OME N76 under Defender (90) Q

[Michele]

Quick Q:
are they too "stiff" in extension as the Italian OME distributor told me?
(mind he owns a Toy)

Been through the old threads about Toy shocks etc,and plan is to fit N76s (eye/eye) all around,the old Cube has Rangie red/white on 4 corners...

Any word of wisdom?

Ta.

[DiscoDino]

Hey,

I had these on the rear of my Disco and they were too wallowy and bouncy...do not advise...long extension, but not stable...it'll make your axle hop

[Michele]

Nadim,
thanks a lot for the hint.
You made me save some pennies it seems.

Now I am considering Bilsteins,5100 Series,found them in a J**p shop in Milan,offered @ 99 Euros + VAT each one,15 days transit time.
My only doubt is about the valving,255/70...


How's going in Lebanon then?
You well?

[DiscoDino]

Don't have experience in anything but OME, running Patrol GU rears now with a bottom U-bolt conversion, but have heard mix results on Bilstiens...check on Pirate4x4...I'm saving $ on a 4 link F/R with Coil overs once the Mog axles get in...

Lebanon could be worse...UN is in, but the troubles/weapons are still in the wrong hands...Thanks for asking as always...

Cheers...

[red90]

So Michele, if you are putting in longer shocks, are you handling all the other problems that will need to be addressed. Spring retention, brake lines, propshaft extension? What are you doing in the front? The stock linkage system is limitted by the bushings and not the shocks?

Why do you think you need more travel??

[Michele]

Hey there...

Nadim,I'm about to order the Bils,after the last chat with Keith (RT).

John

1)spring retention

Yap,lower rear made time ago,will have top/bottom front and top rear made.
I think of a similar design to the Expedition Exchange retainers,circular plates to sandwich the spring,and 2 bolts at the top.

2)brake lines, propshaft extension?

Fitted +2" brake lines a couple of years ago as I planned to tinker with suspensions later...much later...($$$)
Propshafts already fitted last year,as above

Double CV front...both front and rear have longer travel (can't remember now but I will let you know as soon as I found my notebook...somewhere...).

3)what are you doing in the front? The stock linkage system is limitted by the bushings and not the shocks?

Good points...I pushed my actual boss to buy a SG 3-link kit,so to study it and make something similar...?
I don't know yet if I'll have the kit (for free?) to test on my own 90 (...) or not,but given the better ideas some people are throwing here and on Pirate we should make something on our own...also the low position of the SG 3rd link and the protector for the rear track-rod which looks destined to be dragged on everything unless you have very tall tyres...this makes me scratching my head a bit...last but not least my 90 is my only truck and DD and it has to be fully road legal,and this is Italy,not California...butts get kicked just for the wrong tyre measure,if you get the vision.

Said that,I am in touch with Ben to get a set of Sam's slotted bushings.
This as a start,and will keep the Cube road legal.
Plus,they just look as...erm...bushings,and nobody would never notice them.
Stealth!

4)why do you think you need more travel??
Well,comparing the articulation of a couple of 90s (from LR4x4 and a couple of local guys here) to mine,with the same white/red springs but + 2" Procomp shocks there's some difference...

Swapping tyres for the MoT visit and lifting the trucks side by side with the Jackall showed more travel at the front...

In the end,it's just...experimenting?


Any comment/criticism is always welcome anyway,
I may miss something and I usually do...!

[red90]

Well,comparing the articulation of a couple of 90s (from LR4x4 and a couple of local guys here) to mine,with the same white/red springs but + 2" Procomp shocks there's some difference...

Well obviously it is different. The question is whether or not it helps off road or not. You have lockers already. IME, more travel (on a 90) does not gain much off road other than for taking poseur pictures. The front could do with some more as it is limitted by the bushing. This is especially true with the later model readius arms. The earlier ones flex better.

And before the flames start, I do wheel with very modified rigs, so might actually have a clue.

[Michele]

And before the flames start

No flames from me,no reason why...


On a note I always take pics of other people trucks but none of mine,
so the poseur business doesn't count for me


Jokes apart.
As said before,it's probably a matter of tinkering and the fun which comes with it.

I probably need to get a life and start to get out more...


I spend more time around the truck than with anything else.


But it's always good to get your point of view!
About modified rigs...any recent pic?
(and where's Keith?heard from him?)

[red90]

While we are off topic.... Keith is fine, we've wheeled a few times this summer. Last trip, he says I had a wheel 3 feet off the ground. I hadn't noticed. I seem to be choosing the worst lines lately and getting stuck for no reason other than stupidity.

As to recent extreme pics, no. First we seem to never stop and take pictures at the right time and second, we have been taking it easer lately. Keith was getting tired of breaking things .

edit: Here a couple of poseur shots from earlier this summer...

[Michele]

Nice pics!
Hey,you are much younger than I thought!

I always think of engineers as nice old guys with a long white beard and a pipe...

Say "hi" to K next time you see him.


OT,what tyres are you running at the mo?

[Michele]

A friend (303d 90 with all the goods etc BTW) of mine,who keeps complaining about my B&W photos,made a favour and took a couple of shots of me during the last outing in Liguria.

So I too have poseur pics to show and in full colours for once!






Cowabunga!

[red90]

OT,what tyres are you running at the mo?

Interco TrXus MT. K is running them now as well. We really are convinced there is nothing better for both on and off road use.

[Michele]

Nice tyres!
I had a chance to see them under a Cherokee last time I went to visit Ben in Germany.

Later I also opted for Interco to replace the worn XZL in the pics above,but I choose SSRs.

They're just good (and not stiff as my Simexs) although it seems to drive on balloons sometimes



Just to make this post now OT a tad more interesting here's a pic of my mate's 90...