what is the best alternative to OME shocks ?

Topan · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2012 10:14 am

I have a Frankenlift, which i bought from the US (JeepbyAl), on my 2005 CRD.
Problem 1: in the coucou clock country where i live, all mods need to be validated by the gvt. road authorities. Meaning that if i had bought the lift from a local swiss shop, i would have had a TUV certifcate. Because i bought it from the US, i dont have the certificate ---> Meaning, next time (this year) i have to get the Libbie checked by the gvt. road authorities they will tell me to put back the stock shocks or to buy a bicycle..... :banghead:

Problem 2: I am not convinced by the OME shocks. I find them too soft and the Libbie bounces around too much.

i would like to put some new shocks, harder than the OME, keeping my OME springs. Do you have any recommendations ?
How about the Fox ? adjustable....

thanks

dgeist · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2012 11:05 am

Bilstein is most likely TUV certified (sorry if I'm quoting the wrong organisation). You can probably give them a call and find the most similar shock (dimensionally) to your OMEs and be pretty safe. I'd imagine KYB and Koni likely have a solution that would fit as well, but I don't know for sure.

Dan

tonycrd · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2012 11:16 am

Go with KONI and never look back.

Do not use their rear shocks, they are to short for the OME springs.

Use Rancho's, the 9000XL would be a good choice, you can set them harder or softer to your needs. Or the succesor to the RSX I have, the RS7000MT (for truck and suv).

FWIW: Old Man Emu is made by ARB Australia, so I highly doubt they have a TÜV certificate...

What you could do (we did it)..get a can of black paint. Nobody can tell the difference between Rancho or OEM shocks.

Pippobug · **Posted:** Fri Apr 13, 2012 11:25 am

Topan,

Best way to resolve is to get Koni Shocks for the front, TonyCRD has them and he loves them. Yes, OME are a bit soft on a 2.8 CRD not on a 2.5CRD (weight issue we - 300Kg). Koni will have the TUV certificate and aslo Bilstein for the front shocks, for the back one you might have a problem as to keep the current height you need long ones and koni doesn't do them and Bilstein, if I remember correctly was a special order and that might take some time.

Otherwise try and speack to www.taubenreuther.de , they stock OME maybe they are able to provide you with a certificate, they are official importes of OME in Germany. I bought my front shocks from them here in the UK

Fil.

Topan · **Posted:** Mon Apr 16, 2012 7:58 am

guys !
thanks a lot again !
i will start my shopping and see what certified shock i can find in the choice you listed.

Tony, what would you recommend for the rear in Rancho. 9000XL OR RST7000MT ?
I do use my KJ on the road as my main and only car between 2 offroad outing.

thanks !

tonycrd · **Posted:** Mon Apr 16, 2012 1:15 pm

Topan wrote:

guys !
thanks a lot again !
i will start my shopping and see what certified shock i can find in the choice you listed.

Tony, what would you recommend for the rear in Rancho. 9000XL OR RST7000MT ?
I do use my KJ on the road as my main and only car between 2 offroad outing.

thanks !

Then the 9000's, you can put them softer or harder to your liking with a dial knob. You could also go full 9000's and get the remote control...but don't think they have TÜV...

Foros has them on his KJ.

Topan · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:18 am

Ahah !!! shock with remote control !! Too cool ! :rockon:

but certainely not avaialble in switzerland with road certificate.
I will look for a certified set of 9000's, i like the idea of being able to adjust the shocks.

Topan · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:21 am

i made a couple of calls and have some news: Here in Swiss land, the springs need to be referenced for each vehicle, and not the shocks. for the shocks , you can put whatever you want as long as it is working. :shock:

Anyway, i need to replace my entire lift: spings because they are not certified in CH (i bought them in the US) and shocks because i find them too soft...

Rancho is not listed for the KJ in Switzerland anymore...
So my alternative is Dobinsons..... but is that really harder than the OME ? the guy here in the local shop is telling me it is ... :roll:

Any experience ?

Pippobug · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:45 am

Topan wrote:

So my alternative is Dobinsons..... but is that really harder than the OME ? the guy here in the local shop is telling me it is ... :roll:

Any experience ?

Topan,

I have seen a couple of KJ in Italy that have fitted Dobinsons and see happy with them. If you read Italian I will try and find the link, what about H&R Coils & Bildstein or Koni? not possible that in CH they are not approved by CH TUV? after all they are all German products with German TUV certificates?!

Fil.

tonycrd · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:17 pm

Here in Spain, if I get an 'engineer' to do a project on the KJ...for 500€ I can get the springs legal.

:grim:

Pippobug · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:23 pm

Topan
here is the link from KJ Italia on Dobinson lift kit http://www.kjitalia.com/t3860-kit-dobinsons-molle-ammortizzatori-tamponi-fondo-corsa.
Hope you understand italian a bit & it helps, he fitted it to a CRD 2.5.
I also had a look on the Austalian Jeep site and here is some more info for you:http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/searchresults.php?cx=partner-pub-5395372938244361%3A0718105360&cof=FORID%3A9&q=dobinson+kj&sa=Go
Hope this helps,
Fil

Topan · **Posted:** Thu Apr 19, 2012 7:47 am

Pippobug wrote:

Topan
here is the link from KJ Italia on Dobinson lift kit http://www.kjitalia.com/t3860-kit-dobinsons-molle-ammortizzatori-tamponi-fondo-corsa.
Hope you understand italian a bit & it helps, he fitted it to a CRD 2.5.
I also had a look on the Austalian Jeep site and here is some more info for you:http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/searchresults.php?cx=partner-pub-5395372938244361%3A0718105360&cof=FORID%3A9&q=dobinson+kj&sa=Go
Hope this helps,
Fil

Thanks for the links Fil. Google helped me fill the blanks of my Italian translation.
The Aussie forum gave some very good hints.
Basically, it says that people had a lot of issues with Dob. shocks, but the springs are recommended.

Any LOST KJist with Dobinsons shocks on the site ??.....

Other alternative are Koni and Bilstein.
I know from Tony that Koni's are too short for the rear OME springs, so I am gonna check out Bilstein.

Topan · **Posted:** Thu Apr 19, 2012 7:51 am

tonycrd wrote:

Here in Spain, if I get an 'engineer' to do a project on the KJ...for 500€ I can get the springs legal.

:grim:

you are lucky !!

hey, my local dealer told me that ,on top of not being listed anymore in CH, the Rancho's were...heu...horrible= heat up very easily. He also said that the adjusting valve, very often stops working after 5-6000 miles...
Do you have them since a lot of miles ? Bashed ? have you hot probs with them ?

what is the best alternative to OME shocks ?

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