have 3-4 inches before they are stacked
Then you get into the whole sway bar issues on the KKs

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:48 am

pwdrskier wrote:

But the rear still rides rough. If I go over a speed bump the front is really smooth and the rear feels as if there's no springs or shocks.

I wish I could stiffen up the ride on the rear of my KJ,running 320lbs rated coils(100lbs more then the stiffest KJ/KK rear coils) for a FJ80/100 with very stiff Bilstiens(278/78 valving) and it's way to soft.

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 9:16 am

tommudd wrote:

PALiftedKK wrote:

im a bit late here, but as we all know here I have the 2.5" spacers that gave me an actual 3.25" lift. I have Bilstien shocks in the front and stock in the rear currently. I went off-roading 2 weeks ago and the ride was VERY VERY harsh. when I was going 25mph or faster on the trail, the front (although I have heavy duty shocks on) was butter smooth and the rear was constantly popping (overextended) and rough. the ride quality currently is pretty smooth besides the still present bump steer. im looking to install Bilstien shocks on the rear next month.

spacer lifts do ride very harsh but are a great alternative to a full lift kit and are really not intended for long term use. me personally, I don't mind a harsh ride at all! on the trail is the only place I absolutely hate the spacers. and I guess me riding with 50psi in the winter doesn't help at all! 37psi in the spring summer and fall.

http://jeepinbyal.com/liberty-2008-2012-kk/rear-shocks-and-coil-springs/bilstein-heavy-duty-rear-shocks.html

Your problem is running too high tire pressure
plus stock springs which are worn out PLUS you don't have the same amount of up or down travel one des with a full spring lift
Not sure how long you shocks are but springs are not giving you much flex in the rear. With that spacer in there you only have 3-4 inches before they are stacked
Then you get into the whole sway bar issues on the KKs

I didn't mean to hijack this thread, just some personal knowledge

yes, I understand the rear shocks are limiting the flex capabilities. and replacing any part on my jeep honestly isn't a major rush because im in the middle of getting things straightened out with moving south this summer. but when I do get the time those rear shocks will be replaced. possibily along with a full suspension lift. and like I said, on road I really don't mind the harsh ride! the jeep killed my back and neck going over Virginias rocky and muddy trails. it was exactly the same as off roading with a jeep with no suspension.

what am I saying, you already know all of this!!! :BANANA:

and of curse moving south means more trail riding so a winch bumper is a nececity! don't want to be stuck again.

OME Suspension question

Who is online