[Anatol]

Hello,

this week I OME'd my Jimny with their 40mm lift (theoretically). Absolute perfect driving (on and off road) compared to stock suspension. But the weakest point of that upgrade is the rake/sag or whatever called. Around 27-30mm difference, front is lower now but lifted about 15mm compared to stock. It's petrol without bullbar, steel bumpers or winch, just LED light bar on 2963 coils (OME's softest option for Jimny). My question is - may I replace stock rubbers (5mm tall?) with taller, 28mm ones? Rough calculation gives me 23mm additional lift (-5mm stock rubbers) for leveling the car. I can cut them on my lathe if that gives too much

Measured from center of the hub to guard top arch:
front: 440-443mm
rear: 467-470mm

Many thanks for help and cheers from Poland!

[Anatol]

Photo

[pete_79]

You're not alone with that one. Sadly it a very common fail with OME lifts and most people end up adding spacers.

[Gwagensteve]

Looks fine to me, can't see the problem?

[Anatol]

OK, solved with 23mm polyurethane spacers. Sorry for picture quality, done by potato

[Gwagensteve]

Except you've now taken caster out of the front end, reducing turn in, tracking, and increasing the risk of binding front springs. The problem before was cosmetic, now its handling.

Almost all lift kits raise the rear more in order to level the car once laden. Smart companies like OME limit front lift to avoid reducing caster excessively.

Steve.

[squibby]

Yeah totally agree, put some castor correction bushes in to rotate the axle back to standard angle somewhat, but you can't correct a 30mm plus lift with bushes alone, you can just lessen the effect.

[Anatol]

squibby wrote:

Yeah totally agree, put some castor correction bushes in to rotate the axle back to standard angle somewhat, but you can't correct a 30mm plus lift with bushes alone, you can just lessen the effect.

But OME kit did not lift the car full 40mm as expected, the difference was only ~15-17mm, so I've decided to replace stock rubbers with 23mm polyurethanes (I cut 28mm spacers on lathe). 17+18mm in total. Is this really so "cruel"?

[Seth2013]

just a heads up - it will probably start to lean to one side aswell (my OME's did - took 2 years though) so be prepared to move your spacers around or resize them. as others have said look into the castor correction - makes for a much safer drive.

I don't agree with a good company limiting castor, instead they should just admit that you need to spend some extra money to lift your car safely and include castor corrected bushes or radius arms. OME doesn't offer castor correction options on any kits.

[Gwagensteve]

Offset caster bushes are junk. They significantly increase roll stiffness which is the last thing a jimny needs. They apply more load into the axle housing (which twist easily) and increase the risk of bending radius arms.

ADR approved replacement radius arms would likely double the cost of the kit.

It's easier to limit front lift. It's not like it's achieving anything, it's only cosmetic.

[squibby]

Australian Design Rules (ADR's) don't concern a polish fella. Jacking up the difference between rear and front ride height has reduce castor angle, probably negative already even of you left it squatting at the front as suggested. Speaking from experience with this exact setup on this model of car... the bushes are an improvmemt youveont be dissapointed. If you want to go with radius arms, just remember that they come in longer sizes which is awesome for bigger tyres clearance, so you can consider that when weighing up the cost/benefit advantages.

[Gwagensteve]

We were talking about why OME don't sell their jimny kits with arms though. That's why.

In any case, the cars performance is being compromised for cosmetic reasons.

[sideways]

Gwagensteve wrote:

It's easier to limit front lift. It's not like it's achieving anything, it's only cosmetic.

You aren't allowed to troll in the noob section.

[Gwagensteve]

Ah yes, "the thing that must never be said"

Quote:

People do things to their cars that make them worse because they like the look. They then defend this modification on the grounds of improved function.

ahhhhhhhgh! He spoke it! We will all be damned to the fires of hell! We'll never be able to laugh at a stanced car ever again!

[squibby]

Guy buys 40mm australian designed lift kit advertised as 40mm lift, and only gets 15mm once fitted to the jimny. Its pretty crappy actually even if they do ride well. I don't know why you'd expect him to put up with his ride looking like an elephant sat on the bonnet. Shame on OME. Anyway, Anatol, good work with the spacers. go buy some radius arms and if you can't afford right now, at least get some bushes in there. They will pay for themselves with time in reduced tyre wear and it'll drive better. Cheers.

[Seth2013]

mmm I smell BBQ!!

I dunno, I look back at my ignorance (not that I know much more now) when I first lifted my jimny and wish I had bought my castor corrected arms straight away. The fact it doesn't try to bump steer into trees anymore is priceless.

All I see when I look at an OME lifted jimny is Hotrod

[pete_79]

squibby wrote:

Guy buys 40mm australian designed lift kit advertised as 40mm lift, and only gets 15mm once fitted to the jimny. Its pretty crappy actually even if they do ride well. I don't know why you'd expect him to put up with his ride looking like an elephant sat on the bonnet. Shame on OME.

That is exactly the point.
Selling a 40mm lift kit that actually lifts a vehicle by 15mm is a crap product, not good design.

Regardless of castor issues, a 40mm lift should lift 40mm. Pretty simple really.

[sideways]

Gwagensteve wrote:

Ah yes, "the thing that must never be said"

Quote:

People do things to their cars that make them worse because they like the look. They then defend this modification on the grounds of improved function.

ahhhhhhhgh! He spoke it! We will all be damned to the fires of hell! We'll never be able to laugh at a stanced car ever again!

My Jimny 100% would have been more capable with a 2" lift. I got hung up numerous times but I never came within a million miles of rolling it. It also could have sorted out the terrible ride and would still have been legal.

Sure, I could have got the extra clearance with bigger tyres but I didn't need the diff clearance(though it would have been handy). It would have made the car slower, needed to be regeared, all up cost several times more and have been obviously illegal.

[Marko_SJ]

Steves info isnt wrong. Us pootrol owners (the GQ is similar to a Jim) face similar issues with front roll stiffness, many add caster bushes to the front and wonder why their GQ/GU flexes like a girder.

Nissan tried adding slotted bushes for the GU and it still didnt really help much. I pulled the front sway bar in mine and left the rear and its still very rear biased like a Jimny.

Luckily for me I dont tell everyone I have the most capable rig on the planet. Although my stock sierra didnt go as well thanks to the locker in the Gpoo.


Edit: how little the front does compared to a RUF sierra:

[Anatol]

I'm back.
Ironman's caster correction bushes installed, new kingpins, kingpin bearings, front axle inner sealings, swivel sealings, ball joints, complete brakes and readjusted position of steering shock absorber (working angle was too high). After all wheel alignment and all I can say now is that the Jimny is rolling well as my AR 159 . Better than stock. But is worth to mention that a little death wobble occures when I bought my suzi.