OME installation...

[greend90SW]

I am changing out my LR HD springs and Bilstein shocks this weekend with the OME setup and was looking for any tips or advice. I am planning on renting a spring compressor to use on the job; and I do have a floor jack and jack stands. I searched here and D-Web and didn't find much info on the D90 install. TIA.

[wicks]

Don,

I think you've got the right idea with the spring compressor. I've heard it can be done without but only with some good muscle.

I have been considering the idea of LR HD springs for some time. Could you tell me why you are planning to replace them with OMEs?

[greend90SW]

Wicks

I think the HDs are a good option if you have a bull bar and/or winch and don't want much lift. The lift is not very much 1" at the most, probably only 0.5"; I don't have a good frame of reference since the truck had 42k when I bought it and the stock springs were probably sagging at that point. The main reason I am changing is I want a softer valved shock than the Bilsteins. The Bilsteins are great on the road but too firm for me off the road. Since I am going to be in there changing shocks I decided to go ahead and change the springs as well. Plus the HDs sagging in front from use and the bull bar and winch; wouldn't mind the lift either. Any other questions just ask.

[chrisvonc]

You dont need compressors or stands if you have good sliders, a hilift and leave the tires on. Granted, it's not as easy as if you take the tires off.

For the rears:
- Block the wheels to prevent roll back,
- undo the bottom bolt of your shock,
- undo the spring retainer,
- jack up the first side at the rear of the slider until the shock pulls up and out of the lower mount and the spring should free up right after. You will be able pull the spring out once loose.
- If you jacked it up high enough, you should be able to get the new spring in,
- Have someone guide the shock back into the mount before you start lowering,
- once all the way back down replace the retainer and rebolt the shock.
- Repeat process on other side

Fronts:
- Trying to remember how we did it... it is much more involded but still can be done with a similar method. Fronts though are a a lot tougher if leaving the tires on.

BTW - There is a whole write up on doing this on DW. Its written for a Disco but its close to doing it on a D90.

[greend90SW]

Chris

Unforunately, no sliders or hilift here. I need a hilift, don't know why I haven't gotten one. Never saw the need for sliders considering the type of wheeling I do; no rocks, mainly wide wheeler trails and seriously unimproved roads on my hunting club. Thanks for the info regardless.

[kellymoe]

I used spring compessors the first time I did that job. The last few times I did not use them. I think you will be very happy with the OME off road. Prior to OME if gear was not tied down in my RR and was going over whoopty doo's on rough dirt roads stuff would be in the air. On the same road with the OME the suspension soaked up the terrain and gear stayed put. I also caught air with four wheels off the ground quite by accident, honestly, a few years back on the Saline Valley road, I thought I was going to bust axles, springs and shocks. I held on for the impending impact and was blown away when it felt like I landed on a pillow. OME's are awsome.

[wicks]

We did Jason's OMEs in his classic with a bottle jack.

Don, I may want to take your old springs off your hands and see how they fit as some kind of an upgrade at least. ?

Wicks

[TDI Guy]

I switched out my rear springs yesterday in less then an hour. Don't use a spring compressor. Either do what chris said or what I did.

Jack under rear axle, remove tire, put a jack stand or cinder blocks under the frame just infront of the rear link. Now, lower the jack down and the spring will just fall right out from the top. Unbolt the retainer and reverse the process.
YOu can do the same thing in the front.

Randy

[javelinadave]

Please use something solid, not cinder blocks!

[TDI Guy]

I rest a 3 ton boat on 2 cinder blocks with no problem and this is on dirt. the thing sits there all winter w/ no problem. Also has held up through several hurricanes and major storms. I think it would hold up 1000lbs if that of the truck for a few minutes. Hell, I would put a stump under there to hold it up to do the job... Things are not that difficult. How do you think things are done in the desert in Africa? Hold on, Let me setup my 4 post lift a minute. lol...

[ronward]

One word of caution here. Watch those front brake lines when lowering. I put the spring compressors on before lowering the axle any. That way I spend a lot less time tightening down the spring. Lower the axel and the spring doesn't "spring" since the compressor is holding it in. Installing the new OME springs will take some effort and you might need to bounce the axel in the rear a bit to get the spring under the frame lip. Remove the sway bar fixings and the job goes a whole lot easier. Good luck!!

[artm]

Randy,

I don't know about using cinder blocks. I had one crack on me years ago and never used them again. A pile of wood blocks is safer.

[Art Vigil]

FWIW I've done springs on a D90 three times and never needed a spring compressor; it is really not that difficult.

Wicks, Jason's got the coolest classic I've ever seen and when I eventually get one, I plan to set it up exactly the same way.
From the year ('95), to the color, to the style of rims and the suspension modifications, he's got exactly what I want.

I've started a few emails to him to tell him that, but I keep deleting them for fear of sounding like I'm some sort of stalker.:sneaky

If you ever overhear him wishing he had a red '97 SW instead, or plans to sell, please let me know:grin

[greend90SW]

Thanx for all the responses guys, I really appreciate it.

Wicks, shoot me an email and maybe we can work something out.

[ronward]

Sure swapping springs on a 90 is not a difficult thing to do. Compressors make the job easier and quicker in my opinion. I'm probably installing taller springs too since I really needed about an inch or more in extra travel to get the springs in front. But for a stock for stock or even stock for OME medium duties like some are talking about here, no compressor needed I suppose.

[wicks]

Don - the site has your email address set to hidden...

[mdmccallum]

Don, I agree with most everything here. Compressers make the front spring removal a little easier but aren't needed in the rear. trhe only thing that I would add is that the OME's will leave you with the front being approx'ly 1/2 in lower than the rear depending on the springs you use. If so I would put the rubber spring spacers from Expidition Exchange up front to even it out. The ride is amazing with OME. You will love it. Feels like what I would expect from one of those early Star Wars Vehicles that hovered about 3 ft off the ground would ride like.

[greend90SW]

Sorry about that Wicks, fixed now.

Got the setup today. Should've said I went with 751/764s and N115/N44.

[Mjollnir]

Spring compressors should be avoided when ever possible. The amount of kinetic energy stored in the spring when using a compressor is immense, were it to fail the spring would happily launch into/through whatever happened to be in it's trajectory. The danger is compounded when you have the spring in the compressor and you're cranking on the bolts to further compress the spring. The likelyhood of the compressor slipping off the spring at this point is better than slim.

I've never changed springs on a D90, but I would imagine that with the shock and sway bar (if you've still got it) disconnected, you should be able to cantilever the axle using a jack on the opposite side whilst the truck is on jackstands.