Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi guys

Need some opinions for my future suspension set up (yes Dewse, I keep changing my mind LOL! SPOA is too much work & not really what i need right now... Coil conversion would be nice, but pipe dream)

As yet, I haven't found anyone who has Rockcrawler springs/Rancho Shocks combo (and not much came up with searching - results won't load past page 1) plus I'll also have Climax drop shackles at the rear and extended shackles in front to match the DS length, which will give a bit more height to clear 235's on 15x7 alloys (no offset! Might need spacers)

Ok, RockCrawler 2" Springs (Malaysian Made/'SUP 9' - softer grade steel over BHP steel, apparantly) Too soft?? Compared to OME's anyone got any differing opinions on these?

I do want a softer ride to soak up bumps as a DD, but Im also bit of a mad nutter when i get behind the wheel of the zook (so says my boyfriend) and I love to drive hard and scare the crap out of him (payback!) He thinks i should keep the current solid suspension because its less likely to roll and is ok for motorcross style driving LMAO!

So onto my next Q about the adjustable Rancho 9000's....
Apparantly they work well with these RC springs, and being adjustable I can make them as soft as it goes (or setting 3 as others have suggested) But if by chance these springs are too soft (i found one post on here that the Malay made springs slumped 40mm on drivers side, just by being IN the car... but i don't know the shocks they used, yet)
So what I'd like to know here is will the harder settings on the Rancho's compensate for the possiblity of the springs being 'too soft' and will they be able to stiffen the ride when i go into my mad rally driving modes? I really dont want to be rolling my zook.

Maybe I dont need the drop shackles, just extended (?) but Im sure they'll be useful for my offroading around the back beaches & forests.

Prices for RC springs - $538 for the lot, Rancho's $792
All up kit including U'bolts & RC bushes $1566, plus a nice set of Narva's thrown in, plus free shipping from 4WD1. The guy's not overly friendly on phone but straight talking about the product.

I just want some feedback from others if possible, or if its worth forking out for with just the information I've researched on the manufacturers/resellers websites?


Thanks heaps, anyone???!!!

i beleive there is too types of RC springs cheap and dear but have yet to see any with different prices??? I also belive that for 1500 or so bobs you can get OME springs and Shockies FITTED !!! Anyone clarify this??? but from what people say here OME is the way too go.

small talk.

small talk wrote:i beleive there is too types of RC springs cheap and dear but have yet to see any with different prices??? I also belive that for 1500 or so bobs you can get OME springs and Shockies FITTED !!! Anyone clarify this??? but from what people say here OME is the way too go.

small talk.

I PM'd crankycruiser about your post on Lovells springs regarding the Rock Crawlers and found out the other ones they got were Tough Dogs (another option i was looking at) but only 35mm of lift. They can make custom 2" springs, but probably cost more. The Tough Dogs are $155 each. I'll be chasing prices for the OME springs tomorrow The OME shocks are non adjustable and cost as much as Rancho's so.... I like the idea of adjustability for different terrain and weight in the car.......

The shocks to suit the OME springs are only $83 each.

I wouldn't bother with Ranchos as they are good for a very custom setup but you wont need the adjustability of the shock.

I would be getting Old man Emu springs and shocks. The springs are great on the Sierra and not bothering with the Climax shackles at all

grimbo wrote:I wouldn't bother with Ranchos as they are good for a very custom setup but you wont need the adjustability of the shock.

I would be getting Old man Emu springs and shocks. The springs are great on the Sierra and not bothering with the Climax shackles at all

Agree with this, OME are biased towards comfort as well.

Mudzuki wrote:

grimbo wrote:I wouldn't bother with Ranchos as they are good for a very custom setup but you wont need the adjustability of the shock.

I would be getting Old man Emu springs and shocks. The springs are great on the Sierra and not bothering with the Climax shackles at all

Agree with this, OME are biased towards comfort as well.

How about lift to clear 235/75 (around 30") tyres?
(meaning is it recommended to get ext. shackles as well as 2" lifted spring)

Cheers

2" should be fine.

cheers

Suzuki Surf Chik wrote:

Mudzuki wrote:

grimbo wrote:I wouldn't bother with Ranchos as they are good for a very custom setup but you wont need the adjustability of the shock.

I would be getting Old man Emu springs and shocks. The springs are great on the Sierra and not bothering with the Climax shackles at all

Agree with this, OME are biased towards comfort as well.

How about lift to clear 235/75 (around 30") tyres?
(meaning is it recommended to get ext. shackles as well as 2" lifted spring)

Cheers

235's will fit on stock suspension with some cosmetic trimming @ the back of the front bumper bracket. (need to take a smallish triangle of the bottom of the bracket)

Took me about 5 mins to do both sides with a hacksaw

Agree with the Rancho comment I got some that are designed for a twin shock application... and I still don't move the adjuster off it's softest setting

love_mud wrote:235's will fit on stock suspension with some cosmetic trimming @ the back of the front bumper bracket. (need to take a smallish triangle of the bottom of the bracket)

Took me about 5 mins to do both sides with a hacksaw

ok, but how much rubbing do you get? I do want a bit of clearance! I have 215's on at the 'mo and they're hitting on something. My front bumper will be coming off as its been pushed forward anyway and replaced with a bull bar when i get the coin My side steps will also come off in place of some custom slider steps which I'll try to design some day...

Mike, the rancho's you have on the softest setting be similar to the straight out softness of OME's? Are they the sierra model rancho RS 99119's?


Thanks for info guys

Suzuki Surf Chik wrote:

love_mud wrote:235's will fit on stock suspension with some cosmetic trimming @ the back of the front bumper bracket. (need to take a smallish triangle of the bottom of the bracket)

Took me about 5 mins to do both sides with a hacksaw

ok, but how much rubbing do you get? I do want a bit of clearance! I have 215's on at the 'mo and they're hitting on something. My front bumper will be coming off as its been pushed forward anyway and replaced with a bull bar when i get the coin My side steps will also come off in place of some custom slider steps which I'll try to design some day...

Mike, the rancho's you have on the softest setting be similar to the straight out softness of OME's? Are they the sierra model rancho RS 99119's?


Thanks for info guys

None ,,, and I wheeled it stoopif on em 92 widetrack . the only time they rubbed the wheel bearings were stuffed ( I mean ready to collapse stuffed)

Unless ther bumpstops are made bigger the axle will still hit the bumpstop juast as it does with the stock springs .. SO if you running a 26 or a 36 makes no diffrence once you start wheeling ( as far as axle to bumpstp clearance is concerned)

you could do ghetto and try dobbinsons springs for around $350 a set (of4) and some cheapo gabriel shocks from various models and make your own shackles and you could spend as little as hmm $500?
for my 1500, id stretch the chassis, spread the diffs, and still fit ghetto springs and shocks. hmm then id still have money for a bling paintjob and a stezza
sik.

munga wrote:you could do ghetto and try dobbinsons springs for around $350 a set (of4) and some cheapo gabriel shocks from various models and make your own shackles and you could spend as little as hmm $500?
for my 1500, id stretch the chassis, spread the diffs, and still fit ghetto springs and shocks. hmm then id still have money for a bling paintjob and a stezza
sik.

Hmmm.. money's not that much of an issue... Just don't want to blow it on products that have been talked up & then find out that its nothing like I was expecting... or god forbid the same set up as I have now LOL!

LoveMud - won't 36" (as opposed to 26") tyres block stock suspension from functioning properly by taking up the whole wheel arch area?! I understand what you're saying about axle to bumpstop clearance but I'm not sure about 36" on stock suspension! I do want some clearance between tyres & arch guards as I don't want tyres inhibiting the movement of the suspension or jamming on full lock etc... (??) Well maybe Im not on the same wavelength!! ..... I dunno

In any case, I now have a bit more info so I will decide on what to get soon

Thanks

Oh dear don't put 36" tyres on stock suspension ...... or gearing ..... or axles ..... It wouldn't physically fit anyway 36" is a big tyre

I'd go the OME stuff for your application. Proven, value and no real modification required 2" lift will be heaps for 235 tyres.

Oh yeah avoid drop shackles... they're a gimmick. I had two types on my zook in the past and they were as bad as each other Well sorted conventional suspension is far better..... unless you only drive ramps

i think love_mud is saying the tyre size has no bearing on the bumpstop to axle distance.

Suzuki Surf Chik wrote:

Mudzuki wrote:

grimbo wrote:I wouldn't bother with Ranchos as they are good for a very custom setup but you wont need the adjustability of the shock.

I would be getting Old man Emu springs and shocks. The springs are great on the Sierra and not bothering with the Climax shackles at all

Agree with this, OME are biased towards comfort as well.

How about lift to clear 235/75 (around 30") tyres?
(meaning is it recommended to get ext. shackles as well as 2" lifted spring)

Cheers

ive got 235/75 r15's and they are 29's, you can see a big diff between them and true 30's, but then i guess that depends on brand and style aswell ahh well this post has no point

-Mick- wrote:Oh dear don't put 36" tyres on stock suspension ...... or gearing ..... or axles ..... It wouldn't physically fit anyway 36" is a big tyre

I'd go the OME stuff for your application. Proven, value and no real modification required 2" lift will be heaps for 235 tyres.

Oh yeah avoid drop shackles... they're a gimmick. I had two types on my zook in the past and they were as bad as each other Well sorted conventional suspension is far better..... unless you only drive ramps

No, I have no intentions of putting 36" tyres on any kind of suspension unless I want to spend bucket loads on engine/gearbox etc you know the drill. Im not a rockcrawler.

I understand love_muds point but was not what I was asking initially.... it was about tyre clearance and tyres rubbing on the inside and what suspension will well clear the tyres im putting on it (which I know now will be fine for 235's....for now!) And yes spamwell it does depend on tyre brand! Im getting BFG ATs, haven't seen them physically yet but I'm told they're close to 30", either way 29"-30" not a lot of difference really..... And yeah your post has a point, to other ppl researching the same topic may not know that different brands with the same dimensions can vary quite a lot

Re drop shackles they were on my sisters zook that we bought not long ago.... they were on stock suspension! I have no idea if they worked that well, or what type of driving they did but Im going to put them on mine just 'cos I can and if they are crap then I didnt waste my money because I got them for nothing

agree with you mick, a well sorted suspension set up is what I want and the OME's sound well voted.... I think I'll go for them

Cheers,

Jo



PS ramps are for jumping over LMAO!

dobbinsons springs are half the price, and just as good apparently.
but then, $25 dunlop volleys do the same job as $250 nike shox, yet fat ppl will still buy $250 nike shox to sit on the couch and play ps2.
not saying you're a couch sitter, but i dunno if theyre worth double a set of dobbinsons..
has anyone else got something good to say about dobbinsons springs?

munga wrote:dobbinsons springs are half the price, and just as good apparently.
but then, $25 dunlop volleys do the same job as $250 nike shox, yet fat ppl will still buy $250 nike shox to sit on the couch and play ps2.
not saying you're a couch sitter, but i dunno if theyre worth double a set of dobbinsons..
has anyone else got something good to say about dobbinsons springs?

LMAO! good analogy.... But how long have Dobbinson's been in the industry? (edit: 1953! thats long enough )If they're more a a generic brand and do exactly the same job as OME's for half the price then it would be worth a look - but I have only heard a little bit about them so I will do some more net surfing. Going by what most ppl have said so far about OME's they have the majority of good feedback and the reputation is there... plus quite a few zook owners recommend them for comfort, I assume they are work well, performance-wise.......

I don't care if its dunlop volley or nike air, as long as it does its job properly! I pay good money for stuff that works .... which is why Im glad I paid bugger all for my existing suspension set up

munga wrote:dobbinsons springs are half the price, and just as good apparently.
but then, $25 dunlop volleys do the same job as $250 nike shox, yet fat ppl will still buy $250 nike shox to sit on the couch and play ps2.
not saying you're a couch sitter, but i dunno if theyre worth double a set of dobbinsons..
has anyone else got something good to say about dobbinsons springs?

has anyone else got something good to say about dobbinsons springs?

No i dont but ive got sumthing to say about so called enforcer springs !!!!!!!! went to pick up my set yesterday and braught them home remover my stock springs and compared and the so called 2in lifted enforcer springs were 1in lower than my ones!!!!!!! wasnt forking happy and the bushing kit i got (same brand) missing two bushes!!! another thing i wasnt happy about, i took them back imediatly and got my money back, cost was 100 ea springs and 30 for the bush kit. i thort cheap and stiff i know but at least they would be lifted. never again

small talk.

small talk wrote:

has anyone else got something good to say about dobbinsons springs?

No i dont but ive got sumthing to say about so called enforcer springs !!!!!!!! went to pick up my set yesterday and braught them home remover my stock springs and compared and the so called 2in lifted enforcer springs were 1in lower than my ones!!!!!!! wasnt forking happy and the bushing kit i got (same brand) missing two bushes!!! another thing i wasnt happy about, i took them back imediatly and got my money back, cost was 100 ea springs and 30 for the bush kit. i thort cheap and stiff i know but at least they would be lifted. never again

small talk.

LOL! Um, Enforcer springs are made by Carrolls.... the super stiff, unflexy bastard type that I have got on mine right now. Although I definitely have the 2" lift, i've never been that happy with them... Hence my extensive researching for a better set up

PS Dont get those Fireflex Big Bore/(rebadged) Enforcer Shocks either

SSC sorry I haven’t got onto this thread earlier. I used to run 235/75’s before with no lift. Just make sure you round the lips that might cut the tire up.

As for spring’s I can only recommend OME, they are fantastic! I will be using them again on my next zook.

I would not use lovel simply because they have reverse eye let’s meaning more arch (stiffness) to achieve the same height.

some pic's

DeWsE wrote:SSC sorry I haven’t got onto this thread earlier. I used to run 235/75’s before with no lift. Just make sure you round the lips that might cut the tire up.

As for spring’s I can only recommend OME, they are fantastic! I will be using them again on my next zook.

I would not use lovel simply because they have reverse eye let’s meaning more arch (stiffness) to achieve the same height.

Hey Dewseman!!!!

Cheers for the pics & advice on the tyres (you do mean those inner guards with the thin lip that cut?) I will deal with that problem well before i fit the BFG's

Yeah, I am definitely convinced about the OME springs (this would be the medium grade 2" spring) and longer shocks. Still favouring adjustable Rancho's in case I wanted to customise later down the track...

I went to my local ARB dealer for a complete quote on an OME kit (just 'cos) and i think he made a mistake for the rears - $394 each!! All up fitted they want over $2000 ... i dont think so. I'll be getting my OME gear through someone else, a lot cheaper.

Lovell's sound crap and i wasn't considering them just saw someone elses post and some other info that was in the thread

LaterZ




PS so when you getting aonther zook??!!

Hey SSC, I think you would be better off with the standard rate OME spring, otherwise it’s likely they will sag. From memory I paid 200 each rear X 4 = 800 and for the shocks 140 each… this was a lot more then you should be paying.

I’ll be getting a zook very shortly. I already the tires ready to bolt on and some suspension stuff.

DeWsE wrote:Hey SSC, I think you would be better off with the standard rate OME spring, otherwise it’s likely they will sag. From memory I paid 200 each rear X 4 = 800 and for the shocks 140 each… this was a lot more then you should be paying.

I’ll be getting a zook very shortly. I already the tires ready to bolt on and some suspension stuff.

I'm hoping that the standard rate OME (2") springs are still softer than the carrolls (2") springs ...?? over time these springs have gone driver side down slightly, and they ARE stiff! Not totally sagged though.

I'll take the big bore shocks out and take it for a drive, see if it's actually the shock more than the spring thats not doing its job properly. Then as I intended to do first up just replace the shocks and go from there.

So what's been happening with your old zook ? guess I should go to the buildup page and see what's new !!

The old zook is moving along slowly. Diffs and rims are finished are here. Tires arrive on the 23rd. I’ll be working on cage and stuff this weekend.

The new zook should be coming soon. Will buy a soft top most probably and just run my 29’s till I decide what next. Most probably going to get lockers first instead of building everything else first.

If springs sag which they will change the configuration around and even them out. The “fat bastard leanâ€