No offense, but if you don't actually have it on your rig or owned a rig with it, your opinion doesn't carry much weight unless you work in a shop installing them.

I have an 86 PU 22R, 5spd, and am considering the OME IFS 2.5 lift. I'm familiar with their stuff from the Jeep world but there are a couple parts such as the torsion bars and such I'm not.

I know the positives of doing an SAS swap (most all Jeeps except Grands are D30 or D44 front ends) but that is not in the cards this time around.

I do Midwest wheeling which consists of mud, ditches, and old quarries. This initial build doesn't require it to be ready for Moab. I just want to be able to keep up with my old crew in their XJ's and TJ's at the Badlands and Cliffs.

I have 31 BFG AT's now as my street tires but would like to be able to do 33's or 35's at the most, EVER! I'll be locking front and back and will re-gear to accommodate the tires. I plan on a mild body lift (1-1.5") to allow clearance for the bigger meats. I figure shackles with the new OME rear leafs, the new torsion bars and whatever changes come with that kit for the IFS should make me ready to get dirty.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Comments?

 

I do.

Not sure what you are asking for here?

 

Right... all my diatribe above and no ACTUAL question.

How does the OME hold up? What kind of drop and clearances does it provide over stock? Have you had any excessive wear on the CV's because of the lift? Did you have to get new driveshafts of drop the TC because of DS vibes at speed or angles?

Any suggestions on wheel backspacing and optimizing for the IFS and the lift?

Highway and regular driving steering issues?? Bumpsteer? Deathwobble? I will have the OME dampener as well.

Those ought to keep you busy!

Thanks,

Rob

 

How does the OME hold up?

Well. No issues with either torsions or shocks

What kind of drop and clearances does it provide over stock?

Depends on how much you crank the torsion bars, and if you also get ball joint spacers. It can provide 2-3 inches max, or stock height.

Have you had any excessive wear on the CV's because of the lift?

No, i have manual hubs. You might see some wear if you don't have them.

Did you have to get new driveshafts of drop the TC because of DS vibes at speed or angles?

None. No vibrations, no d-shaft modifications.

Any suggestions on wheel backspacing and optimizing for the IFS and the lift?

This will depend on your tire choice. I run a 33x9.50 tire, so i have standard backspacing, and zero rubbing issues.

Highway and regular driving steering issues?? Bumpsteer? Deathwobble? I will have the OME dampener as well.

Steering issues on highway= none. Deathwobble is not possible on an IFS truck, it is a symptom of a solid axled truck that has bad caster.

Steering issues offroad=tons and tons.

I have relaxed my torsion bars back lower than stock height, with Ball Joint Spacers, to quit killing my steering off road. The IFS steering on these trucks is horrible, and with the increased angle, i was bending steering components every trip out, especially idler arms. I have a braced idler arm, and so far, with all new steering, and stock height, and downsizing to a 9.50 tire, i am finally keeping things together. However, it is only a matter of time before they bend again. As i said, this is a symptom of the steering, not the lift. Steering upgrades are unfortunetly very costly.

Now, if you are planning on mild offroading, with mostly street driving, you will be fine, but if you see rocks, you will bend steering stuff no matter what you've got.

 

You still there?

Did that answer your questions?

 

Thanks for the details.

The deathwobble ?'s were old habit from my Jeep days. Believe me, more than caster can cause it. Rod ends, loose track bar, loose drag link... ahhh but that was in another life!!

I was considering re-doing some steering. Beefy rod and ends, better gear box, etc...

Is hydro assist steering boxes an option on these puppies? I'm not in the rocks very much but deep muck can cause as much strain on steering as the rocks can.

Hell, maybe doing the SAS is the better plan from the beginning!!

 

Assist is possible, but you would need to beef the steering components first.

The center link, or relay rod, which ever way you know of it, is weak, and would need bracing. The tie rod ends are even weaker, and need to be replaced. Heims and DOM or cromo would do the trick.

As for the idler, its 325, but that Total Chaos cromo idler arm is superb. Folks get that, and steering issues seem to be solved. I'm putting one in later this summer.

 

i run the torsions and they work great

 

Anyone have just the OME rear springs?? I'm only familiar with Deavers and Rubicon Express stuff for Jeeps.

 

Here's a nice bump for you, as a buddy actually is considering the same thing as your O/T.

Plus, I think it's cool that your Avatar is "The Avatar"-thumbsup!! Here i go all Off-Topic...

*Only thing is you probably can only bend metal and fire, instead of air, water, fire and earth.



*Mei's the cooler character, just 'cause Cricket does her voice!!:

 

I'll be selling my OME front stuff here shortly. OME shocks, and the SDORI BJ spacers (for 2nd gen 4runner).

 

i just finished putting on OME 900 rear springs,front & rear shocks.haven't driven enough to tell yet.cranked front torsion bars.was weak on one side at the start so it had to go pretty far to get leveled out,still has about a 1" rake but i think when loaded & rear settles in it will be fine.will try to get pics up this weekend.i dig it.

 

Have had only the one issue of bending steering parts, other than that I have beat the hell out of my ome lift and it has take'n me lots of places. No complaints. My bent idler arm issue I solved with a life time warrenty'd one.

 

if you got the 901HDs, they won't settle and the rake won't go away (even under load) unless you did the comparable BJ spacers front lift.