OME Kit Questions

After reading a zillion threads about Tacoma lifts, I have learned a lot, but still have a few basic newbie questions that I am hoping some of you experts can help me with.

The objective:

Add some lift (3 inches or less) to my TRD Doublecab and compensate for adding a new ARB bumper. Winch will follow later.

I do a LOT of driving on desert roads. Lots of pounding down washboard roads with ruts and bumps at more than slow speed. I want to improve upon, or at least maintain, the original ride quality - not interested in needing a mouthguard to drive my truck. Want to stay away from an overly stiff ride. I plan on keeping the 265/70-16 tires. I also need to maintain full suspension travel.

I have seen some contradictory information, so I'd like to get more information to sort out a couple of things.

1. I was thinking that the OME lift kit with Dakar leafs in back and 885 coils in front with OME shocks would be the bet with the best chance of good ride quality and lowest chance of issues with vibration, rubbing CV boots and alignment issues. Would 886 springs ride stiffer than the 885's without the winch? After I get the winch would the 885's still provide good ride quality?

2. Will the Dakar leafs seem really stiff compared to the stock TRD leafs in a unloaded truck?

3. With the OME shocks and either 885 or 886 coils, will I still have full suspension travel?

4. Would it be worthwhile to add UCA's with the OME kit? I know the UCA's are not "required", but I am leery of developing a alignment issue that can not be corrected without UCA's.

5. What problems have people had with the OME kits?

6. Is there a better option than the OME kit that would be a lock-cinch to give great ride quality?

Any information and help is appreciated!

 

The OME 886s would be more ideal if your planning on running a ARB bumper because of the weight. The ride will be stiffer both up front with the 886s and in the rear with the Dakars. New UCAs may be needed to correct any alignment issues you may have because of the lift. They are recommended if you lift your rig 2.5" or higher

 

This is what OME is designed for. OME will give you a better ride under the conditions you describe - at the expense of stiffer ride on pavement.

You don't seem to concerned with lift/ride height. 885s might work well for you even with the winch. I can only guess the ride height you'll end up with.

on pavement, it's stiffer. "really stiff" is in the eye of the beholder.

Yeah.

If you go the 886s, you might want UCAs. 886s are stiff. Not sure I'd get them till I also had winch in hand, but maybe double-cab with ARB bumper is enough to compress the things.

The usual. "persuasion" of components when installing. Driveline vibes. Caster off after alignment. Having to relocate the sway bar.

For your intended use, OME may well be the best choice. The other alternative is coilovers (Fox/King/Icon/Camburg), but most folks running them don't have that heavy ARB bumper and winch up front.

The other "most common" lift option folks use is 5100s, but members who've run both and experimented, find that 5100s overheat on washboarded roads sooner than the OME shocks do.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

What about TSB leafs (although I am long out of warranty and would have to pay) plus TSB AALs in the rear with the OME 885 coils + OME shocks up front?

A better/worse compromise than the Dakar's for the conditions I described?

Thanks.

 

Since you'd have to pay to have the TSB done - you'd end up paying more to get an inferior solution vs. replacing your leaf pack with the Dakar leaf pack.

 

Recently installed OME w/ 886 front and Dakar rear on 05 dbl cab LB. Offroad all around better although front is stiff. Street ride is stiffer = better. Cornering has less roll, rear springs soak up the bumps. The front is way stiffer and you can feel it going over speed bumps but soaks up dips. I am installing a bumper and winch in the fall thus went with 886's. I expect the front end to settle down and ride softer with the extra weight. After alighment I have a light flutter in the steering and again I expect this to settle down with the extra weight and lowered lift
height. I do not feel the need for UCA but the debate can be found on this site and others.