Medium or Heavy Duty OME springs in Vitara - Installed

[PCRman]

Hi all. I'm new to outerlimits so be nice and I'll try to keep the Q's above IQ 100.

Better make that 80.

I've got a 93 4-door JLX Vit. G16b, Auto, stock transfer and diffs, extractors and 2" Lukey exhaust.
I'm going for a OME lift/suspension overhaul but I'm after some advice on which rate OME springs to choose from. The installer says there are 2 specs. Medium and Heavy (not sure of the rates).
I will be getting an ARB winch bullbar (but no winch yet) and have a roof rack (approx 20kg) and towbar. Tyres are Cooper ATR 225/75/15 on 6" ROH trac2's.
Usage is 95% road, 4% beach (including the soft winter type) and <1% rock,gully,bush track etc. Fishing trips usually involve the zook packed to the gills plus me and the Mrs.

The installer is recommending the heavy duty as he says i will get a little extra lift out of it. But... I don't want to ruin the ride comfort (what there is) when empty for the sake of a extra 1/4" or so when full.

Has anyone had to make the same decision? Any Regrets?

[cj]

If you are going to fit a winch bar then I would suggest that you go with the heavy duty springs in the front. The mediums (#960) have a rate of 440 with a free height of 300mm and the heavies (#953) have a rate of 540 with a free height of 285mm. If you want a bit more lift out of the front you could the OME Vit V6 springs. They all have a rate of 540 but the mediums (#950) have a free height of 300mm and the heavies (#959) have a free height of 310mm. You can get even more lift from the front if you go with the GV heavies (#962) with a rate of 540 and a free height of 320mm or even more still with the XL-7 fronts (#959) with a rate of 500 and a free height of 330mm. Keep in mind that due to the nature of the IFS geometry that a 10mm increase in spring height will mean an actual lift increase in the region of 17mm.

[PCRman]

Thanks for the response cj. I was beginning to think that no one had an opinion about this.

Do you mean that I could pair up OME Heavy 1.6L rear springs with Heavy V6, GV or XL-7 OME fronts or should the front and rears be from the same series Vitara (ie OME V6 springs all round)?

[murcod]

What are you aiming to achieve with the springs? Extra lift or to level things out for the (rare?) occasions when you've got it loaded?

In my former 4WD I went the "heavy duty" option to help with the yearly camping trip when it was fully loaded. It was the worst decision I ever made as the ride was ridiculous when it was empty- so I suffered a shocking ride and little to no flex in the rear end for a once a year trip....

If I did it again I'd be looking at airbags (or something similar) to help with those "once a year" outings.

A guy I work with has a Vitara Estate and has got the airbags in the rear of his to help level things out when loaded and towing. He reckons they're excellent. Might be something else to consider depending on what you're after?

[PCRman]

What are you aiming to achieve with the springs?

Lift is my primary concern. I'm sick of the frame that goes under the engine (I cant find what its called in the next to useless Haynes manual I've got) that the suspension arms bolt to turning into a grader in the soft over-rutted beaches i drive on. I've got little enough power as it is without pushing extra sand along as well. Keeping level when full is of little importance. I don't mind If the back sits lower when full but I want to make sure that the front and rear lifts are compatible when empty.

It was the worst decision I ever made as the ride was ridiculous when it was empty- so I suffered a shocking ride and little to no flex in the rear end for a once a year trip....

This is what I'm really concerned about. The front Heavies will take me from 508.7 to 540ppi but the mediums will take me down to 440 (numbers by cj) and I've no idea how a 30-odd increase in rate translates to handling.

I wonder if I can go Heavy's in the front (for the steel bar, spotties and latter, winch and 2nd battery) and mediums in the rear (for a softer ride)? I read in another thread that bringing the Vit front up more than the rear is beneficial anyway (but i can't find it now)

Does any one know the rates and heights of the medium and heavy rear OME springs for the different Vit's?

[cj]

The heavy rate springs are designed to deal with the extra weight of a bar, etc. up front or more load in the back. The valving of the shocks and struts used has a real impact on the ride quality, it's not just the spring rate. Also keep in mind what one manufacturer offers is not always equal to that offered by another.

In my 1.6 lwb with bar, etc. before I swapped it to the Calmini suspension I had OME struts (kept them for the Calmini kit too) and shocks and heavy springs with 20mm coil spacers and camber bolts and it was fine.

Vitara and GV Old Man Emu coils free height and spring rates and part numbers.

1.6 swb front 290mm 440lb/in #951
1.6 swb rear 345mm 140lb/in #952

1.6 lwb front medium 300mm 440lb/in #960
1.6 lwb front heavy 285mm 540lb/in #953
1.6 lwb rear medium 335mm 180lb/in #954
1.6 lwb rear heavy 350mm 200lb/in #955

2.0 V6 lwb front medium 300mm 540lb/in #950
2.0 V6 lwb front heavy 310mm 540lb/in #959
2.0 V6 rear medium 335mm 180lb/in #954
2.0 V6 rear heavy 350mm 200lb/in #955

GV front medium 310mm 540lb/in #959
GV front heavy 320mm 540lb/in #962
GV rear 340mm 200lb/in #961

XL-7 front 330mm 500lb/in #956
XL-7 rear 370mm 210lb/in #968

[zooki]

thats some good info there cj, I dont suppose anybody knows the heights and rates of standard GV springs?

[PCRman]

I second that, great info cj. These OME rates and lengths should be in the bible.

I've booked the zook in for the heavy 1.6 lwb front and rear. If I don't like the rear springs I’ll experiment with others (they not that pricey compared to the struts anyway).

I just need to find some camber bolts now.

[cj]

What shocks and struts are you going with? You shouldn't need camber bolts unless you are looking to lift it a bit more than the standard OME lift as their struts have some camber compensation built in. I have only needed them when I have gone higher. By the way Pedders sell the bolts and have never charged me extra for fitting them when I've had my alignment done.

[DSzuke]

In my 1.6 lwb with bar, etc. before I swapped it to the Calmini suspension I had OME struts (kept them for the Calmini kit too) and shocks and heavy springs with 20mm coil spacers and camber bolts and it was fine.

cj... I assume from this you are running OME heavy springs with the Calmini kit or did you stick with the Calmini supplied spring (I assume you didn't).

I am watching this thread with interest as I have bought a car with the Camini kit installed but am not happy with the front end set up at all

[PCRman]

What shocks and struts are you going with?

I'm getting the 1.6 lwb heavies. 4x4 place reckons that i might get as much as 50mm after install. They don't do wheel alignments so i have to go elsewhere.

As I understand it the built in compensation that the ome struts allow is only good for up to 35mm or so.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... amber+bolt

With new rubber on the zook I'd rather fit camber bolts I might not need than not fit them and ruin good tyres.

Thanks for the info on pedder camber bolts. I was only aware of whiteline, K-max and Toughdog.

To add to my dramas I found out my rear axle seals are shot and have oiled my bearings and brake shoes. Ho Hum.

[SiKiD_01]

initial install will gain a bit of lift, but as i found out, with any brand and type of spring in the front of vits, they do settle a lot.

i'm running with 960's and 954's in my SWB soft top vit. gained about 30-40mm all round. which is ok considering the book says its a 30mm lift for the wagon. so i only got a slight bit more from the wagon springs.

i've since put an ARB bull bar on, so i will need to uprate my front coils to the 956's.

i will be looking at some custom ones for the rear, as OME don't make anything long enough for what i want.

[cj]

In my 1.6 lwb with bar, etc. before I swapped it to the Calmini suspension I had OME struts (kept them for the Calmini kit too) and shocks and heavy springs with 20mm coil spacers and camber bolts and it was fine.

cj... I assume from this you are running OME heavy springs with the Calmini kit or did you stick with the Calmini supplied spring (I assume you didn't).

I am watching this thread with interest as I have bought a car with the Camini kit installed but am not happy with the front end set up at all

No, I only used the OME struts and the rest was all Calmini.

Do you have a swb or lwb and do you have bar and winch on it? The Calmini kit is designed to work with a fully loaded setup i.e. winch, bar, batteries etc and on a vehicle without those items the ride is pretty firm especially on a swb. The OME struts do help though as their valving is much better plus you can then lose the strut spacer as the OME shocks are longer unlike the stock length Calmini ones.

[cj]

With new rubber on the zook I'd rather fit camber bolts I might not need than not fit them and ruin good tyres.

Thanks for the info on pedder camber bolts. I was only aware of whiteline, K-max and Toughdog.

There is nothing to be gained by fitting camber bolts unless they are required. You will need an alignment done when you fit the suspension so if they find that the camber needs adjusting, get them to fit some then. By the way fitting the suspension is fairly quick and easy so if you have a jack, stands and some basic tools you could do this yourself and save a few dollars.

The K-mac camber bolts are larger and a little drilling is required to enlarge the holes for them to fit. The plus side to this is that they are a little stronger due to their size and I think (check 'cause I can't remember off the top of my head) that they may also allow for a little more adjustment.

[PCRman]

Thanks for the tips cj.

I'll get the camber checked to see if it needs correction before ordering a set of bolts. The K-mac seems to be the best of the lot as far as strength and design goes so it will be a set of those in the event that they are required.

I do have all the gear I would need bar a set of stands but It's a case of being low on time for doing the swap, the better half frowning in assorted car parts in the driveway and I'm trying to develop a relationship with the 4x4 centre (which usually involves spending lots of money there )

I need to get all this done before an easter trip to kalbarri so fingers crossed it all goes smoothly.

[PCRman]

The results are in.

Springs + OME shocks/Struts

OME 1.6 lwb front heavy 285mm 540lb/in #953
40mm lift from top of rim to bottom of guard

OME 1.6 lwb rear heavy 350mm 200lb/in #955
50mm lift from top of rim to bottom of guard

Ride is a little firmer in the back, but it beats the almost nauseating bouncing I was getting with the old flogged shocks.
Looks like I can fit some bigger rubber underneath if i do a BL and get permission

Heres a pic



eyeball camber measurement makes me think i will need camber bolts but i will wait till it all settles in.

New tailshaft angle seems to have made a minor imbalance worse so its off to the balancing man for a check tomorrow.

Thanks for all the advice

[suzukiboy]

Have you bent the tail shaft from previous off road use?
Is it noise or vibrations?

[PCRman]

I was tipping it would be the tailshaft but after sending to balancer he said it was fine (in balance and uni's fine). I'm getting the a-arm spacer fabricated to bring everything back into alignment, should solve my probs. Failing that I might need to get either my pinion or my t-fer case output bearing looked (they are the only bits that have not been looked at that might cause vibration that can think off.

edit: pre lift: there was a vibration/shake at approx 80ks
post-lift: now a much higher frequency vibration/noise/loud hum (as described by this guy http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?t=114566)

cheers

[PCRman]

A-arm spacer fabricated and installed. Problem solvered.
Still too much play in the diff. Prolly looking at getting some diff work /rebuild down the track. The roadless gear LSD looks nice @ $350US plus postage. Otherwise i will shell out and get air locker.
Seem to have some lateral play in the rear rt'fer case output