Opinions on OME kit with 880's

Since my leaf springs are pretty much shot (starting to get some negative arch) I decided to start looking for replacements. I've been thinking about a mild (2" or so) lift for a while anyway, right? I wound up buying a complete OME kit that originally came from Cruiser Outfitters from a dude who bought the kit for his Taco, then bought a Cruiser and wound up selling the truck to pay for it. The price was too good to resist, and he'd never installed it, so I bought it.

The kit is the "light" one seen here: http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/sus_Tacoma.html

Here's my dilemma, I would have gone for the kit with the 881 springs, but like I said, price was good so I've been kicking around a couple of options before I install, so here goes:

1.) Run the kit with 880's as is, if I need more lift, add it later. I'm only planning on running 265/75's, so no biggie (maybe 33x10.5 if I ever get 15" wheels but that's a big maybe). It would be nice not to worry about needing additional mods, but I'm concerned it will settle out and I'll essentially have no lift at all.

2.) Sell the 880 springs, get the 881s and move on. At this time I have no plan to add bumpers or a winch, so this is tempting, but it would be a pain to get the springs off the shocks, install new ones, then sell the old ones.

3.) Buy a set of 10mm spacers to make up the difference in height between the springs. This would be really simple (no buying and selling, simple install, cheap, etc) so it's tempting as well and seems like the net result would be 2" or so of lift, without sacrificing ride quality too much.

Anyways, what would you guys do in my shoes? I'd really rather not fuss with a diff. drop, UCA's, extended brake lines, BPV, etc., if I don't have to, but I also don't want to have (essentially) my stock ride height after spending the money. I do like the way our trucks look with a little lift. I generally have a "wheel it till it breaks, then upgrade" mindset, but thought I'd get some different perspectives this time.

 

I went with 881's, with no heavy armor, bumpers etc. Its is a tad rough, especially when I hit bumps. To make matters worse, I have a 4cyl. I'm sure the v6 will help weigh the front end down and provide a softer ride. I should've gone with 880's and the OME spacer like you are planning.

 

if you get the 10mm "lift enhancer" you will also need the longer top-plate bolts. also make sure it has the rear extended brake line, you will want that for "just in case" scenarios.

I have the 881 with 10mm and it sits at least 2.5 or more high so I'll be removing the spacers and seeing how I like it. I keep a little stuff in my bed and use a cap during the winter months so it settled the rear springs pretty fast and I hate the "bro" lean, especially while driving.

 

I decided to just talk to Kurt at CO's to see what he said. He says the brake extension and that stuff is not necessary. He also recommended the 5mm spacer, saying it would get me 2" where I want to be.

I'm inclined to see how it does with just the lift. If I get vibes or bad CV boot angles, I'll add the diff. drop, and if the brake's have problems I'll deal with that as well.

 

Just an update. Went with the 880 shocks and 5mm trim packers. I didn't measure before and after, but it's a noticeable lift for sure. The ride is nice but I did get the 'OME clunk' you hear about. It's been getting better over time, so I'm hoping it works itself out. The CV angles aren't great, but could be worse. I've been running without a brake line extension but it's a little snug. I think before I off-road much, I'll get an extension in there. Anyway, it's a definite improvement and I feel like it was a worthwhile investment.

 

what's this "OME clunk"?

 

It seems pretty common to have a thunk noise when going over bumps with new OME suspensions. A quick forum search will turn up a few examples.

I think what's causing it (at least in my case) is just the fact that the shocks are new and stiff and make a noise when suddenly pushed 'up.' I think so anyway, and it is getting better the more the suspension is used.

At first, both the front shocks where doing it, now it's only the passenger side and it's getting less and less frequent. YMMV.