[privatepablo]

So I've been looking into getting a new suspension setup for my Jimny seeing that my current one is getting a bit worn out. I've been jumping around looking at a few places locally and online in order to get quotes and an idea of what's what. Now there's one kit in particular that I've been checking out and that has me interested and that's the kit made by Off Road Armory. I'm just wondering if anyone has ever used it before and what you guys think about it. Pros and cons will be greatly appreciated

Here is the link to the kit for any that are curios.
http://www.offroad-armory.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=154_20_69&product_id=192

[jimny_timmy]

I have that kit with the old style arms that are HUGE hang up magnets!

If I was you I would do the following, and keep in mind it will save you customs taxes as well, which will add I reckon atleast another $300 to your bill. (you may not get caught, but seing as though they ship with DHL, my money is on that you will )

Buy the arms, the spacer, the panhards and maybe evern the brakelines from ORA.
Get your 100mm springs from ORA or the Jimbits springs are slightly stiffer
Bushes from Bruce (send him a pm - awesome price and an awesome bloke!)
Get the commodore/hiace shockies from supercheap

This WILL save you money, and on the plus, give you a slightly stiffer ride as the springs are super soft and the shocks even softer. The commo shocks are awesome and only $50 a piece

In all its a good piece of kit, I just found the shocks to be way to soft for my liking. I chewed through rubber bushes twice in a total of 2 wheeling trips each.... Bruces have so far done 4 and no sign of dying

Thats my 2cents worth anyways

[Jezza86]

shep has this kit i believe.

[privatepablo]

Ill have a look at what you just mentioned. However, hows the ride on road with this kit? and also, you mentioned to get the commo shocks, is this purely because they are cheaper? or also because they are harder than the ORA ones, or softer...?

[jimny_timmy]

privatepablo wrote:

Ill have a look at what you just mentioned. However, hows the ride on road with this kit? and also, you mentioned to get the commo shocks, is this purely because they are cheaper? or also because they are harder than the ORA ones, or softer...?

The commo shocks definitely ride better, plus side is they're cheaper.

I'm running it with no swaybar and it handles like a train on rails. That's all to do with the castor correction in the arms.

[privatepablo]

Ah sweet, you know, i never thought the commo shocks would fit on the jimny honestly. Also does Bruce make coil spacers by any chance?

[jimny_timmy]

privatepablo wrote:

Ah sweet, you know, i never thought the commo shocks would fit on the jimny honestly. Also does Bruce make coil spacers by any chance?

Not sure if he does... What do you hope to accompanist with spacers?

[privatepablo]

atm I'm running a tough dog 80mm lift kit with 235s under the car. thing is, it scrubs off road as many would know. Now i don't exactly want to cut the guards and do trimming, but I've heard that with a 4inch lift it doesn't scrub anymore. Now I either have two options, stay with 235s for the next set of tires i get and upgrade the lift to a 4 inch or go back down to the 215 Muddies and get a new 2.5inch from ORA. So atm the spacer would be to see how it will ride with a 4inch lift and also to stop me from going bat shit insane whenever it scrubs when off-roading.

[jimny_timmy]

Where exactly does it scrub... I'm sure you've read a few of the lift kit threads, but I'm gonna beat the dead horse a little and state that suspension lift isn't going to stop the scrubbing. The arms in the kit push the front diff forward a bit and the rear back a little so that will probably help. I'd say with a hammer of the seam on the front guards you'll be fine. Could also be that your bushes are flogged in the arms too which won't be helping your cause

I'd forget the spacers, there's no need for them.

[privatepablo]

it scrubs at the top of the guard when i hit a bump or go into a uneven area quickly, I think the problem apart from what you have just stated is also the fact that there isn't enough space between the top of my tire and the top of the wheel arch. So when i do go into a hole or what not, as the car drops the wheel and guard make contacts and yeah. Ill try take a few pictures soon to try and help explain my problem a bit clearly.

[jimny_timmy]

I know exactly what you mean... I run 30x9.5 tires and when my bushes were flogged out, it have it enough flex to hit exactly like yours is. Have a look at your bushes and see if there's any splits etc.

You'd be far better off extending your bump stops instead of spacers

[privatepablo]

well last time i took it to the mechanic to get the uni joint replaced and other things he did say that the front bushes needed replacing with some that had a 3 degree correction or something.

[Jezza86]

castor corrected bushes are the elcheapo way of castor correcting. typically castor correction is done with lifts greater than 2". new arms are generally castor corrected.
do you have an adjustable pan hard? is it adjusted correctly?
a body lift would achieve more without chopping guards and avoids the need for more lift. it will still scrub if your wheels have toomuch negative offset.
i have 3" lift, 2"bl, TD panhards and 30x9.5s and still get minor scrubbing from my own weight on the drivers side.

[privatepablo]

So no to castor correction bushes, and yes i do have all of that, I'm not to sure if they are adjusted properly. I'm pretty sure they are, i can always have a look. And a body lift hey? How much do you think I would need to fix it? Considering I have a 3inch lift atm? And yes my wheels do have a negative offset, I'm not to sure how much tho. Would you know by any chance what it should be?

[shep]

I have the ORA 4" lift. Semi happy with it. Rides awesome and comes with everything needed to fit. I have 30x9.5 tyres and on the front it only just touches the bumper. The only issue is the quality of welding and Finnish is rubbish

[Jezza86]

shep wrote:

I have the ORA 4" lift. Semi happy with it. Rides awesome and comes with everything needed to fit. I have 30x9.5 tyres and on the front it only just touches the bumper. The only issue is the quality of welding and Finnish is rubbish

wow i thought you were quite happy with it! unfortunate to hear the quality is lacking!
i have /15mm offset speedy wheels. dynamic make a -13mm which would be a bit better but bottom line is even with -13mm wheels you'll still get some scrub, even with a body lift.

with a 2" BL when i say scrubbing, its the occasional bump, not the tread eating the guards. it is usually a sign that i am going too fast down a track into a crossed up situation.
if i was concerned about it id space my bump stops 20mm or so, but as it stands its so minute i wont bother.
just_cruizin sells BL's memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=15

this is my maths for a 3" 75mm lift. it should be right if your TD springs have sagged 5mm
5 inches is 127mm, plus tires(205/70 - 235/75=) extra 1.3" or 33.02mm
160.02 is more than 150 mm, which makes it more difficult to get things plated, engineered and whatever else.

[TomDK]

The radius arms I got from ORA last month have good quality weldings, and nothing wrong with the finnish.
Don't know if they have improved on these points since Shep got his.

[shep]

Interesting timing as I got a email out of the blue from ORA last night.

Hi Peter

I have just been browsing BigJimny forum and came across your post about you not being happy with the rear end of your Jimny?

Is there anything we can help with? I see you mentioned you thought your rear radius arms might have been to short? do you want to check some dimensions with us to make sure everything is as it should be? looking at the images it does look like your tyres are quite far forward? but it's difficult to tell with the larger tyres and no arches having been trimmed (very common on Jimny's)

O.R.A

O.R.A



Hi
I tried to address the issues I found with your kit, namely very poor finish and corrosion on the arms however besides a promise of a discount on my next purchase (which I might add I didn't receive when I bought a winch bar) I was pretty much fobbed off. When I fitted the arms and found them to be to short by at least 40mm I didn't think it was worth bringing it up with your company as the outlined previous issues were never addressed.

Peter Shepherd



Hi Peter

I am extremely upset that you feel you were fobbed off with regard to the corroded arms, I can assure you they would never have been dispatched if there was any sign of this before they were packaged. As someone else mentioned on BJ forum, this is not uncommon with this type of part and electro plating. We have since changed our finish on this product to ensure this never happens again.

With regard to your discount, this is not something I would have dealt with personally. But I would say it wouldn't have hurt to have given Hen a polite reminder upon placing your next order, as you can appreciate we do process a lot of orders and she would have I expect simply forgot, we are after all only human.

If you would like to look in to the rear arms to see if there is anything a drift, please feel free to let me know any we will bend over backwards to make sure you are happy with the end result.

thanks
Rob

Seeing as the zink plating was completely corroded down to base metal on all 4 arms there is no way that they didn't know they were sending me shit.

The 4" kit could be a good thing however it is let down by shit quality control and shit customer service. There are plenty of company's making jimny parts so unless you want to take a chance on having a shit product turn up I wouldn't del with ORA. Try bits for vits or big jimny etc