Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Seeing as there wasn't much interest in my wanted ad recently, I wonder if I can drum up some comments on leaf springs here.

I'm looking at getting 2" lifted leaf springs all round on my MQ this week, and want to make sure I'm getting half decent stuff. Basically, the two cheapest options I've found are:

Old Man Emu "Dakar" ~$750
Fireflex Enforcer $760

Anyone have any comments on either of these brands (or in fact, whether brand matters)? Note that Old Man Emu have their normal range as well, but they were about twice as much. Any ideas on whether this "Dakar" range is that much worse?

I put enforcer soft riders under my 40 series cruiser and love em...

OLD MAN EMU are crap, had a mate break 2 springs doin easy shit

Old Man Emu are fantastic i have had them under my Suzi for about 7 years and reckon they are awesome they have only recently lost their arch. i bouht them 2nd hand so who knows the actual age of them. They are built more for comfort and ride quality than out and out flex.

So what was your mate doing, what car, how was it set up? More info is probably needed than he broke them doin easy shit

Big Red Toy wrote:OLD MAN EMU are crap, had a mate break 2 springs doin easy shit

First time I've ever heard a bad thing said about OME. I can't compare leafs, but the OME coils under my Rangie are awesome; very soft and comfy, very flexy, but not too tippy at all...

a mate runs fireflex on his mk ute and i have kings both seem vry similar and both are good in the hard stuff never had probs

OME ARE SHIAT!!! I got some OME leaf springs in october last year and it only took six months for the front ones to crap out and invert. Got them reset but they are still farked. Plus they are really stiff! And bought the softest ones they said they had.

Ha, knew that would be the case - I'm none the wiser! Thanks for the comments though, it is nice to hear some first hand experience stories at least.

I was leaning towards the OME, because I liked the idea of the friction pads they have, they were a smidgen cheaper, and I have some respect for the brand (just casual observations on mailing lists and things + aussie + 4wd specific). But now I think I'll go for the Enforcers - about the same price, good known brand, not a "budget" line, and here's the thing which is swaying me - the shop is about 20 mins closer, and I'm running low on petrol money

I'd really like to get close to the full shock length of flex out of them if possible. I notice the enforcers have "graphite coating" which is supposed to reduce friction, and also "bolt type alignment clips". I guess the bolt types would be fractionally easier to modify... maybe. But then, I'm sure my warrantee would be up the creek if I were to start playing with that sort of thing!

Going to make *the* phone call tomorrow... my tyres phone call was a nervous moment, and although they were twice the price, I actually had a small cash reserve at that time...

i have enforcers under my 60 have been happy with them, however my mate has an awesome leave set up under his 60 was done from straight talk at blacktown, it flexes really good.

MQ080 had enforces under his mq, the rear flexed alright but had sagged heaps, the fronts were set wrong and he had a huge lift but they didnt really flex, pm him im sure he will give you a decent response about how he found them

a mate of mine has ome's on his mq and it flexes really good. better than my lux with ome's. the limiting thing on my lux's omes is the shocks

I have always run OME where avialable and believe tham to be the best off the shelf springs available.

However, I have recently set up LJXtreem's car with Enforcer MK Front springs (three leafs per pack) all round and they are nice and soft and holding their arch well.

Just becuse someone can break something doesn't mean it is crap, it could be that that owner is either a)abusive c)using the part incorrectly d)is generally p1ssed of about his car, or there was a particular problem with that part. If the spring broke two weeks after installation, then it will be a warranty claim no worries. We were buying OME shocks in the early 90's when they were having heaps of problems with seals letting go, and they were always replaced under warranty.

We have flattened/twisted bent plenty of OME springs, but running sierras on up to 36's with only three leaves will do that. We have broken/bent Ranchos, etcetcetc and I would still recommend these products.

Although it might look like the shocks are limiting the OME springs, generally, once longer shocks are installed, spring life will be reduced due to the increased torsional load on the compressed spring due to the incresed droop onthe drooped side. Likewise, increased shackle length will overcompress them. I set up cars that do both of these things all the time, but you can't expect to overwork a soft spring and get years of service out of it.

I went with the Enforcers, and am very happy so far (and I haven't put them on the car yet!). The lads at All Fourx4 Spares were great and the final price very Handy having one of the staff on here and into the Outerlimits scene himself.

Work starts tomorrow morning - I'm very excited

Heathx4 wrote:I went with the Enforcers, and am very happy so far (and I haven't put them on the car yet!). The lads at All Fourx4 Spares were great and the final price very Handy having one of the staff on here and into the Outerlimits scene himself.

Work starts tomorrow morning - I'm very excited

get them in there heath, u gotta have it all ready for the weekend!!

The guys at All4x4 are great. Replaced my enforcers when they stuffed up

The guys at All4x4 are great. Replaced my enforcers when they stuffed up

SO they all stuff up hey,,

Bazzle

Funny what you read here. I've had OME springs in the 60 for 12 years with no dramas at all. Done lots of 'hard stuff' as well as Simpson desert and the infamous Cape york corrugations. If they bend or' stuff up' there is something else happening that you're not being told about

bazzle wrote:The guys at All4x4 are great. Replaced my enforcers when they stuffed up

SO they all stuff up hey,,

Bazzle

My drivers side spring bent like a W and they where only too happy to arrange replacement. Turned out that with 2" springs and 2 1/2" extended shackles the front torque bar was maxed out and stopping down-flex on the spring at all.



So my main point is that these guys are great and never questioned me and the replacement springs are great and haven't failed yet

OME are shitty cheap imports with crappy steel from India, the bastards bring em in for about $20 and sell em for $300.

Bought new ones for the front and they now look like a W shape, and that was about 2 weeks after putting em in, asked the idiots at the local ARB OME dealer in Wollongong, and their comment was that was how they went on a hilux, the stupid bastard at there workshop blamed it on my spring wedges, but how come they didn't do this with other springs.

Stay away from OME (Obviously some bias there from a bad experience)