Old Man Emu Questions

[BIGSLVRXJ]

Alright well I've decided I'm going to go with an Old Man Emu suspension kit. I don't know for sure how soon but it will be within 6 months. They are definitely going to be what I'm looking for because they have the best on road ride quality,(my heep is my DD, and only car) and it sounds like pretty good offroad quality and stability too, not to mention durability. I rarely offroad but when I do I want to feel confident about it and I love the lifted look of XJs.
I guess my main questions are as follows...
1. What could I do to sneak 3" out of an OME kit? If I went with the heavy load kit would that get me more lift than the light load and what would be the effects of that kit on a stock Jeep?(meaning not a real heavy one)
2. Where is the cheapest place to buy OME from? I think the cheapest place I've found is Quadratec.

If anyone knows anything that might help answer my questions I would appreciate it.
Thanks in Advance,
Collin

[MarcoXJ]

For 3" out of an OME you need the 934 ZJ Coilsprings and the JC1A Leafsprings.

I have had the HD Leafsprings but they just gave me 2" and sagged a lot after 6 month. They were very soft and had a big overload leaf.

The dealer I bought the Leafs from replaced them and I took the JC1A. But I immediately installed the JCXL AAL because I didn´t want them to sag like the old leafs.
I´m now at 5" of lift with longer shackles they ride very nice and keep their height.

[Jeff-97XJ]

For 3" out of an OME you need the 934 ZJ Coilsprings and the JC1A Leafsprings.

I have had the HD Leafsprings but they just gave me 2" and sagged a lot after 6 month. They were very soft and had a big overload leaf.

The dealer I bought the Leafs from replaced them and I took the JC1A. But I immediately installed the JCXL AAL because I didn´t want them to sag like the old leafs.
I´m now at 5" of lift with longer shackles they ride very nice and keep their height.

I have 3" OME on my 97XJ.
I used the JC1A in the rear BUT I used the OME 930 coils in the front with a 1" spacer. My vehicle rides better than stock and flexes well off-road.
I am happy with this setup, however if I ever get a heavy front bumper like and ARB or any winch bumper, then I would have wished I'd gotten the 934 Coils instead, as the 930's will sag an inch or so from the weight. I am of the belief that the 930's in my situation is a softer ride than the 934 coils without the weight of a heavy front bumper or winch setup.

[gtpolkus]

I've got the jc1A's and the 930 front coils on mine. Bought a .75" spacer for the front and it wasn't nearly enough, so I went with a 2" and that leveled things out...go with the ZJ coils. Running 31's without much issue

I bought everything from James and Jeepersandcreepers.com. It was by far the cheapest, and he cut me a deal on shipping because I live near a Forward Air hub. The site does not list any OME products, but he is an ARB dealer. I believe I paid 900ish shipped for all the OME springs, shocks, spacers, u-bolts, and a teraflex disconnects. Give him a call and he can set you up.

[steveareno]

Like the others: I just installed the zj front coils and the rear leaf with the extra add-a-leaf, OME long shocks. With a damn heavy rear bumper, I resulted 4" in the rear and 3.5 in the front (measured before and after). I have not had time for any sag. I am installing a winch bumper in front and will have to add a spacer. How much will be determined after the bumper and winch is installed.
I like the road manners - DD - also had to install a SYE and shimes. I am adding considerable weight in bumpers, skid, and rock rails.
i suggest looking at DPG and talking to Derk about a package - I found his prices and assistance to be invaluable.
http://www.dpgoffroad.com/

[tdr1213]

If you want 3" then get the stronger pack and add the jcxl. Additionally you should consider the 934 coils, made for the zj, because they are taller. Later, if you want to go a little higher you can add spacers up front and shackle's in the back.

As for prices, give dirk at dpg offroad in Kansas a call. I just bought the jcxls for $69 from him. Apparently ome has made a change in their supply stream and thus the price of their products has gone down significantly.

Also, pay attention to your shocks. If you think you might ever go to the 4-4.5" range of lift then the long travel shocks could be worth considering.

[Fergie]

If you are looking for a 2" lift that still rides well, flexes better, and can carry aload better, try this.

Stock or ZJ V8 coils with 1.75" spacer for the front.
RE shackles and a stock pack with an OME JCXL AAL in the stock pack.
OME shocks all around and some swaybar discos.

I like this combo much better than the full OME lift, so you may want to try it if you are looking to keep costs down.

Fergie

[BIGSLVRXJ]

I really dont mind spending as much as the OME kit costs as long as it lasts up. I don't want any more than a 3" lift because I may not run any bigger tires than my P235/75 R15s and I think it would look goofy with that much lift and small tires. I've got a few questions for some of you guys that responded though.

Marco-Do you have a real heavy Jeep or why do you think they sagged if not?
Fergie-Is this the setup you run? I thought you'd been fairly impressed with OME, have you changed your mind recently or are you just saying thats what you would do for cheaper than an OME?

It sounds like what I want to do is this then...
1. 934 coils up front because I am for sure going to get an offroad bumper at some point.
2. I would prefer not to AAL, is there any way to get around adding a leaf and still getting 3" or no, or will it not hold up if I don't AAL?
3. OME Shocks all around.


Thanks guys I just want to do this right.
Collin

[Fergie]

Well, I carried about 300 extar in/on the back of the XJ, and the OME sagged by about an inch until I added the AAL.

Fergie

[Jeff-97XJ]

I really dont mind spending as much as the OME kit costs as long as it lasts up. I don't want any more than a 3" lift because I may not run any bigger tires than my P235/75 R15s and I think it would look goofy with that much lift and small tires. I've got a few questions for some of you guys that responded though.

Marco-Do you have a real heavy Jeep or why do you think they sagged if not?
Fergie-Is this the setup you run? I thought you'd been fairly impressed with OME, have you changed your mind recently or are you just saying thats what you would do for cheaper than an OME?

It sounds like what I want to do is this then...
1. 934 coils up front because I am for sure going to get an offroad bumper at some point.
2. I would prefer not to AAL, is there any way to get around adding a leaf and still getting 3" or no, or will it not hold up if I don't AAL?
3. OME Shocks all around.


Thanks guys I just want to do this right.
Collin


I put my OME lift on over a year ago. I measured it an hour ago and it is still exactly the same height as it was over a year ago.

The only thing I would do different is to use the heavier duty springs in the front as I mentioned in my previous message.

I am totally happy with my 3" lift.

I am running 30" tires which fit well even without a lift, but my replacement set will of course be 31". I'll deal with any issues after I get the 31" tires installed. I don't expect too much trouble with 31's.

Hope this helps-
Jeff-97XJ

[Fergie]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/bergferg/f051abbb.jpg

I will say this, the OME great when you dont need to tow anything on a regular basis, and you dont carry anything over stock weight(no extra gear, or spare carrier).

The OME AAL is not a typical AAL. It is specially designed to be run in conjunction with the OME rear springs. From what I remember, it adds about 1/2" and stiffens the pack by 30%, and some folks even run two AALs per side, but I don't have any experience with that.

For a while, I ran the medium duty lift with an RE shackle. Then I added 1" of spacers up front, and the AAL in the rear to get more lift and even it out. Now I run the set-up mentioned above, and am much more satisfied with the feel of the vehicle.

Fergie

[MarcoXJ]

My XJ is not heavy. The stock bumper and no extra weight. The leafs I ran before (JC2B) were too soft so I think that's the reason why they sagged so much.
And after 6 month my tires started rubbing in the rear even on road.
No problem with the new packs so far.
But I think that only the JC1A packs give you 3". All the others are 2" Leaf packs.

[BIGSLVRXJ]

Ok so I've got it decided I'm going to go with the JC1As and the 934s. If I go with the ZJ 934s will that give me the 3" up front that I'm hoping to achieve or will I still need a spacer?
Thanks everyone

[SPSERG]

Just my .02, but I went through the whole OME suspension upgrade and was not happy at all. I used their coils, shocks, and full replacement leaf springs. All my bushings were replaced at the same time.

Overall, the ride was worse than with the OE springs, (to soft on high speed bumps, and to stiff on slow speed) and after a few months the lift was just not there. While I was away in TX, I replaced the coils and shocks with RE equipment. I used their full length add-a-leaf(RE)with the OME spring. Oh yes, and some ACOS's for future adjustment. Now its top-notch to me.

I am sure they have their place, but it was not for me. Right now, they sit in a box in my garage, 6 months old.

[Jeff-97XJ]

Ok so I've got it decided I'm going to go with the JC1As and the 934s. If I go with the ZJ 934s will that give me the 3" up front that I'm hoping to achieve or will I still need a spacer?
Thanks everyone

I would think that you should get the 3" or at the least a true 2.5".
If I were you I'd measure the Jeep FIRST, just to see where you are now.
From center cap of wheel to bottom of front flare should be 17.5".
From Center cap of wheel to rear flare should be 17".
After you put the lift on, measure again and record the numbers. Keep in mind that some lifts settle down a little after installed and it has carried some weight.
Maybe a month or so after the lift is on, measure again. If the front is any lower than the back, you can easily add a spacer in the front to level it out. If it is something small like 1/2" or something it probably wouldn't be worth the bother, so in conclusion, the 934's will probably end up being all that you need.

Jeff-97XJ
1997 XJ, 4.0L, AW-4, 231J.
3” OME lift, 30x9.5 MTR’s.
Banks Torque Tube, MagnaFlow Cat, DynoMax Super-Turbo Cat-Back.
Custom 4x4- Rock Rails (Double Tube), Tomken Machine- Transfer Case Skid Plate, Mopar- Gas Tank Skid Plate.

[steveareno]

With tyhe 934s I increased 3.5 inches, which i assume will decrease when I put on the bumper and winch this weekend.
I put on 10x31s on stock alum. rims and am happy. Depending on your gearing, you may want to go bigger than 235, which I had on stock.

[Jeff-97XJ]

With tyhe 934s I increased 3.5 inches, which i assume will decrease when I put on the bumper and winch this weekend.
I put on 10x31s on stock alum. rims and am happy. Depending on your gearing, you may want to go bigger than 235, which I had on stock.

Please keep us posted as to how many inches the winch/bumper reduced the lift by.
Thanks,
Jeff-97XJ

[3XJFamily]

I was running the OME934's with a 3/8 inch trim packer. Up front, I've got a C4x4 bumper with a winch, I got 3" of lift after I flexed it a few times. But, after a year of use, I measured and only had 2". Not that big a deal, I pulled out the factory isolator (about 3/4 inch) and put in a 1 3/4 spacer to get it back at 3". My Jeep must be a heavy pig with a C4x4 rear bumper and tire carrier, and a Con-fer roof rack. In back, I run Rubicon Express 3.5" leaf packs and only net 3"

[Ghostrider]

I put in the JC1As with an MJ shackle out back and the 934s up front with a 1.25 in spacer and have netted about 3 inches up front and ~2.5 in the back. I am running with a C4x4 rear bumper & tire carrier out back and a C4x4 front bumper with a Warn 9000Xi up front. 245/70R16 tires (same dia. as 30/9.5R15) so that I don't rub anything too much. I've been really happy so far but am thinking about an AAL because when I am really loaded up the back end droops about an inch. I also have the long travel shocks front & back. No compression issues- I'm even thinking about moving the rear mount up an inch to get a bit more clearance under the back end. The OME flexes great & rids well for me. The Heep is my DD and I've had no issues.

Cheers!
Bob
NAXJA Member #344

[BIGSLVRXJ]

Thanks to everyone, more opinions always welcome!

[tazz]

So if I'm reading all this right it should be the OME 934's which are for the ZJ to get 3"-3 1/2" with no extra weight up front right?
Now the 934's are the medium duty ones or the heavy duty ones from Rockyroad?
It's just I'm thinking of new front springs and the good old "$11 Bastard Leaf Pack" leaf spring set-up and kinda want 3"-3 1/2" all around when done.
Also will I need the 1" transfer case drop with that set-up?

[BIGSLVRXJ]

From what I'm gathering its maybe not a necessity, but it wouldn't hurt.

[tazz]

From what I'm gathering its maybe not a necessity, but it wouldn't hurt.
You mean the transfer case drop?
Am I right on the rest of it though?

[steveareno]

For Jeff97 or others,
Yesterday installed a Rigid front bumper and Ramsey 8.5 winch. I pulled the cable, as I am installing rope to keep the weight down. It appears that the springs compressed about .50-.75" with weight. I have not driven it yet and I am sure it will settle some more. I still have to torque some of the bolts. I am assuming that I will put 1" spacer in front. If I need more, I will put 1.75" spacer in front and a 1" shackle in the rear. 31"s on stock rims, rub only on LCA.
Remember, I have the 934 front springs, and AAL in the rear. I have heavy bumpers front and rear (rear is Durango w/tire carrier).
Mine is over-built for the height, but I would rather be prepared and it is a DD.

[tazz]

Well I ordered the OME 934's for the Jeep this week. I should have them by next weekend I HOPE!
So that should take care of the 3" up front for me since I have no extra weight up there.
And I found a good deal on a set of S-10 4 leaf rear leaf spring's in great shape. So I'm thinking that should do the rear.
Now with the 3"-3 1/2" lift I may or may not need a transfer case drop right?
When I do the lift what should I watch for to see if I need it?
Drive line vibration?
If so is it ok to drive around town till I get it in?
Thanx!!

[MarcoXJ]

It depends on what year your XJ is. If your XJ is 1996 or newer you might need a t-case drop.
But you should drive it first it's probably not that bad.
If there are any vibes they will most likely be at around 65 mph and up.
When you intend to go offroad with your XJ you will hate the t-case drop. Those kits often drop the t-case about an inch which is not necessary.
So you should first try shims or drop the t-case just a half centimeter with washers or so.

[tazz]

Mine is a '92 XJ Sport, 4.0L HO, AW4, 242 Transfer case, Dana 30 non disco front, Chrysler 8.25 rear.
Thanx for the reply.

[Ghostrider]

Instead of a T-case drop that uses the factory cross member, if you have the buck sto spare you can get a drop crossmember from Rusty's that drops the case an inch and retains the clearance- Rusty's crossmember is an inch thinner than the stock cross member is.

[PapaPump]

I am wondering about running the 242 in full time with the tcase drop. wouldnt dropping the tcase also raise the front DS and possibly give trouble on that end in fulltime mode? it seems to me that while a sye may be excessive for this little lift, it is the only "right" way to do things...that is the way i will do mine, to allow for future lifting if i get bored.

[Thumpersdriver]

In reply to Tazz. I have netted four inches of lift with my OME setup (With coil spacers and extendo-shackles.) My XJ is a 93 with the same basic specs as yours. I DID suffer vibes at first, but that was from having a partially collapsed tranny mount. After I replaced the old mount whith a new RUBBER stock mount, the vibes dissapeared. ( I installed a Daystar Poly tranny mount for about three weeks before I ripped it out and installed the stock mount, and all I can say is, Unibodies and Polyeurethane motor/tranny mounts do NOT play together well.)