OME BP-51 Install Report and Height Adjustment

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ome-bp-51s-installed-no-spring-compressor-needed-for-preload.601774/#post-20238344

No spring compressors needed for preload / top hat alignment adjustments

 

There was no way in hell I could have done mine with that and no spring compressor. It was hard enough to turn at first with no spring tension and oil on the threads.

 

Don't be afraid to push back at arb on issues... If you can even get help. Your issue seems extreme and should be delt with asap in some form on there end

I had issues with my rear after install, like 2 inches of lean on one side. It was mostly due to install but they were no help at all. After pushing back on them they were willing to swap out leafs but I ended up fixing it after watching countless hours of YouTube videos. But even after all that, it was over like 2 weeks of randomly returned emails, I couldn't get anyone on the phone ever during that stretch

 

I hope it settles down for you too. Panama City is great, has some nice beaches. If you have a chance to drive down to state road 30A its a pretty drive, but with lots of traffic that time of year, depending on the Virus conditions. Grayton Beach state park is amazing on that route, and if you can hit it right, might even have an open campsite. I can get you some nice off roading maps if you'd like for the area around Eglin AFB, that are pretty fun, and there is tons of abandoned military equipment out there just sitting off random trails. If you are going from Panama City to see your friend in St. Pete, let me know and i'll meet you up for that beer. It's somewhat over 5 hours driving from one to the other, and we are a little over 2/3rds of the way.
Got everything buttoned up today. Alignment needed BADLY. SPC arms set to 'Neutral' but I think that Toe appears to be way off. Will do some measuring tomorrow, shop is not open until Monday... No good test drives until then.

 

Coilover on a vice, thing turned easy... got lucky I guess

 

probably won’t make it to Saint Pete unfortunately. This is a family trip with my wife’s family (sister and parents). They aren’t into camping like we are. Will be a lot of drinking beer, eating seafood and chilling on the beach trying to keep our kids alive somewhere along the way. Hope to do some fishing this time around.

 

I picked up a barely used set of BP-51s with HD leafs, been doing a bunch of reading and would like to just confirm my set up. No idea what to set comp/rebound but I was recommended the shop that's doing the install by a local overland shop, so hopefully they know. Or I'll leave it as-is.

2020 access cab:
- Full aluminum skids
- Full size spare in stock location (~33")
- Sliders
- upTop roof rack with hi-lift, recovery gear in cases, etc (probably about 100 pounds with the jack?)
- Softopper

So I don't have a ton of weight, and I wouldn't say any real added weight in the rear. I'm planning on having them remove the 3rd leaf from the HD pack, and set the front pre-load to 10mm? I'd like to level the truck, so if the leafs add 2.75" I'd like the front to be about 3".

Thanks for the help.

 

I set mine at 20 drivers, 18 passenger, and removed the middle leaf from my heavy Dakars. I have CBI sliders (steel) and SSO low profile hybrid bumper with winch for an addition of about 100lbs up front. Roll-n-lock in the bed adds 100lbs but middle of the truck really. I have still got about an inch of rake but have not had much time for the back to settle. I'd probably expect that you'd need closer to 15mm with no weight to get to three inches of lift. As far as I can tell, BP-51s add height by not sagging as much with more preload on the springs, so extending with less weight might end up with just a harsher ride. I'll post pics as soon as my truck hits the dirt and is in a worthy picture spot. How do you like your uptop? Did you get the wider of their two offerings?

 

Hmm okay. I'll see what it's currently set to, the previous owner didn't have bumpers but had Decked and a bed rack, thus the HD leafs. I don't want a harsher ride but I'd like my approach angle to be a little bit nicer.

They only have an Alpha (the side plates one) for access cabs right now. But I love it. Drilling holes in the roof sucked, but since the ACs didn't come with factory rivnuts there's nothing I could do about that.

 

I appreciate that insight. I really don't feel comfortable taking her off road and fully flexing it out only to have the coil come in contact and cause issues. I can see where under different flex how this could happen with just .012" of clearance especially if their is something wrong with my coil. Everyone that's seen it in person, Father, Brothers, Father in law all agree it does not look right for sure. for a kit this expensive, I wouldn't think it would have this type of an issue. I reached back out to ARB, we'll see what happens.

 

you could always run it and “try to break it” and have them repair under warranty.

 

It almost seems like that’s the way they are leaning on the issue so far. I just figured stumbling onto an issue and correcting it before it gets worse would be the right way to go about it but we’ll see what they end up doing.

I’ve heard nothing but good things about arb customer service which was a big reason I decided on them over fox or kings. I’m trying not to be picky or bring up a small issue but when I pay top dollar for a product Im gonna have high expectations. so I’m hoping they come around on it. We’ll see.

 

I'm fortunate with the rivnuts. I'm working (at a glacial pace) to get my own rack fabbed up. I like the up top the most of the available ones however. I didn't know that about the AC's. Bummer. Your rig is looking good. The first time I've seen on in that color and been like, "damn that looks nice..." Good luck with the setup. We've had a rainy week so far with more in the forecast so minimal time for me to mess with the adjustments. FWIW I have so much more weight over the front, that I have it set to comp/reb different front to back. Front is set to comp-5, reb-8 and back is set to comp-2, reb-5.

 

Thanks! It's actually a wrap, Avery Smoky Blue. Cement was my first choice but I took what I could get, 6MT ACs are pretty rare.

 

Beautiful! I went cement, had to wait ages for it. Still love it but quicksand is my other fave.

 

Just wanted to give an update on my situation, looks like ARB is going to send me out a replacement Drivers front coilover and call tag to ship the old unit back. Very pleased with this customer service and glad they heard my concerns and are honoring the warranty.

on a side note. I think I’ll take this opportunity to adjust my preload up to 10mm with my 1/4” spacers. I just re checked tonight and after settling for about 3k miles I’ve netted 2” up front at 5mm and 1/4” spacer and 3~3.25” in the rear MD Dakar pack.

running 80lb sliders, 39~40lb tonneau cover, and about 60-80lbs of gear in the bed.

 

And they're on! I should've done before/after measurements like OP, but I'm not seeing much height increase in the front at 10mm pre-load. No real weight-adders up front besides a light bar and Switch Pro. But I only drove it home from the shop, not sure if that makes a difference? I'll want to put it through the paces soon enough.

I forgot to ask, I still have my front sway bar on. That should probably go, right?

Regardless, it handles amazingly well. Way better ride than stock.

 

I pulled my sway bar off before buttoning it all up. I had to remove the two stock bolts that hold on the external resi, to be able to get the clearance. Pulled the brackets, left the screws that hang down with the lock nuts on them to allow me to put the bar on in the future (so they wouldn't go missing if I add it back on) and remounted after bar was out. A second person to help guide it out would be helpful, as it is not overly heavy, but bent in such a way that makes it tough to navigate out. The truck certainly sways more than it did before on the front end, but not more than my old jeep did. I do feel that it's made a definite difference in the feel of the front corners reacting to bumps much more independently.

 

curious what your measurement is from middle of center hub to fender flare up front if u get a chance to check it out on a fairly flat spot as I may go with 10mm next.

 

I don't have before measurements like I said, and this is on 265/70R17s, fronts are 21.5" and rears are 24". I'm hoping it will settle and the rear will relax and the front will come up a bunch. I don't feel comfortable adding more preload since I don't have any significant weight up front yet.

I'll have to get a buddy and do it. I just put an ARB recovery point on, which will make it a little more challenging to get off but hopefully not impossible. Do you know what measurements you have, with what preload?