OME HD at 38" in front.....

I put in the OME this weekend and was quite surprised that with 265/70s came to 38" in the front.

That's with OME HD springs and struts up front with new spring seats and a 3/8" spacer on top. I also used the trick of putting the fork bolt through the strut as low as possible..... but I was only expecting about 36" total. The rear came out to 36 1/8" with OME HD springs only.

I'm quite surprised that the front came out so high, especially with the plow mount and front receiver that had bottomed out the stock springs in 2 years. Wasn't counting on explaining this much lift to my wife either, though, her only comment so far is that the front's higher than the rear.

So, for others that have done the same, how much settling can be expected over the first few days, weeks, months.......?

Some measurements:

Before Install (bottomed out stock springs in front), Stock Fortera 245 with 55k:

Front: 31 1/2", 17 1/2" center of hub to fender
Rear: 33 1/2", 19 3/4" center of hub to fender

After Install, stock Fortera 245s:

Front: 37", 23 3/8" center of hub to fender
Rear: 35 1/2, 21 3/4" center of hub to fender

With General Grabber AT2, 265/70-17:
Front: 38"
Rear: 36 1/8"

Your running a 3/8 spacer up front, so the front will sit higher than the rear. You should add a spacer to the rear now. The front might settle a little but nothing to crazy.

I thought the front spacer would help minimize the slope......but I may have overdone it. Now it slopes to the rear.

It has settled a little already after a day and a half and an alignment it is sitting at 37 1/2" on the driver side. The right side was 38 and change right after the tires went on, but I haven't remeasured yet......

However, I am quickly getting use to it and the only concern I have is that my wife has now fallen out twice..... that's 2 for 2.

Matt's rear spacers are on the way to help get the slope back in the right direction.

Good choice!!!

I'm not sure how I measured 37 1/2" after the alignment...... I checked again yesterday and both fronts were just a hair under 38" (if at all), 37 7/8" at the least.

Rear is sitting at 36 1/2" on both sides, after "settling".

I took new measurements after taking care of horrendous squeaking in both front bump stops (though I couldn't hear the right until fixing the left). A big gob of Vasoline spread on top of both have them nice and quiet now. Hopefully it stays that way.

I think I need to do this now!

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Originally Posted by thance

after taking care of horrendous squeaking in both front bump stops (though I couldn't hear the right until fixing the left). A big gob of Vasoline spread on top of both have them nice and quiet now. Hopefully it stays that way.

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I was dealing with that issue as well & used a lith spray, so far so good

Anyone know if the medium springs sit any lower? I look to be ordering soon and not wanting a reverse rake any more than the current rake.

I had MD rear springs installed for a few days. Didnt like them because they didnt provide enough lift so I swapped them out for the HD's and gained almost an inch in the rear. I had HD coils up front already and thought I'd be fine with the MD's in the rear cause I took out my third row seats. I was wrong

Pictures came out not so good...

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Anybody know how to take good photos with a Droid 4?

get a digital camera :P

I have a digital camara...... imbedded in the phone!

It's no Nikon D70 or even a Coolpix for that matter.

Do you have a case that covers the lens? If not, try cleaning the lens. Every picture I post is from my phone (Galaxy S and now the S3). They automatically load to dropbox the I upload them to photobucket when im on my computer.

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Yea, that's about how mine looks as far as height in the front. I'll try to post up some pics since I just installed my snorkel last weekend.

I added Monroe Load Levelers in the back to bring it up an inch to 37 1/2. I had also planned on adding Matt's spacer, but there is a problem......... it barely squeaks through the garage now.....

What does that black triangular bubble that sticks up on the back center of the roof do? And can I remove it before the garage does? It might make a mess when it does it.

Also, I might be higher in the front due to not cranking the strut bolt all the way down on the spring until it bottomed out. What are the implications of this? maybe it is causing clunking in the front end when going over bumps and additional height (who wants that!)

Also what is the best way to tighten that nut once the struts are in place? I used tin shears to increase access through the fender tower but the shaft spins with the nut. If i grab it from below with vise grips it may mark up the shaft and create leaks in the seal, no??????

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Originally Posted by thance

I added Monroe Load Levelers in the back to bring it up an inch to 37 1/2. I had also planned on adding Matt's spacer, but there is a problem......... it barely squeaks through the garage now.....

What does that black triangular bubble that sticks up on the back center of the roof do? And can I remove it before the garage does? It might make a mess when it does it.

Also, I might be higher in the front due to not cranking the strut bolt all the way down on the spring until it bottomed out. What are the implications of this? maybe it is causing clunking in the front end when going over bumps and additional height (who wants that!)

Also what is the best way to tighten that nut once the struts are in place? I used tin shears to increase access through the fender tower but the shaft spins with the nut. If i grab it from below with vise grips it may mark up the shaft and create leaks in the seal, no??????

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Anybody????

Also, what do the front and rear fender heights come out to with an unmodified SL?

That black piece is the satellite radio antenna. How low is your garage opening? ? I barely fit in mine but I have a roof rack.

Your front end noise is definitely the strut nut being loose. You can install spring compressors to take some preload off the mount and use a coordless impact to turn the nut.

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Originally Posted by Matt

That black piece is the satellite radio antenna. How low is your garage opening? ? I barely fit in mine but I have a roof rack.

Your front end noise is definitely the strut nut being loose. You can install spring compressors to take some preload off the mount and use a coordless impact to turn the nut.

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The garage door is the same height as the satellite antenna, maybe a smidge less as it squeezes through.

I will have to see if it can be easily removed without making or leaving a mess as I don't use it.

I wonder if cranking the strut nuts down will reduce my lift in the front... I guess I will be finding out.

It probably will.... hell you might bring it down 1/2"

wouldn't jacking up the lower A-arm reduce the preload better than the spring compressor? or am I missing something?

My spring compressors that I used when installing are the same one's in your picture of what not to use. They worked fine but I was certainly on edge during the process.

On a side not, those were too big for my wife's Libby (KJ), so I had to buy a cheaper autozone set that kept on snapping around and bumping into each other.... never came off, but quite alarming and you have to start over each time as the spring is bent in a U.

You'd put them on with the strut in the car, jack up the lca to compress the spring as much as possible and then use the compressors for more. That'll get a lot of the preload off

Just jacking up from the lca doesnt get much of the preload because you just lift the vehicle.

Who was it that mentioned cleaning the lint off the lense? Genius, pure genius!
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I tightened down the top center strut nut as tight as I could get it using the socket within a socket technique.... 8mm socket on a 1/4" drive inside an 18mm sparkplug socket with a wrench on it. I think it's all the way down now, it seemed to come to a stop before the 18mm slipped off. We should change the original instruction sheet on installing the OME as it states to only pull that nut down a 1/4 inch leaving 4 or 5 threads on top.

It drives over pot holes much better now (lot's of those in jersey this time of year) only banging hard on the occasional disaster. It was smacking hard on nearly all pot holes previously and I was avoiding them like the plague, though often it is impossible.

Matt - you had asked a while back about downward travel.... When I lift up the front, center of hub to fender is 24". With it back on the ground it is about 22 3/4" leaving only slightly over an inch of downward travel. However, after lifting it up and setting it back down I am at 38" (ground to fender) in the front (even after bouncing up and down on the bumper). this seems to lower to 37 1/2" after some driving (unless the discrepancy is coming from something else) which would mean 22 1/4" once it settles and 1 3/4" down travel. .....either way it's not much!

Your truck looks great thance! I'm even more excited about mine after viewing your photos.

Thanks Joe! I thought I had overdone it at first, but am quickly growing use to it. I have how-to's on the rear tow rings and seudo-sliders as well as the front plow-mount and receiver somewhere, possibly over on jeepcommander.com. I should start up a garage thread someday and get everything together... someday.

Thance, I couldn't find your rear tow ring write up on this site or jeepcommander.com. I am very interested in doing this to gain better rear tow points, if you could post up a how-to it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Ross

Those look like 4xGuard rear sliders.

They are not 4xGuard, though similar, I did them from scratch.

This is going from memory, but I bought 2 pieces of 3/16" steel 2"x36".
I cut them in half giving me 4 18" long pieces.
Cut a slope on the back bottom edge, so they tapered up a little bit in the rear making the rear edge 1 1/2 - 1 3/4".
Drilled 2 7/16" holes through each one to bolt into the rear sub frame.
Drilled matching holes through the sub frame.
Drilled a very large hole through the rear of each piece where the shackle connects.
Bolted it all together.

Cost about $14 in steel and another few for the shackles and bolts.

Here are some pics of the rear shackle mounts:

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Realized how scruffy they looked and applied some nice new flat black Rustolium:

Attachment 1911

Oh, and the reason I had a few minutes to take the pics and slap some paint on was because I was doing the pinch weld mod:

Attachment 1912

I was able to use tin shears on the gas tank skid mod and opening the holes in the top of the strut tower, but not here. Needed to pull out the neumatic cutoff wheel and could do one cut between compressor fill-ups. Make a cut, tap over the flap with a sledge, rinse and repeat. Used Rustoleum textured silver to cover over the damage when finished. That pinch weld is thick!

Now no rubbing up front. What a difference! I hoped with 3" of lift in the front 265/70-17 would fit without the mod, but no. This was really bad in the rain as well. All better now.

I also tightened up the nuts on the upper ball joints. While pounding different suspension parts with the side of my fist I found a clunk when hitting the upper control arm. These need to be tight and the ride is now much quieter and smoother over pot holes and the like.

To anyone changing out springs and struts up front, I would say: Make sure you get the top strut nut tight as well as the upper ball joint. I had lots of noise from both placed initially.

Thanks for the pics of the rear tow ring setup!

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Originally Posted by Knappster

I think I need to do this now!

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You should!

I understand The Steel Armadillo could get you a great rate on OME and ship right to your door step:D

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Originally Posted by psycho787

Thanks for the pics of the rear tow ring setup!

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It looks much better with the fresh coat of paint, but unfortunately those pics didn't come out so well..... black on black in a shadow never works well for me.

Rust on black is much crisper.