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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:59 pm
by Gwagensteve
suzukiviagra - the ride will improve significantly, but I bet it's not the ride that's hurting your back - it's much more likely to be a result of a poor seat and driving position. It's possibly dearer to fix the ride and less effective than fixing the seat/driving position.

I drive a very stiffly sprung car (STI Impreza) for hours everyday, sitting on 3/4" of foam (recaro SP-G race seat) and don't have back pain, due to having a good seat in the right spot.

I can experience some ankle and calf soreness, which is due to the funny shape of the floor on the WRX. My point is only that there's lots of contributing factors to the discomfort of driving a car, not just ride.

However, there are good reasons for fitting the OME kit in any case. I'd lean towards the light springs if you don't carry much load. You might not get 2" of lift (like that matters) but you will get the best ride improvement.

Steve.

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:02 pm
by mrRocky
EFS shocks are re-labeled KYB shocks so i cant imagine the ride being all that different.

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:10 pm
by Gwagensteve
mrRocky wrote:EFS shocks are re-labeled KYB shocks so i cant imagine the ride being all that different.
joeblow wrote: and i agree nicbeer.......KYB's are one of the best shocks i have come across.

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:11 pm
by Gwagensteve
joeblow wrote:efs springs....not bad.....shocks freaking horrible.

ironman......not worth its weight in scrap.

out of all your options i would only get efs springs and combine them with a real shock.
mrRocky wrote:EFS shocks are re-labeled KYB shocks so i cant imagine the ride being all that different.
joeblow wrote: and i agree nicbeer.......KYB's are one of the best shocks i have come across.
confused?..... I am

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:28 pm
by Santos
dont get carried away gwagensteve,

mr rocky may be wrong about the branding(not say that is just thats its a possibility)

or the valving may be different

kyb might supply for other people but they my verywell suply a generic shock and keep specifi shocks for themselves (after all keep the reputaion that they are better)

i still will offer my opinion that dakar emu HD are an excellent bolt-on option along with ome shocks. I have a stock tyre with 24-26psi n them, when the cars at 22psi or lower it is even better but can cost me nearly an extra litre in AVERAGE fuel economy(suzuki have 20psi recomended)

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:56 pm
by zukiviagra
thanks steve. iv already put gti seats in it. which improved it a lot.
am thinkin of getting a proper recaro or similar if once iv lifted it my sore back persists. steering wheel is also in a bad position which doesnt help. i want to lift it to get it flexing better as much as anything.
also with the hd ome springs do they jus run more leaves in the pack? or are they completly different springs?

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:57 pm
by Ruffy
mrRocky wrote:EFS shocks are re-labeled KYB shocks so i cant imagine the ride being all that different.
That's not true!

EFS Shock are made by cofap. This has absolutely no bearing on there quality or design. Cofap have there own branded shock absorber but also manufacture shock absorbers for alot of the major brands. How ever they build shock absorber to a specification and design stipulated by the seller. Just cos they come out of the same factory doesn't link then by design or specification.

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:12 pm
by Santos
zukiviagra wrote:thanks steve. iv already put gti seats in it. which improved it a lot.
am thinkin of getting a proper recaro or similar if once iv lifted it my sore back persists. steering wheel is also in a bad position which doesnt help. i want to lift it to get it flexing better as much as anything.
also with the hd ome springs do they jus run more leaves in the pack? or are they completly different springs?
for the fronts i think its an extra spring
i bought light duties then desided on heavy

what i do recommend you do is go to a nt and bolt specialist (nt a hardwre store) and get yourself some high tensile long bolts that are for 12mm nuts (m8 or m10 i think mine came with round allen key socket head) to replace the ones that come wih the springs. both the king spring and the dakar springs are held by with 13mm bolts that dont fit in the hole in the stock location.

With the light duties i could JUST fit the old bolt but with the heavy duties it was a no go. For $2 each why much around enlargening holes etc

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:36 pm
by mrRocky
Just what the 2 major suzuki have told me over here in perth. They say they found kyb was supplying efs with the shocks and efs was just relabelling them and adding there mark up on top. They now sell the kyb brand at alot cheaper price compared with the efs.
Maybe it varies state to state dunno ?

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:39 pm
by joeblow
Gwagensteve wrote:I have no experience of the EFS system, but I have lots of experience with the OME system and I could easily apply you comments on the EFS system to OME - That's not a reflection of the OME system, it's a reflection of the design of the sierra suspension.
I don't believe that an OME system is a "bolt on" if you want the best out of it. It's not a bad compromise, but the real issue with the sierra is that it's wheelbase and load as a % of tare weight, along with short suspension travel, makes it pretty much impossible to build a "bolt on" suspension that will work properly for most people, which is why I always recommend buying HD OME springs and pulling leaves until it works for the individual application. However, that's not a commercially sensible solution.


good info there steve, but a bit off-topic to what i was discussing.
Gwagensteve wrote:However, other than saying you "don't like" the EFS shocks that's fine, if it's opinion, it's opinion - but without any real data (maybe indeed by cutting a shock up) then there's nothing more to it than opinion.
yep bingo! its an opinion. i do believe andy1517 was seeking opinions and recomendations. i gave him my opinion, take a deep breath and don't read anymore into it, its just an opinion from experience.
Gwagensteve wrote:I'm not having a go Joe
don't sugercoat it steve....we both know our history. i gave an opinion, as well as a little history between myself and the product.
Gwagensteve wrote: but saying "I don't like them" and "They are crap" over and over isn't improving anyones understanding of the problems with EFS.
read back......they were not said over and over again.
Gwagensteve wrote:If they are valid problems and you're the only guy saying it, you'll have to do more to prove it.
Steve.
now come on steve you know i wouldn't do a thing like that for you.


and kyb are not efs.

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:42 pm
by Gwagensteve
Ok, we've established that KYB do not supply EFS.

We've established that Joeblow thinks EFS shocks are crap, but their springs are good, but they lift the rear of sierra 75 or 100mm.

I've asserted that the problem with sierras and lift is that there's very little scope for lift or added travel in a sierra with stock spring/shock mounts. (That means acceptable droop and compression)

Joe - you have lots of history and experience with suzukis - that's for sure, you can teach us all plenty. However, generally, you seem to want to do it all by PM's, or ask us to beg for it. Everyone knows that on the internet, everyones opinion is (unfortunately) equal. Not everyone who reads a thread with one of your five word replies will be convinced, and some of them will think that you're not being helpful by sitting on a bank of knowledge and drip feeding it out.

Ruffy clearly sells EFS so he has an interest in the product. I don't, so we are after different things in this thread, but the basic situation is that is you run down a product, (that some people are trying making a living out of selling) you need to be able to justify why. I think that OME and ARB sell great product, but if there's a problem or it doesn't suit my application, I'll try and explain how and why (like my position on Rancho shocks)

You've asserted that EFS shocks are crap, (fine, an opinion) and when pressed, the principle reason why they are crap is because their rear springs have too much lift, so the shocks are too short, but if the shocks were the right length for the springs, the shocks would be too long. you don't like the valving either. (Which is an opinion unless you have data from a dyno)

That makes perfect sense, except it doesn't seem that the shocks are the problem in that argument.

If you left it that they have crap valving (too soft/too harsh) that would have been enough IMHO

Steve.

PS on the face of what you've said, it sounds like EFS rear springs are ideal of someone who wants to de-rate the pack to end up with a flexy, long sierra rear pack- as you have experience with EFS springs, is that a fair assumption?

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:47 pm
by andy1517
jeez what have i started here.


So.....

I want to lift my zook and have failr comfy ride/

therefore what package do i buy.

Or do i buy springs and shocks from seperate suppliers.?

If so what is the ideal set up and take into account cost too.

I wouldnt want to spend more than 1500.

Ding Ding Ding...round 2 begins

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:58 pm
by Gwagensteve
OME.

Steve.

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 11:14 pm
by Santos
Gwagensteve wrote:OME.

Steve.
x2

both springs and shocks
-santos. :finger:

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:13 am
by grimbo
andy1517 wrote:jeez what have i started here.
a thread on suspension that has some very good tech in it which is great.

For me Old Man Emu as well. Had them in my LWB and they always performed well. Did have a momentarily lapse of reason and used Ride Pro springs once, they didn't last very long. Way too stiff for similar spec ie medium duty

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:11 pm
by joeblow
Gwagensteve wrote:Joe - you have lots of history and experience with suzukis - that's for sure, you can teach us all plenty. However, generally, you seem to want to do it all by PM's, or ask us to beg for it.

tech i usually leave for auszookers nowadays, pm's are not big on my list, and as far as begging goes i do enough of that to the missus. but if people do want particilar info feel free to pm me, and on occasions i actually invite people to my workshop so they can drive various combos.
Gwagensteve wrote:PS on the face of what you've said, it sounds like EFS rear springs are ideal of someone who wants to de-rate the pack to end up with a flexy, long sierra rear pack- as you have experience with EFS springs, is that a fair assumption?
yes, for a custom application they would be fine, just note de-rating them may give you 'flatter' shackle angle, which sometimes is not a bad thing.

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:25 pm
by Ruffy
Steve, firstly i would be disapointed if anyone thought was selling them a product just because i sell it. I base my business on informed, educated reasoning and sell the products i believe are best suited for the application.
I can't say i have the experience Joe has had with suzukis and i have only fitted 1 EFS kit which lifted the vehicle 60mm in the rear and 55mm in the front. the ride was deifnitely better after fitment and whilst it was acceptable for a suzuki, if it was my own car i would have de-rated the springs but i travel light and don't car if the car sags when loaded cos i don't travel loaded very often.
I have no experience with OME in sierra's so i wont comment.

Dan

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:34 pm
by Gwagensteve
I wasn't implying anything dodgy about your motivations Ruffy, but your interest in the opinions and experience with EFS would have to be motivated by the fact you offer it.

Steve.

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:56 pm
by Eff
I have EFS Springs and Shocks and the ride is very very hard....Have had em on the zook though for quite some time(about 4 years and +/- 30,000kms), with no real issues, no issues at all with the shocks.

I don't know a lot about suspension, but I would have expected a better, softer ride from the EFS........possibly a little better flex.

This may be relevant to this thread or not.....but from what I can decipher from my own experience and others opinions/experience's that the EFS springs are quite good but work well with another shock setup.

OME seem to be ultimately the better setup shocks/springs from the box providing you choose the right load springs you require.

To say they are a shit shock would be wrong, to say they are improperly matched to a zook spring kit, I would 'personally' have to agree.

Note. OME give the option of different spring ratings, the EFS at the time I purchased mine did not......this may still be correct?


Eff

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:52 pm
by Turbo Tonka
andy1517 i would say for the nice(ish) soft(ish) ride OME is a good choice.Have never had efs tho.I had a hardtop zuk with lovells 2" lift and gabrielle shoks years ago,was pretty good i thought allthough was a bit stiff and a bit pricey.Then had a soft top zuk on OME springs and some old ome shoks which was a pretty good ride i thought even with soft top.My hardtop i own now has OME springs again as i like them but with the cheap hilux/commodore setup and as the shocks arent suited its the worse riding one of the 3 cars i believe even with the added weight from exo etc so just choose a good shock to suit with whatever springs you run,hope it helps.OME is priced well with there springs atleast i reckon.WOW what a thread :armsup: :armsup:

matt

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:41 am
by Zute
I have EFS in my LWB Maruti. The springs are Good, but not perfect. The rear leaves are too long, but this was fixed by extending the shackles by 30mm. My two inch lifted springs was more like four inches over the old flat springs. Mine has a steel Bull Bar and winch and the rears often need to carry 500kgs of fire wood. And yet it still flexes well with a light load of about 100 kgs.
I don't have EFS shocks. I had OME shocks to start with and they where too short. They soon started loosing oil because they kept banging on the seals.
I now have longer Hi Ace super cheap shockies with extended bump stops.
These $30 shockies have preformed far better than I expected.

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:58 pm
by vitara guy
i have the iron man lift in my swb vitara front to shocks blow up and it rides like a peise of shit so bad hate it

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 4:00 pm
by grimbo
vitara guy wrote:i have the iron man lift in my swb vitara front to shocks blow up and it rides like a peise of shit so bad hate it
Vitaras are a completely different vehicle and suspension to what we are talking about