From Shocks to Phlox - Testing OME’s New MT-64 Shock Absorbers In Search Of Wildflowers

The Lake Tahoe region experienced the biggest winter in 50 years in 2023, resulting in snowpack that lasted all through the summer in some areas. The heavy precipitation wiped out roads, but it also generated spectacular wildflowers throughout the summer. What better conditions could you ask for when testing Old Man Emu’s new MT-64 shocks? We loaded up ARB’s 2022 Toyota Tacoma, outfitted not only with the new MT64 shocks, but loads of ARB products including their bumpers, air locker, air compressor, drawers, Base Rack, Linx… well you get the idea. This Tacoma has it all!
The MT64 shock absorbers fit between the classic Nitrocharger and premium BP-51 in Old Man Emu’s lineup. What does MT64 stand for? The “MT” means “monotube” and 64 is the piston diameter in millimeters. Contrast this with the BP51 that is a bypass shock with a 51mm piston. The two shocks actually have the same outer diameter, but the BP51 has a smaller piston to accommodate internal bypass tubes that make the shock position sensitive in addition to being velocity sensitive. The MT-64 uses a similar piston design to the Nitrocharger, and while it lacks the remote reservoirs of the BP-51, the large volume of the MT-64 allows for plenty of fluid volume to resist fading over long washboard roads. And like every Old Man Emu shock, the MT-64 is factory tuned to your specific vehicle.
You don’t need a heavily modified vehicle to explore this area, but a supple suspension and the ability to air down your tires when you leave the pavement and air them back up with a compressor at the end of the trail are highly recommended. ARB’s Tacoma, outfitted with a Twin Air compressor and MT-64 shock absorbers, fit the bill on all counts. By the end of the trip we had witnessed breathtaking views, camped out under the Perseid meteor shower, and racked up hundreds of miles on the new suspension. The only question remaining was “When can we place an order for our own set of MT-64s?”
Chapters-
Intro- 0:00
ARB Edition Tacoma- 0:58
What Does MT-64 Stand For- 1:34
What Sets The MT-64 Apart- 2:14
Lobdel Lake- 2:56
Impressions On The Trail- 3:50
Sweetwater Range- 5:42
Complete Old Man Emu Suspension- 6:26
Final Thoughts- 7:15

[@AnthonyLovato]

Thank you for the awesome video Harry. I'm going to need shocks pretty soon, so I'll look into a set for my jeep.

[@bonespur2728]

The geography/naturalist type stuff is great to see in here.

[@HarrySituations]

Thanks for the feedback! Historically I have not included that kind of information but it is part of the appeal for me when exploring new areas.

[@Machomanrandyaverage]

Yeah! That was really refreshing !

[@allentisthammer4763]

Just had these installed on my 21Taco LB Offroad along with leaf springs UCA's and bump stops. Trucks loaded for overlanding and took it wheeling today and what a difference. Interested to see how they perform this winter and I'm headed for the Cascades in a week or so. Overland Garage in Bremerton hit this out of the ball park for me.

[@HarrySituations]

Nice! I have a friend in Reno that just ordered the MT64s as well.

[@Lilgrillers1437]

Wanted to ask the million dollar question: do you remember the wheel/ tire size it was running?

[@HarrySituations]

They are 285/70R17 (non-LT) Nitto Ridge Grapplers on 17x8.5 SCS wheels. I think that the softer sidewall of the non-LT tires really helps with the ride compliance on things like washboard roads and embedded rocks.

[@red.riot.2280]

So the mt64 is good out of the box for a “heavier” bumper? Or does it need a different spring.

[@HarrySituations]

Old Man Emu is only offering once spring rate now with height adjustments on the shock body. This results in less part numbers for vendors to stock but I do think if you have a winch and steel bumper a higher spring rate is valuable.

[@aarontiede7611]

What happened to the "comparison" part of the video? You mentioned your goal of comparing them to the BP-51.. end result? Bp-51 better than MT64 for overland? Great Vid!

[@HarrySituations]

Great question Aaron, unfortunately that didn’t make it into the final cut. For 90% of what we did the MT-64s worked just as well as the BP-51s. The only place I really noticed a difference was at speed in big ruts when the BP-51 did a better job resisting bottoming out. Cost for the BP-51s is about an extra $200 a shock, so if you have the cash and like to tinker and fine tune your suspension I still think the BP-51s are a good choice.

[@Nicholas-db5sl]

Those MT64 shocks look great. Wonder if they will fit my UK Ford Ranger Wildtrak MSRT? 2021 model.

[@HarrySituations]

They don’t have an application for the Ranger yet (just Toyotas). I would expect Broncos applications to come next and then Rangers.

[@Nicholas-db5sl]

@@HarrySituations hopefully that will also include the older Rangers too! Mine is a 2021 model. By accommodating units compatible with older vehicles opens up market opportunities. Lets face it: very few owners of brand spanking new vehicles are going to change out stock suspension straight away. But for those with Older vehicles whose suspension is either wearing or waning - well thats where the bulk of the market will be…..

[@stevenpeterson7234]

Bilstein 6112's are 3 inch in diameter tho, so how are these better?

[@klh6729]

How is the on-pavement performance?

[@HarrySituations]

I thought that the ride quality was great and the rebound damping is perfect over stuff like speed bumps. With the heavy front bumper and winch I would probably add just a little more preload to minimize the brake dive.

[@jazminforbes209]

How many pounds can it withstand?

[@HarrySituations]

They offer different rear leaf springs for different weight but only one front coil spring rate. You can adjust the height in the front though to account for added weight.