ARB-OME Suspension Question

[Ry'sRunner]

So I installed the ARB OME leaf springs, shocks and torsion bars and now my 87 rides seriously nose down! I adjusted the torsion bars to bring it more level, but the ride was absolutely unbearable. I don't like the nose down look, and it just feels weird to drive like this.

Has anyone else experienced this? Will they settle down a little?

I think ARB says a leaf can be removed, has anyone tried that? I just want to bring her back to level and have a decent ride around town, in addition to the occasional offroad trip.

 

[kc15842]

So I installed the ARB OME leaf springs, shocks and torsion bars and now my 87 rides seriously nose down! I adjusted the torsion bars to bring it more level, but the ride was absolutely unbearable. I don't like the nose down look, and it just feels weird to drive like this.

Has anyone else experienced this? Will they settle down a little?

I think ARB says a leaf can be removed, has anyone tried that? I just want to bring her back to level and have a decent ride around town, in addition to the occasional offroad trip.

I wonder how it will sit with the top installed?

 

[swerks]

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/64.../236/b1cv4.jpg I removed one leaf and its a little better.

 

[swerks]

 

[Ry'sRunner]

What leaf did you remove? Does it ride softer too?

@ KC15842 - I don't plan to put the shell back on anytime soon, it will get a bikini top or soft topper. But the 125 or so pounds would probably help a little.

 

[KidVermicious]

I'd throw in a set of ball joint spacers and then relax the torsion bars. If you're not regularly packing a bunch of weight in the rear, pulling a leaf will help too.

This is the problem with OME's (and other aftermarket torsion bar makers) advertising - they lead you to believe that their torsion bar = lift, but that's bullshit. The stronger bars will support more weight up front, and that's useful if you've added heavy things and maxed out the stock torsion bars ability to support it all, but if your stock bars aren't overloaded there's no point in adding aftermarket bars. They won't improve ride quality and they won't provide any more lift than stock bars at a given preload. It's the preload setting on the torsion bars that sets the front ride height. By turning the preload up, you raise the front of the truck but you also make your effective spring rate higher, thus destroying ride quality, and this is true no matter what torsion bar you have in there.