possibly demoing a set of lift springs, worth it?

[paroxysym]

so i got asked if i wanted to demo a set of lift springs from a pretty popular company that does lowering springs. however, im wondering if they will be worth keeping or even having them make. after talking with the company, all they will do is add coils to a stock spring till the height im interested in is obtained. so it will have the same spring rate as a stock spring just more coils, im not quite sure what that will mean as far as ride quality, handling, etc...

im looking at upgrading to the OME kit soon, so im wondering how a spring in the 3" range with stock spring rate will be compared to a set of OME springs? also i dont know what shocks i would run with them, i have a set of bilsteins right now but they wouldnt be long enough with the 3" coils... so what shocks would you upgrade to? i know OME shocks are best with OME coils.

thanks for the help guys.

[Matt]

what they would be doing is equivalent to running a spacer on the rear springs.

for the front it would be like putting a preload spacer in the strut assembly... its the same thing as fitting a taller spring in the same space (the preload spacer is just making the stock spring fit in a smaller space).

ride quality will be a bit stiffer in front due to the change in dynamics (force at suspension position will be different due to preload), but you wont have any increased carrying capacity over the stock springs.

a slightly higher spring rate in combination with a taller spring would be better IMO.

[Matt]

also, you should be able to use you bilstein struts.... I'm going to confirm this when they arrive, but I'm pretty sure the OME aren't really "longer" as a lot of people claim.... I think that's a bit of marketing there that has been misunderstood. There are others who claim the benefit of the OME struts is they prevent over extension of the suspension. ... so which is it? it can't be both, they're either longer or not. From pictures I've seen, they don't look any longer than stock either.

I've been waiting for almost a month now for mine to come, but I'll answer those questions in detail when they arrive And I install them.

[paroxysym]

im just torn between getting a set of free 3" springs... theyll need my WK for a week, which i dont like that lol

[Matt]

have them get you a sweet rental for a week and do it..... no money out of pocket, right? worst case if you don't like it then you can always swap them out later

[paroxysym]

meh true.. but i just found a sweet price on the OME kit so now im debating ponying up the coin for the OME and saying screw the idea of the demo springs. if they keep the same spring rate in the rear springs and just add coils, wont it be pretty soft in the rear under a load? whereas the higher spring rate of the HD springs by OME wont sag under load?

[LWM]

theyll need my WK for a week, which i dont like that lol

I have donated my Commander a couple of times and always came out ahead. If it is a reputable shop I would not be concerned, but AiRaid did provide me a loaner and I offer one when I borrow test vehicles as well.

[paroxysym]

I have donated my Commander a couple of times and always came out ahead. If it is a reputable shop I would not be concerned, but AiRaid did provide me a loaner and I offer one when I borrow test vehicles as well.

well im out of town in 2 weeks for business so it wouldnt be too much of a concern to me. are the reputable? yes. well at least from what i can tell they are, id be willing to tell you through PM who the company is. i dont want to start telling everyone they are making lift springs if they are still in the stages of testing a set.

[Matt]

yes, the OME HD will sag much less under load than a spring with stock spring rate.

but you could always get the Monroe Load Leveler shocks for the rear to help with that. they're only $95 for the pair.