My interest is Overlanding and off-roading, not rock crawling, so for me OEM is perfect, I'm using OME shocks all around, SPC upper controls arms, and ARB 700 lbs springs. I can almost echo all of your comments word for word. I was concerned about the tougher springs before I put them on, but now that I have them I would be worried if I went with the softer ones. The front rides well and the back doesn't sag when I have a lot of cargo. On the highway, my sequoia is a smooth ride, on the trails it handles great. I'm a shade tree mechanic not a pro by any means, I considered doing the installation myself, but when the time came it seemed very daunting . compressing the springs, getting all of the bushings in place... and in the end, you still need to take it in for an alignment so I took it in and had a shop do it. OME is a solid decision in my opinion.
I am getting OME 3” medium load for my 4runner with the KDSS, getting SPC UCA as well. I was thinking do it myself with my buddies, but no one is pro and doesn’t come with warranty, so yeah I am doing at a shop too 😂😂😂
I have the OME kit on my 09' 4Runner, and I agree with you. Very reliable, but a little unconfortable or 'hard' (compared to the stock ride quality). You get used to it over the time, and overall, I'm very happy with the kit.
i put the OME 2.5" full suspension on my 2011 Taco Run heavy duty spring on front with ARB bumper and winch. Medium duty leaf pack in back . I ran a standard topper on it . Got 177,000 miles out of this Suspension. I'm keeping my truck and redoing the whole suspension again the same way. Incredible ride quality
Im a 2008 toyota land cruiser 90 series owner and installed OME 2.5” as soon as I took it out of the dealer. Beat the hell out of it. Who ever sends hate to this suspension its a completely ignorant. And I said this with an immense respect.
Sequoia owner here, went with Dobinsons IMS 2.75" lift setup from first gen off road and I've been happy. I will say the mix and match tactics of the Sequoia platform seem to lead to a lot more trial and error when it comes to really dialing in the ride. Even after buying a "kit" from first gen off-road I found that I had to call Dobinsons direct for advice on adjusting everything and for some reason it's very difficult to find some important specs on springs like rates and free height without calling. Over all I'd say our platform suffers from lack of dedicated engineering ride/performance optimization that the more popular Toyota platforms get.
I've used old man emu suspension on our 80 series for years. I race quads cross country and used the fj80 as a chase truck. I used id on some rough trails . I love it
I had the OME nitrocharge medium duty kit on toyota tacoma off-road 2019 and I happy with them. A little bumpier on road but runs like oem or better. It is a truck pals.
Ive had 3 generations of 4runners with OME lifts and I swear by them. People generally find their rides stiff because they choose the stiffer OME options. Usually you can find a softer/stiffer version for each vehicle so just do your research and choose the softer options. I find the rides are very comfortable. The products are reliable and have good longevity. Very little settling as well. Each 4runner I had for 4-5 years and found virtually no change in the suspension.
I run a Dobinsons 2inch spring lift on a Ford Ranger 2019 and what you describe with Old Mans EMU setup is exactly how the ride feels with Dobinsons. I guess over time the ride will soften - lve been told its best to upgrade to adjustable damping. Coming to this channel has helped me understand that most of the simple lift suspension have their limitations with the budget managed
I was torn between OME and Dobinson talked to Josh over at 1st gen offroad told him my needs. He set up a dobinson kit for my Sequoia and LOVE it. Would highly recommend Dobinson.
Thanks for your video. Your honest review is of great help to me in purchasing the right kit for my Nissan Navara (Frontier in US). Greetings from Italy
I just put OME Medium 2.5" kit on my 2016 TRD offroad tacoma, installed it myself, along with new upper control arms. I've always used OME on my old landcruisers too, always good value and performance. Love it, my tacoma did 134k miles on the stock suspension and had gotten pretty mushy. New OME feels great, don't do a lot of offroading but I haul heavy loads (hay, camper, lumber etc) so the stiffer suspension keeps me from riding the bump stops
I’ve had my OME suspension in my Grand Cherokee since 2017 and so far its been good. I never any issues with it and will probably buy the same suspension for my upcoming Tacoma. Thanks for this awesome review!
I love my OME. It feels a little stiff compared to other set ups I have had, but I got the medium weight rated set up which makes it feel stiff but good to have as I save up money and add weight: platform, roof rack, bumpers, etc. I think putting more weight on my 2nd gen Tacoma will soften the ride a bit especially on washboards but it’s not bad at all by any means and you get used to it. I try to go 40mph+ minimum on washboards lol that fixes the problem for me! Awesome suspension
4th gen 4Runner owner here. I got my OME lift kit last year during Black Friday: 885/898 shocks with the soft option nitrochargers. I have these with 285/70/17 Falken Wildpeak AT3s at about 35 PSI. On my daily driver, this setup has been stiff, but only because I chose the medium duty options for armor upgrades in the future (this Black Friday lol). Without any added weight, the suspension isn’t too bad in my opinion. Once I add more weight, I feel like it’ll really smoothen out.
Good stuff, I used OME springs for my lift w 5100 shocks on my 4Runner. Really happy w the ride. A little raked w the back higher, but once I add drawers or a rear bumper that’ll be fixed
Just picked up some OME front strut assemblies here today. I have a 98 4runner that had spacers when I bought it front and rear and it was pretty bad. I went with some land cruise springs and shocks in the rear and it was making it abundantly clear that the front was pretty clapped (Monroe quick struts with some kind of spacer lift) and that spacers just suck for doing anything but mall crawling, and really even suck for that because it's a dog crap road ride. Can't wait to slap em on, hopefully tonight if I can get a buddy over for the help (and his impact).
Old man Emu suspension with SP51 shocks. Very stiff although have not adjusted the shocks.They were factory set. Better cornering but not the smooth ride as stock suspension. No added weight yet but plan front bumper and rear bumper with more clearance.They were made for the heavier bumpers.
2019 Tacoma. OME 886, Firmer valving. Replaced with OME because I couldn’t wait for Eibach to send me a warranty shock that blew out. The ride is very similar to Eibach. So far so good.
My 2001 Sequoia has Bilstein shocks in the front and Dobinson's in the rear, but I use OME for the Coils/springs. Ive noticed if I dont have weight in the rear end I get a decent amount of of bounce and it wants to wander a little at highway speed. Fully loaded with my overland gear and it rides smooth and feels more planted. Pan Hard bar bracket correction kit should fix the unloaded issue I believe. Overall I have no complaints on the OME coil/springs.
I’ve had a OME 3” on my FJ since 2011. Almost 100k miles. Starting to get a slight sag in one corner - but am certainly considering the same set when I replace here shortly.
I have OME springs with Bilstein 5100’s 2inch lift with KO2 tires. Not as smooth as stock, but very comfortable compared to other set ups I’ve experienced. I didn’t upgrade anything else yet. My CV’s were replaced, when I did the kit. Also no diff drop and I’ve had this combo for 10k miles already.
@@TheFraziers Hey bud! I used 2885 for the fronts and 2862 for the rears. Only thing I’m looking out for is the tire noise from the KO2’s once they wear down, but from the look of it I have a lot of miles to go.
@@LV_TK It’s definitely a great combo for our Sequoia’s. I had to get my tires road force balanced, because I had a steering wheel shake between 65-72 mph. It’s gone now.
My problem with OME was the shocks (90009 front & 132L rear) on 2011 Jeep Liberty KK with 927 & 731 HD springs, they work great on washboard surfaces, but frost heaved tar strips were horrid. The other problem was the rear shocks on small drops (NYC uses 1.5” steel plates over big potholes as temporary patch) and dips in road, which felt like a hammer to the bottom of your spine, very painful especially on long drives. They were replaced with Rancho9000 adjustable which were much better. Later replaced with H&R lift springs, and added Rancho 9000’s to front as well. This rode softer but was too bouncy over bigger humps, going into driveways diagonally would pitch side to side. Bilstien 5100’s we’re next on stock springs, handled fantastic, tar strips were much improved, but car was busy at low speeds on uneven pavement which was fatiguing. Then needed more ground clearance so put the OME springs on with front 5100 set to lowest position, for rear the 5100 were not long enough so 5125 255/70 that were a bit soft but much better on the spine than any of the earlier combos. Currently back on stock springs with 5100 at max height front and Rancho9000 on rear. Too much preload on front so will reduce height setting on front and raise with top plate and Clevis spacer. I tend to prefer digressive valving in front to control the engine weight and deal with tar strip/frost heaves, and a bit more neutral/progressive in rear to soften the seat feel on rough roads.
Great vid Mate! My experience with the particular (yellow) OME shocks you speak of is they are absolutely perfect for someone's first build. That being said, I don't know anyone who's replaced or upgraded their OME setup with more Old Man Emu components. I love my Nitrocharger Struts but I've outgrown them, wouldn't change a thing looking back though.
I recently titan swapped my nissan xterra with OMEs in the front with 700 lb springs as well and I had the same concerns based on people's complaints. I have rocksliders and a 150 lb bumper and skid plate, (I'm also 225 lbs), and I was surprised at how smooth it rides on the trails with a decent amount of crawling. These were supposed to be placeholders until I can afford some remote reservoir shocks but I may just keep running these as long as they suit my needs.
I have the nitro charger medium stiffness front and rear on a fourth gen four runner. I had some rake just like the sequoia in the video. I love them. However I never planned to add a lot of weight to my four runner. But I did… I added a coastal offroad steel bumper and a Rigd ultra swing tire carrier and I still have some rake but it’s almost leveled out now. Surprisingly though it still is holding all the added weight just fine but I do wish I bought the stiff ones just to make sure they last longer. But again it is holding the weight just fine so I guess time will tell.
Just got OME struts for my R50 ('96) pathfinder along with rear springs. The rear springs gave me 3" of 'lift' in the rear simply due to how much the factory springs had sagged over the years! Now I'm just waiting on the springs for the front to get rid of the mad rake I've got going on now. I went with the heavy springs for the front because I have a 12k winch on a heavy steel plate across the frame rails, but still I hope its not too stiff!
I'm happy with my setup 1st gen sequoia with 700lbs spring 2.5 lift jba upper control arms I have now run the shocks and struts for 65k miles now and they still ride like when I first install. I have refresh every front suspension component from new rack and pinion to control arms to lower ball joint sway bar etc....I'm off the trails to camping about twice a month overall I'm happy with the kit future I may run toytec
OK had to chuckle watching your video. I bought that exact same kit for my 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD off-road same as your friend and I absolutely love it. I got the heavy rate front and rear suspension kit and installed it in my driveway in about eight hours. The ride is nice and firm basically rides how a truck should ride not like a Toyota Camry, I mean if you want your truck to ride like a car maybe you should’ve bought a car. I love a firm ride on a truck because that’s the way trucks were meant to ride. I have had this kit about a year now with no problems whatsoever no squeaks no shock blowouts and the truck handles much better when loaded with camping gear and on trails. I think dual reservoir expensive suspension kits are kind of overkill for most people unless you’re doing a ton of off-roading the old man emu kit so far is just right.
Hey man, did you upgrade your UCA’s or anything ? I have a 2022 trd off road taco and suspension is so overwhelming- I see the heavy load kit from OME for about $1700, says it’s a 2.5 inch lift but idk if I need to upgrade UCA’s or what options I need ! I don’t plan on doing anything crazy, BLM land and easy trails, almost as if I was living out of a van.
So no I did not do upper control arms I didn’t feel the need to eventually I may go with something aftermarket but everything seems to work just fine so far
THANK YOU!!! Great video! I was thinking of going with Old Man Emu Essentials Suspension Kit because i want some lift, but also be able to tow our Harleys as well... Basically, i want my truck to truck 😂 but was afraid 😳 doing so would be uncomfortable for everyday driving!!! What size of wheels and tires was on the Tacoma?
OME 3" on my :1997 TLC 80, 2009 Hilux D4D, 1973 TLC FJ 40. Next? Tacoma TRD... No faults, no issues, no failures. Ever. My only gripe is the paint quality.
My current build is a gx470 and the first time I've gone with a different lift in a Toyota. I went with dobinsons 3in and the ride is amazing. But ome has always been a Toyota guys go to
I just put on the OME BP51 on my tacoma TRDOR... and I am driving on clouds lol.. Prior I had the ironman stage 2 nitro gas and I felt every pebble I drove over.
I was interested in buying a 2010 LC with the OME 2" Lift kit / new KO2s. Took a test drive (mix of poor condition local roads and hwy) on it for about 30 minutes. I'm familiar with ride feel on a stock LC and many car sport suspension setups. The LC probably had about 80k miles on the lift kit but all highway/city driving. I'll say that on our rutted out, re-patched, chipseal roads, I would say the ride quality reminded me of a stiffer suspension setup you might get when going to the most common Koni/Tokico/Bilstein/Eibach type of suspension setup for sport cars. Even with KO2s, I was surprised I could easily discern when I drove over concrete seams or hit a patch of rough but smooth to eye asphalt. That's how much feedback you notice. Driving over poor/potholes, you definitely noticed it but it ate it up as well. No bottoming out like you might get in a stock setup. It's a fine setup for those desiring more a little more performance, feedback than stock while wanting a lift, but not ideal if this setup is for long commutes and you want a stock type or less feedback setup to the driver/passengers.
I had an OME front shock fail in under a year on my 15 tacoma...I have been enjoying the kit and wasn't having any issues but the top of it is sticking 1/2 inch to an inch past the cup the bushing is meant to sit in. .The dust cover also sheared off because of this.
I'm in the UK, I've got a 2003 Land Rover defender 110 Td5... It's in the shop right now having the original stock shocks & springs changed out for comfort spec Eibach springs (1" lower front / 1.5" lower rear) and OME shocks. I'll let you know how it feels when I get it back next week (it's having a few other bits upgraded at the same time)
In fact I've called different lift companies. No one can really give me any idea how the ride varies from one kit to the next. So I can only guess there's no perceivable difference.
My experience with my OME suspension kit on my Toyota 90 series is that they are tough and not soft at all compared with stock suspension, but overall good.
I own a Tacoma rwd with the diff locker and I want to use it till I could sell it in a year to get a 4Runner. So I think it’s a good idea to buy this so I could go out instead of waiting .but my friends are haters and are saying the shocks are not good and to buy king it doesn’t make sense to me to waste money.
Overlanding builds just need stiff suspension so if it rides like a brick it doesnt matter as long as it carries your weight. Drive a full blown prerunner with long travel and it a whole other world of suspension. Washboard? More like whoops doing over 40mph. Good review though and I appreciate your content.
Depends on where you order them from or possibly the options selected. I know 1stgenoffroad by default sends them non-assembled, but if you purchase new top hats from them, you can choose to have them pre-assembled. Other shops are likely similar.
I have 2005 sequioa i juts want a smooth ride when i take full family on trip now its bump hard has cheap grabriel shocks what recommend here guys just need something can handle all people inside without jumping around
Ill have to correct ya a little. The BP-51 set is a bit pricey, have that kit.on my 19 Tacoma. Also running the nitros on my 98 Cherokee, Which are mor costs effective. One thing to understand is OME is not about crazy lifts or long travel set ups, more in the line of a couple inches & a good ride. OME is not a one size fits all, their more vehicle & weight specific. When dialed in its a good kit, if its to harsh of a ride you have the wrong combo.
Hey bud, looking at the OME kit for my 07 FJ -- are you still a fan of the OME product? I was thinking the heavy load kit for some extra durability, coming from stock @213k mi on the original shocks. Planning for this truck to do national parks and camping in the Rockies. I found the full lift kit for ~ $1k locally. Also, do you feel like it's a good idea to refresh the upper control arms? Running 265-70-R17 Toyo At3s. Thanks for the video!
If I were to copy the exact shock and spring setup you have on uour Sequoia in the video (2in lift) but also do the frontend (which you mentioned) what are the exact parts I need? Also what tires are you running? Size. I mainly do BLM roads which can be rocky at times but generally handled easy with one step up from stock shocks. I'm a bit of a led foot when driving dirt though and I snapped my stock shocks after just a year in my Suburban. Building two 1st gen Sequoias now... but have not worked on a car myself in 25 years so this is a new adventure.
It's been really frustrating picking out a kit for me. Everyone says it firm's up the ride but compared to what? Blown out stock versus new? Also why would I want my washboards FIRMER?? It's not a Camaro.
Same, im just bummed whether to go medium or heavy load. My bro says to go heavy so when I load them up with other gears one day it can easily accommodate all the weight. For now, its going to be mostly freeway driving but definitely need it since it sucks driving an unstable lc80 on the road and feeling all those minor bumps.
I have a question for you in the 4x4 sector and I would like to know if you can tell me if it is true that the ironman nitro gas shock absorbers go well with the original series set-up and can they be adapted with the +5? I have a Suzuki jimny 4x4 with m13a 1.3 l petrol engine with standard shock absorbers and calibrations, yesterday afternoon I picked up the new ironman nitro gas shock absorbers and the 4x4 spare parts dealer in Florence told me that these ironman nitro gas shock absorbers are ok for off-road 4x4 with suspension standard or in a second you could put the springs higher and it becomes a +5 high setting is it true? Greetings from Florence Italy!
I own a Tacoma rwd with the diff locker and I want to use it till I could sell it in a year to get a 4Runner. So I think it’s a good idea to buy this but my friends are haters and are saying they are lame and to buy king it doesn’t make sense to me to waste money. I want to go out 2 times a month. I just don’t get there logic buy going big
MY TRD pro came with fox suspension and three of the four were replaced under TSB and or completely failed to compress anymore by 30k miles. I couldn't recommend anything Fox.
I like my rancho. I took it on some really rocky terrain. They haven't started leaking. But since it's raised. It's a lot harsher ride with tires at 25 psi. But I did forget to turn them to the off-road setting. I guess I was too excited But you should try a Jeep. I took my Dad's jeep out. It's like the Cadillac for off-road. It's absolutely the best. No doubt about it
Your comparing apples to oranges. OME systems are tailored to your car/truck's weight. The ride, drive & flex are smooth and controlled. The other suspension 's you mention are for people that just want big lift for big tires. They ride like an empty dump truck. OME suspension systems ride, drive & handle better than your stock system while giving you a mild lift for larger tires and a bit more ground clearance.
OME is NOT cheap. I just kitted my 21 Taco with the MT64 2.5 kit and it is absolutely incredible. For the kit (springs, all four shocks and a set of heavy leaves along with UCA's) it ran me just shy of $3,800.00. THAT is not cheap. Icon, Fox and King....yeah they are good at what they do, but OME was born and bred in the Outback and are targeting straight at Overlanders like me; and they do it with perfection. The ride both on pavement and offroad is nearly unparalleled. On the street, my truck drives like a sportscar; clean, crisp turns with high maneuverability and control. Offroad, the system becomes plush and works the ruts, washboards and terrain changes with ease. Even kitted out and fully loaded, the system stays as it was intended and I have never once bottomed out on it or had it run me awry. The MT64's are just a step down from the BP-51's and I highly recommend them. That said, they most certainly are not cheap and I easily chose them over Icon and the gang.
This video was not referring to the MT64 or BP51 series. Purely talking about the base-tier nitro options. The nitro shocks/struts are definitely cheap by comparison to almost every other option out there.
@@TheFraziers Understandable, but I suppose I was referring to OME as an overall whole, not just a specific product; apologies if that wasn't the intended effect of your vid. Yes, I can absolutely agree that Nitro's are on par with the likes of, say, Bilstein 5100's, Eibach, ect. Well made bangs for your buck :)
i have a 2017 fj with 8800 km. daily driven. all stock. i would like to install 285/70/17 tires with stock rims. do I needs lift to install those tires?
I’m going to say junk. I’ve had my setup for 2 years with light to moderate off-roading on my ‘06 Sequoia. I installed OME shocks and coils in the front and rear. I had the same setup as you but I recently replaced rear OME shocks with Dobinsons long travel and found one of the OME shocks bad but I didn’t know it and had no symptoms. It stays compressed and did not extend on its own. Now my front driver’s side OME shock is squeaking. I think it might be bad also but don’t know definitely. I’ll be switching to Dobinsons in front soon. Also, I found the ride in the rear to be softer after switching to Dobinsons.
It’s cheap and easy fix. They do have panhard correction kit for less than 100 bucks and easy bolt on install. I heard it’s ideal to correct your panhard when lifting
I have the OME 2885 on 5100s and for me they are quite harsh around town and decent at higher speed. This makes sense as bilsteins are digressive shocks. I'm not a huge fan of them and will be upgrading with either fox king or radflo in the future
@@alexanderhorvat7085 ok good to know, we have the 5100 on a 1st gen Tundra and they work great, but its also on stock springs.. id definitely love to find some used kings and just go that route.
I don't know, but I'm afraid the cat is out of the bag. The world now knows what an incredible deal that thing is. I would imagine the price is going to go up significantly at some point in the future.
Ome shocks = made in China , coil springs = made in Malaysia. Leaf springs = made in Australia BP51 will be a better ride, as the price speaks for it self.
Curious, what kits are you comparing to that cost less than this? Anything I know of, that costs less than ome, is often a reliability or safety concern.
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most out there want the ooos & ahhhhs about their fancy lifts .. its about reliability tried and true with real off roaders 🇺🇸 ome all the way
My interest is Overlanding and off-roading, not rock crawling, so for me OEM is perfect, I'm using OME shocks all around, SPC upper controls arms, and ARB 700 lbs springs. I can almost echo all of your comments word for word. I was concerned about the tougher springs before I put them on, but now that I have them I would be worried if I went with the softer ones. The front rides well and the back doesn't sag when I have a lot of cargo. On the highway, my sequoia is a smooth ride, on the trails it handles great. I'm a shade tree mechanic not a pro by any means, I considered doing the installation myself, but when the time came it seemed very daunting . compressing the springs, getting all of the bushings in place... and in the end, you still need to take it in for an alignment so I took it in and had a shop do it. OME is a solid decision in my opinion.
I am getting OME 3” medium load for my 4runner with the KDSS, getting SPC UCA as well. I was thinking do it myself with my buddies, but no one is pro and doesn’t come with warranty, so yeah I am doing at a shop too 😂😂😂
I have the OME kit on my 09' 4Runner, and I agree with you. Very reliable, but a little unconfortable or 'hard' (compared to the stock ride quality).
You get used to it over the time, and overall, I'm very happy with the kit.
i put the OME 2.5" full suspension on my 2011 Taco Run heavy duty spring on front with ARB bumper and winch.
Medium duty leaf pack in back . I ran a standard topper on it . Got 177,000 miles out of this Suspension. I'm keeping my truck and redoing the whole suspension again the same way. Incredible ride quality
I have an 08 tundra and same traffic. I’ve had OME on since 2008
Im a 2008 toyota land cruiser 90 series owner and installed OME 2.5” as soon as I took it out of the dealer. Beat the hell out of it. Who ever sends hate to this suspension its a completely ignorant. And I said this with an immense respect.
Sequoia owner here, went with Dobinsons IMS 2.75" lift setup from first gen off road and I've been happy. I will say the mix and match tactics of the Sequoia platform seem to lead to a lot more trial and error when it comes to really dialing in the ride. Even after buying a "kit" from first gen off-road I found that I had to call Dobinsons direct for advice on adjusting everything and for some reason it's very difficult to find some important specs on springs like rates and free height without calling. Over all I'd say our platform suffers from lack of dedicated engineering ride/performance optimization that the more popular Toyota platforms get.
I've used old man emu suspension on our 80 series for years. I race quads cross country and used the fj80 as a chase truck. I used id on some rough trails . I love it
I had the OME nitrocharge medium duty kit on toyota tacoma off-road 2019 and I happy with them. A little bumpier on road but runs like oem or better. It is a truck pals.
Ive had 3 generations of 4runners with OME lifts and I swear by them. People generally find their rides stiff because they choose the stiffer OME options. Usually you can find a softer/stiffer version for each vehicle so just do your research and choose the softer options. I find the rides are very comfortable. The products are reliable and have good longevity. Very little settling as well. Each 4runner I had for 4-5 years and found virtually no change in the suspension.
I run a Dobinsons 2inch spring lift on a Ford Ranger 2019 and what you describe with Old Mans EMU setup is exactly how the ride feels with Dobinsons. I guess over time the ride will soften - lve been told its best to upgrade to adjustable damping. Coming to this channel has helped me understand that most of the simple lift suspension have their limitations with the budget managed
I was torn between OME and Dobinson talked to Josh over at 1st gen offroad told him my needs. He set up a dobinson kit for my Sequoia and LOVE it. Would highly recommend Dobinson.
What setup did he recommend? I was looking at his ‘The Smola’ kit but not sure yet which route I want to go.
Thanks for your video. Your honest review is of great help to me in purchasing the right kit for my Nissan Navara (Frontier in US). Greetings from Italy
I just put OME Medium 2.5" kit on my 2016 TRD offroad tacoma, installed it myself, along with new upper control arms. I've always used OME on my old landcruisers too, always good value and performance. Love it, my tacoma did 134k miles on the stock suspension and had gotten pretty mushy. New OME feels great, don't do a lot of offroading but I haul heavy loads (hay, camper, lumber etc) so the stiffer suspension keeps me from riding the bump stops
I’ve had my OME suspension in my Grand Cherokee since 2017 and so far its been good. I never any issues with it and will probably buy the same suspension for my upcoming Tacoma. Thanks for this awesome review!
I love my OME. It feels a little stiff compared to other set ups I have had, but I got the medium weight rated set up which makes it feel stiff but good to have as I save up money and add weight: platform, roof rack, bumpers, etc.
I think putting more weight on my 2nd gen Tacoma will soften the ride a bit especially on washboards but it’s not bad at all by any means and you get used to it. I try to go 40mph+ minimum on washboards lol that fixes the problem for me! Awesome suspension
Airing down is always the best option for washboard roads. Hands down.
You are absolutely right. It's like night and day! Just got an ARB compressor to fill up.@@garrykennedy5484
4th gen 4Runner owner here. I got my OME lift kit last year during Black Friday: 885/898 shocks with the soft option nitrochargers. I have these with 285/70/17 Falken Wildpeak AT3s at about 35 PSI.
On my daily driver, this setup has been stiff, but only because I chose the medium duty options for armor upgrades in the future (this Black Friday lol). Without any added weight, the suspension isn’t too bad in my opinion. Once I add more weight, I feel like it’ll really smoothen out.
Good stuff, I used OME springs for my lift w 5100 shocks on my 4Runner. Really happy w the ride. A little raked w the back higher, but once I add drawers or a rear bumper that’ll be fixed
Just picked up some OME front strut assemblies here today. I have a 98 4runner that had spacers when I bought it front and rear and it was pretty bad. I went with some land cruise springs and shocks in the rear and it was making it abundantly clear that the front was pretty clapped (Monroe quick struts with some kind of spacer lift) and that spacers just suck for doing anything but mall crawling, and really even suck for that because it's a dog crap road ride. Can't wait to slap em on, hopefully tonight if I can get a buddy over for the help (and his impact).
Old man Emu suspension with SP51 shocks. Very stiff although have not adjusted the shocks.They were factory set. Better cornering but not the smooth ride as stock suspension. No added weight yet but plan front bumper and rear bumper with more clearance.They were made for the heavier bumpers.
Got OME BP51s on my Tacoma, they’re amazing. I’m impressed with the performance no doubt
bp51 are some of the best shocks for the Tacoma for sure
2019 Tacoma. OME 886, Firmer valving. Replaced with OME because I couldn’t wait for Eibach to send me a warranty shock that blew out. The ride is very similar to Eibach. So far so good.
My 2001 Sequoia has Bilstein shocks in the front and Dobinson's in the rear, but I use OME for the Coils/springs. Ive noticed if I dont have weight in the rear end I get a decent amount of of bounce and it wants to wander a little at highway speed. Fully loaded with my overland gear and it rides smooth and feels more planted. Pan Hard bar bracket correction kit should fix the unloaded issue I believe. Overall I have no complaints on the OME coil/springs.
I’ve had a OME 3” on my FJ since 2011. Almost 100k miles. Starting to get a slight sag in one corner - but am certainly considering the same set when I replace here shortly.
I have OME springs with Bilstein 5100’s 2inch lift with KO2 tires. Not as smooth as stock, but very comfortable compared to other set ups I’ve experienced.
I didn’t upgrade anything else yet. My CV’s were replaced, when I did the kit. Also no diff drop and I’ve had this combo for 10k miles already.
Do you know which springs you used? I'm considering the 2885 springs.
I have the exact same setup - OME, 5100's, KO2s and just did a ~600mi road trip and it was fine on my '07 SEQ.
@@TheFraziers Hey bud! I used 2885 for the fronts and 2862 for the rears. Only thing I’m looking out for is the tire noise from the KO2’s once they wear down, but from the look of it I have a lot of miles to go.
@@LV_TK It’s definitely a great combo for our Sequoia’s. I had to get my tires road force balanced, because I had a steering wheel shake between 65-72 mph. It’s gone now.
My problem with OME was the shocks (90009 front & 132L rear) on 2011 Jeep Liberty KK with 927 & 731 HD springs, they work great on washboard surfaces, but frost heaved tar strips were horrid. The other problem was the rear shocks on small drops (NYC uses 1.5” steel plates over big potholes as temporary patch) and dips in road, which felt like a hammer to the bottom of your spine, very painful especially on long drives. They were replaced with Rancho9000 adjustable which were much better. Later replaced with H&R lift springs, and added Rancho 9000’s to front as well. This rode softer but was too bouncy over bigger humps, going into driveways diagonally would pitch side to side. Bilstien 5100’s we’re next on stock springs, handled fantastic, tar strips were much improved, but car was busy at low speeds on uneven pavement which was fatiguing. Then needed more ground clearance so put the OME springs on with front 5100 set to lowest position, for rear the 5100 were not long enough so 5125 255/70 that were a bit soft but much better on the spine than any of the earlier combos. Currently back on stock springs with 5100 at max height front and Rancho9000 on rear. Too much preload on front so will reduce height setting on front and raise with top plate and Clevis spacer. I tend to prefer digressive valving in front to control the engine weight and deal with tar strip/frost heaves, and a bit more neutral/progressive in rear to soften the seat feel on rough roads.
Great vid Mate!
My experience with the particular (yellow) OME shocks you speak of is they are absolutely perfect for someone's first build. That being said, I don't know anyone who's replaced or upgraded their OME setup with more Old Man Emu components. I love my Nitrocharger Struts but I've outgrown them, wouldn't change a thing looking back though.
I recently titan swapped my nissan xterra with OMEs in the front with 700 lb springs as well and I had the same concerns based on people's complaints. I have rocksliders and a 150 lb bumper and skid plate, (I'm also 225 lbs), and I was surprised at how smooth it rides on the trails with a decent amount of crawling. These were supposed to be placeholders until I can afford some remote reservoir shocks but I may just keep running these as long as they suit my needs.
I have the nitro charger medium stiffness front and rear on a fourth gen four runner. I had some rake just like the sequoia in the video. I love them. However I never planned to add a lot of weight to my four runner. But I did… I added a coastal offroad steel bumper and a Rigd ultra swing tire carrier and I still have some rake but it’s almost leveled out now. Surprisingly though it still is holding all the added weight just fine but I do wish I bought the stiff ones just to make sure they last longer. But again it is holding the weight just fine so I guess time will tell.
Just got OME struts for my R50 ('96) pathfinder along with rear springs. The rear springs gave me 3" of 'lift' in the rear simply due to how much the factory springs had sagged over the years! Now I'm just waiting on the springs for the front to get rid of the mad rake I've got going on now. I went with the heavy springs for the front because I have a 12k winch on a heavy steel plate across the frame rails, but still I hope its not too stiff!
you're one of the only yankee's to actually pronounce emu correctly. thanks for that
Haha thanks. Born and raised a southern Georgia boy.
I'm happy with my setup 1st gen sequoia with 700lbs spring 2.5 lift jba upper control arms I have now run the shocks and struts for 65k miles now and they still ride like when I first install. I have refresh every front suspension component from new rack and pinion to control arms to lower ball joint sway bar etc....I'm off the trails to camping about twice a month overall I'm happy with the kit future I may run toytec
OK had to chuckle watching your video. I bought that exact same kit for my 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD off-road same as your friend and I absolutely love it. I got the heavy rate front and rear suspension kit and installed it in my driveway in about eight hours. The ride is nice and firm basically rides how a truck should ride not like a Toyota Camry, I mean if you want your truck to ride like a car maybe you should’ve bought a car. I love a firm ride on a truck because that’s the way trucks were meant to ride. I have had this kit about a year now with no problems whatsoever no squeaks no shock blowouts and the truck handles much better when loaded with camping gear and on trails. I think dual reservoir expensive suspension kits are kind of overkill for most people unless you’re doing a ton of off-roading the old man emu kit so far is just right.
I've had mine for about four months. Like the performance, but they creak and squeak so bad, its horrible.
Hey man, did you upgrade your UCA’s or anything ? I have a 2022 trd off road taco and suspension is so overwhelming- I see the heavy load kit from OME for about $1700, says it’s a 2.5 inch lift but idk if I need to upgrade UCA’s or what options I need ! I don’t plan on doing anything crazy, BLM land and easy trails, almost as if I was living out of a van.
Thanks for your time posting exactly what I was looking for. I have been pulled in every direction and OME wins the suspension tug of war for me!
So no I did not do upper control arms I didn’t feel the need to eventually I may go with something aftermarket but everything seems to work just fine so far
It is a very good suspension system for the money
THANK YOU!!! Great video!
I was thinking of going with Old Man Emu Essentials Suspension Kit because i want some lift, but also be able to tow our Harleys as well... Basically, i want my truck to truck 😂 but was afraid 😳 doing so would be uncomfortable for everyday driving!!! What size of wheels and tires was on the Tacoma?
OME 3" on my :1997 TLC 80, 2009 Hilux D4D, 1973 TLC FJ 40. Next? Tacoma TRD... No faults, no issues, no failures. Ever. My only gripe is the paint quality.
My current build is a gx470 and the first time I've gone with a different lift in a Toyota. I went with dobinsons 3in and the ride is amazing. But ome has always been a Toyota guys go to
Fox, Icon & Kings are definitely better but for the money, you can't go wrong with OME.
Did you say you were shocked 🤭 Nice video, articulated well as per usual.
No pun intended lol
@@TheFraziers lol...
I just put on the OME BP51 on my tacoma TRDOR... and I am driving on clouds lol.. Prior I had the ironman stage 2 nitro gas and I felt every pebble I drove over.
I was interested in buying a 2010 LC with the OME 2" Lift kit / new KO2s. Took a test drive (mix of poor condition local roads and hwy) on it for about 30 minutes. I'm familiar with ride feel on a stock LC and many car sport suspension setups. The LC probably had about 80k miles on the lift kit but all highway/city driving. I'll say that on our rutted out, re-patched, chipseal roads, I would say the ride quality reminded me of a stiffer suspension setup you might get when going to the most common Koni/Tokico/Bilstein/Eibach type of suspension setup for sport cars. Even with KO2s, I was surprised I could easily discern when I drove over concrete seams or hit a patch of rough but smooth to eye asphalt. That's how much feedback you notice. Driving over poor/potholes, you definitely noticed it but it ate it up as well. No bottoming out like you might get in a stock setup. It's a fine setup for those desiring more a little more performance, feedback than stock while wanting a lift, but not ideal if this setup is for long commutes and you want a stock type or less feedback setup to the driver/passengers.
I just got some two days ago. just the rear as my original lift failed as both added leaf springs in the rear broke. So far so good with Old Man Emu.
If you want quality smooth ride and rebuildability go for the Profender Queen series they are adjustable too
I had an OME front shock fail in under a year on my 15 tacoma...I have been enjoying the kit and wasn't having any issues but the top of it is sticking 1/2 inch to an inch past the cup the bushing is meant to sit in. .The dust cover also sheared off because of this.
I'm in the UK, I've got a 2003 Land Rover defender 110 Td5...
It's in the shop right now having the original stock shocks & springs changed out for comfort spec Eibach springs (1" lower front / 1.5" lower rear) and OME shocks.
I'll let you know how it feels when I get it back next week (it's having a few other bits upgraded at the same time)
In fact I've called different lift companies. No one can really give me any idea how the ride varies from one kit to the next. So I can only guess there's no perceivable difference.
My experience with my OME suspension kit on my Toyota 90 series is that they are tough and not soft at all compared with stock suspension, but overall good.
Brilliant commentary you got it dialed in
Your buddies Tacoma looks great.
I own a Tacoma rwd with the diff locker and I want to use it till I could sell it in a year to get a 4Runner. So I think it’s a good idea to buy this so I could go out instead of waiting .but my friends are haters and are saying the shocks are not good and to buy king it doesn’t make sense to me to waste money.
I wish i could just find the 4Runner kits in stock anywhere
I got mid load, and it rides super smooth. I plan to get a both bumpers, a bed rack and a roof top tent tho so it should be smoother
Any update on how they’re riding? I’m planning on doing the same.
Lmao the banhammer is strong with you, thought the comment you had at the end was hilarious
Overlanding builds just need stiff suspension so if it rides like a brick it doesnt matter as long as it carries your weight. Drive a full blown prerunner with long travel and it a whole other world of suspension. Washboard? More like whoops doing over 40mph. Good review though and I appreciate your content.
Jackson tire size would have been nice to touch on.. GREAT video TSM....
265 70 17
Both are good in my book!
Do the OME front coil overs come pre-assembled? Great video dude!
Depends on where you order them from or possibly the options selected. I know 1stgenoffroad by default sends them non-assembled, but if you purchase new top hats from them, you can choose to have them pre-assembled. Other shops are likely similar.
Positive for a 2008 LC. Very firm and netted about a 1 inch of lift. They are noisy though. Anyone else have weird noise after install?
I have 2005 sequioa i juts want a smooth ride when i take full family on trip now its bump hard has cheap grabriel shocks what recommend here guys just need something can handle all people inside without jumping around
Can you tell me what size tires are on the Toyota Tacoma thanks great video well done
265 / 70 / 17
Ill have to correct ya a little. The BP-51 set is a bit pricey, have that kit.on my 19 Tacoma. Also running the nitros on my 98 Cherokee, Which are mor costs effective. One thing to understand is OME is not about crazy lifts or long travel set ups, more in the line of a couple inches & a good ride. OME is not a one size fits all, their more vehicle & weight specific. When dialed in its a good kit, if its to harsh of a ride you have the wrong combo.
Correct me? You essentially just summarized what I said. 0:55
Agreed OME CAN be a mor budget friendly kit. BUT, the BP51 kit is getting up neck & neck with Icon when comparing a like kit.
@@TheFraziers
no worries man, mabe i missed it.
Good video.
Hey bud, looking at the OME kit for my 07 FJ -- are you still a fan of the OME product? I was thinking the heavy load kit for some extra durability, coming from stock @213k mi on the original shocks. Planning for this truck to do national parks and camping in the Rockies. I found the full lift kit for ~ $1k locally. Also, do you feel like it's a good idea to refresh the upper control arms? Running 265-70-R17 Toyo At3s. Thanks for the video!
Great content and information. Subbed
I am considering buying a used Sequoia with Old Man EMU shocks and springs. My question is, does that upgrade add value? If so, how much?
Modifications like this don't add any value at all.
If I were to copy the exact shock and spring setup you have on uour Sequoia in the video (2in lift) but also do the frontend (which you mentioned) what are the exact parts I need? Also what tires are you running? Size. I mainly do BLM roads which can be rocky at times but generally handled easy with one step up from stock shocks. I'm a bit of a led foot when driving dirt though and I snapped my stock shocks after just a year in my Suburban. Building two 1st gen Sequoias now... but have not worked on a car myself in 25 years so this is a new adventure.
It's been really frustrating picking out a kit for me. Everyone says it firm's up the ride but compared to what? Blown out stock versus new? Also why would I want my washboards FIRMER?? It's not a Camaro.
I’d go with fox if you can swing it. But dang it’s expensive.
@@TheFraziers Thanks but WHY? No one can tell what the differences are!
James OME is slightly stiffer than brand new OEM shocks/springs. But OMEs are stronger, better at soaking up bumps, and last longer I believe
@@autodetail4557 thanks for the experience and information!
Same, im just bummed whether to go medium or heavy load. My bro says to go heavy so when I load them up with other gears one day it can easily accommodate all the weight. For now, its going to be mostly freeway driving but definitely need it since it sucks driving an unstable lc80 on the road and feeling all those minor bumps.
I have a question for you in the 4x4 sector and I would like to know if you can tell me if it is true that the ironman nitro gas shock absorbers go well with the original series set-up and can they be adapted with the +5? I have a Suzuki jimny 4x4 with m13a 1.3 l petrol engine with standard shock absorbers and calibrations, yesterday afternoon I picked up the new ironman nitro gas shock absorbers and the 4x4 spare parts dealer in Florence told me that these ironman nitro gas shock absorbers are ok for off-road 4x4 with suspension standard or in a second you could put the springs higher and it becomes a +5 high setting is it true? Greetings from Florence Italy!
I run billstein 6112/5160 with OME hvy spring and OME UCAs on 23 Tacoma
I own a Tacoma rwd with the diff locker and I want to use it till I could sell it in a year to get a 4Runner. So I think it’s a good idea to buy this but my friends are haters and are saying they are lame and to buy king it doesn’t make sense to me to waste money. I want to go out 2 times a month. I just don’t get there logic buy going big
Awesome content. Excellent video work.
Do you keep the sway bar off all the time? Do you run the front sway bar?
MY TRD pro came with fox suspension and three of the four were replaced under TSB and or completely failed to compress anymore by 30k miles. I couldn't recommend anything Fox.
OME is exspensive for me in Indonesia. But it's worth it. If u want more cheaper than OME is profender
I like my rancho. I took it on some really rocky terrain. They haven't started leaking. But since it's raised. It's a lot harsher ride with tires at 25 psi. But I did forget to turn them to the off-road setting. I guess I was too excited
But you should try a Jeep. I took my Dad's jeep out. It's like the Cadillac for off-road. It's absolutely the best. No doubt about it
What size tires an wheels was Jackson running on his old man emu heavy
Is OME better than stock suspension of hilux 4x2? Looking for best set up for city drive and long distance travel with comfort
Your comparing apples to oranges. OME systems are tailored to your car/truck's weight. The ride, drive & flex are smooth and controlled. The other suspension 's you mention are for people that just want big lift for big tires. They ride like an empty dump truck. OME suspension systems ride, drive & handle better than your stock system while giving you a mild lift for larger tires and a bit more ground clearance.
what's your thoughts between the ome vs 5100?
I had nitros on my sequoia way to hard of valving. I prefer the dobinsons stuff way more.
yeah the nitrochargers are pretty firm
Had them in my grand Cherokee loved them road like a Cadillac
OME is NOT cheap. I just kitted my 21 Taco with the MT64 2.5 kit and it is absolutely incredible. For the kit (springs, all four shocks and a set of heavy leaves along with UCA's) it ran me just shy of $3,800.00. THAT is not cheap. Icon, Fox and King....yeah they are good at what they do, but OME was born and bred in the Outback and are targeting straight at Overlanders like me; and they do it with perfection. The ride both on pavement and offroad is nearly unparalleled. On the street, my truck drives like a sportscar; clean, crisp turns with high maneuverability and control. Offroad, the system becomes plush and works the ruts, washboards and terrain changes with ease. Even kitted out and fully loaded, the system stays as it was intended and I have never once bottomed out on it or had it run me awry. The MT64's are just a step down from the BP-51's and I highly recommend them. That said, they most certainly are not cheap and I easily chose them over Icon and the gang.
This video was not referring to the MT64 or BP51 series. Purely talking about the base-tier nitro options. The nitro shocks/struts are definitely cheap by comparison to almost every other option out there.
@@TheFraziers Understandable, but I suppose I was referring to OME as an overall whole, not just a specific product; apologies if that wasn't the intended effect of your vid. Yes, I can absolutely agree that Nitro's are on par with the likes of, say, Bilstein 5100's, Eibach, ect. Well made bangs for your buck :)
@@gabrielreyes8476 appreciate. That was the intention of the video
What size tires would you recommend? Wanted to do 32s
i have a 2017 fj with 8800 km. daily driven. all stock. i would like to install 285/70/17 tires with stock rims. do I needs lift to install those tires?
Thanks again for the info
Did u put spacer on your trk.
What do u have in the front?
Just changed today. Exactly stiffer than Hilux Superflex Suspension. Original looks like to shake you brian off when pass a bumper.
The lower suspension’s bushings get worn very fast
Torque everything down with the wheels on the ground and it’ll help
I’m going to say junk. I’ve had my setup for 2 years with light to moderate off-roading on my ‘06 Sequoia. I installed OME shocks and coils in the front and rear. I had the same setup as you but I recently replaced rear OME shocks with Dobinsons long travel and found one of the OME shocks bad but I didn’t know it and had no symptoms. It stays compressed and did not extend on its own. Now my front driver’s side OME shock is squeaking. I think it might be bad also but don’t know definitely. I’ll be switching to Dobinsons in front soon. Also, I found the ride in the rear to be softer after switching to Dobinsons.
It's helpful to hear another opinion. Thanks!
Have had mine on for 4 years now and regret cheaping out for these,. Noisy, rough ride, cracks, and rattles. Never again
in mongolia that old man emu lasts 3 months in the mountains
hey does anyone mess with their panhard bar or will it be ok to just leave it at factory level?
It’s cheap and easy fix. They do have panhard correction kit for less than 100 bucks and easy bolt on install. I heard it’s ideal to correct your panhard when lifting
Has anyone ran the OME springs on some Bilstein shocks. Curious to know how that rides compared to the shocks they offer.
I have the OME 2885 on 5100s and for me they are quite harsh around town and decent at higher speed. This makes sense as bilsteins are digressive shocks. I'm not a huge fan of them and will be upgrading with either fox king or radflo in the future
@@alexanderhorvat7085 ok good to know, we have the 5100 on a 1st gen Tundra and they work great, but its also on stock springs.. id definitely love to find some used kings and just go that route.
@@ryanmoore686 yea and depending on much how much you offroad those bilsteins will be rough on washboard roads. They chatterc my 1st gen like no other
Cool trucks!
does anyone know when the Maxi Trac compressor will be available again? lol
I don't know, but I'm afraid the cat is out of the bag. The world now knows what an incredible deal that thing is. I would imagine the price is going to go up significantly at some point in the future.
Ome shocks = made in China ,
coil springs = made in Malaysia.
Leaf springs = made in Australia
BP51 will be a better ride, as the price speaks for it self.
Old man emu is mid tier stuff. There’s a huge gap between them and the starter kits. I feel like a poor watching this😂
Curious, what kits are you comparing to that cost less than this? Anything I know of, that costs less than ome, is often a reliability or safety concern.
Inexpensive= low cost. Cheap= Low Quality.
ome actually out performs fox, icon, toytec. just not kings
im experiencing these too with our old man emu in Toyota hilux
OME is Australian tried and true
Bilstein