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OME or Radflo & Alcan?

11K views 71 replies 12 participants last post by  jsexton 
#1 ·
Ok...

So what I want is a couple inches of lift, and the best ride quality I can get for highway commute and rough logging roads, mild offroading, etc... I don't do any heavy off roading.

The answer would seemingly be OME.
However I'm not thrilled with all the posts about the Dakar leaves creaking and popping. I don't want to listen to that around town.

SOO... Now I'm looking at doing Radflo OE length COs, with Alcan 2" lift springs and 5100s in the back. Obviously this option is a bit more $$$, but if it is no doubt a superior ride and superior setup, I can swing it. However, if it is going to be minimal difference at best from the OME, I don't want to spend the extra coin.

Thoughts? Thanks for the help.
 
#2 ·
OK... I'm going to add one more option.

I can build a lift from Nisstec as follows, and it is $273 more shipped than the full OME kit. It SEEMS like it would be worth that?
-Mk84 front COs
-Steel axle shims
-Cam bolts
-Alcan 2" lift springs with U bolts
-Bilestein 2-2.5 5100 rear shocks
$1870 shipped


OME full kit is $1597 shipped?


I figure the Alcans are for sure an upgrade over OME Dakars... but I wonder how much better the Mk84s will ride/preform than the OME coil overs? If any at all?
 
#3 ·
I'd go that route personally! Alcans are definitely leaps & bounds over OME. And if you tow/haul heavy stuff inside....the OMEs will hate ya. They good for lift...but not much for supporting heavy weight.

I just don't know if you'd need to get UCA's for the MK84s to avoid CBC....i'm sure someone would chime in on that though
 
#5 ·
Your second post sounds like a good plan. My only advice:

- Really figure how much extra weight you need in those Alcans. I think over-building is better. I got 350# extra and it wasn't nearly enough (I sagged 1.5" when loaded with 220lbs of camping gear) when combined with my aftermarket bumper & sliders.
- I'd order Alcans directly from Alcan themselves. It'll save you $50.
- You'll want UCAs sooner rather than later
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the tips.
Yea, the setup on the Alcans is one thing I'm torn on. I don't have hardly any extra weight in the rear right now, but there's a decent chance I'll do a rear bumper and tire carrier in the future. My gut says the 250-350lb option at 2" lift would be a good option? But hard to tell.
I commute unloaded every day, so I don't want a harsh ride unloaded on a rough highway.
 
#9 ·
id highly recommend you plan to start up with UCAs as well. with that said, the mk84 route is the route i'd go if i were to do it again (except with extended travel). If you do a lift without ucas your alignment will be ruining tires well beyond the budget you're setting for yourself with this purchase
 
#11 · (Edited)
So how do folks get by without UCAs on an OME lift? If I'm only going lift 2" and add camber bolts? It should be the same thing?

To be honest, the front tires on my X have always worn bad... different sets of tires, different alignments, they've always worn bad.


ETA: This is in reference to alignment. I understand the M84s are extended travel and will contact if they droop.
 
#29 · (Edited)
My opinion is that after you make the initial investment and get over the shock of spending the money, you'll never regret getting more/better than what you wanted/needed to begin with. But if you do it the other way around, you're far more likely to regret it eventually. You'll soon forget what you spent that extra couple hundred dollars on besides your suspension, and you'll wish you had the extended travel coilovers at some point. You never know how your preferences or wheeling style will change over time, but you'll never be sorry that you have the better setup and aren't using it to it's full potential (again... after you've already spent the money).

Doing it the way you're suggesting - buying extended travel now and adding UCAs later) would also allow you to keep your eyes peeled for a good deal on a set of used UCAs once someone does a titan swap or something. If you adjust the extended travel coilovers all the way down to their lowest height, coil bucket contact should be very minimal if any at all. As others have stated, I think alignment issues will be a bigger problem than coil bucket contact with the extended travel rads and stock UCAs. So if you have brand new tires and plan to go 20k or 30k miles before you add UCAs, it might be a bad idea to do it this way. But like you said, it may just persuade you to add the UCAs sooner than you think. I used this same strategy when I ordered my suspension setup. I purchased 650# springs knowing I'd eventually want to add a front bumper. The ride was really stiff, and when the wife complained, I convinced her that the solution was to buy a front bumper. :)
 
#36 ·
I'm just trying to come up with spring weights now.
I feel like 600 on the Rads and 300lb on the Alcand would be a good setup... but that's just me trying to piece together suggestions.

I'm gonna order a Hefty aluminum front soon, which nets you not much weight over stock, and maybe a tire carrier down the road, but that'll be about it.
 
#37 · (Edited)
Having OE rads or Extended rads both set at 2" will require a very similar alignment. Shock length doesn't affect alignment - it has more to do with your ride height.

My Opinion:

Get the Extended rads. It's a waste of money to get OE length. You pay a significant amount for a good shock with no travel increase. OE is pointless unless you have a 6' garage. Extended travel will ride better in every situation.

FYI I ran 650# with no front bumper for a month. It was rougher but not unusable. I added a steel bumper and it became better. I added a winch and noticed no change. If you get winch with synthetic line you are really only adding ~35lbs which isn't really noticeable.

That being said, if you are 100% SURE You are getting hefty aluminum in front (be prepared to shell out $1700), 600# is fine. I'd stick with 400lb Alcans or at least get 350#. Alcans are progressive so you don't really get a ton of stiffness when unloaded. With rear bumper tire carrier, gear, and fuel you get up to that weight capacity quick.

I'm gonna order a Hefty aluminum front soon, which nets you not much weight over stock, and maybe a tire carrier down the road, but that'll be about it.
BS "that'll be it" lol. Once you get a taste of some good "heavy off roading" you'll want sliders and then maybe skids. Overbuild a bit now, so you don't have to spend more later :)
 
#47 ·
#52 ·
you won't even notice it's missing...trust me. I ditched mine years ago when I put just AAL's on. I've since upgraded to OME HD packs.

now...ditching the front sway bar is a different story in regards to road manners ;-)
 
#60 ·
Talked to Greg at PRG this evening.
First off, he's the MAN. I'll definitely be ordering through him.

So, basically he suggested 650lb Rads with the 400lb Alcans. He said that is the right "match".
He said 550 vs 650 isn't going to ride "harsher", just be more resistant to diving and rolling. Said the harshness comes in when you try to crank them up to far.
At 2" he thinks they will ride fine, stock or with the aluminum bumper.
Also said that at 2" I'll never notice bucket contact with the extended Rads during regular driving, and If I start really off roading just add the UCAs.
So there it is straight from the horses mouth.

I'm still kinda considering 600s and 350lb Alcans though, ha.
 
#63 ·
Interesting thread, Just to add a couple of things. I have the MK's extended and just got a set of Alcans in this week. The MK's have 600# coils with Shrockworks bumper, winch with steel cable. No sag and rides comfortable on and off, stock brake lines. The Alcans are 500# and were ordered 2" lift. I didn't realize that despite discussing with Bill that I had extended shakles he build the lift in for stock shackles. So with 32 " tires FTG 39.5 " in the rear. I run with a RTT, and lots of camping gear,water,fridge,,fuel etc. the Alcans ride pretty smooth even empty. After reading numerous posts about folks being very dissapointed about their 2" lift ending up almost disapearing after a short time with 300# Alcans I went with the 500# and have no regrets, it rides very smooth running empty. I did do the brake line "extender" mentioned in an earlier thread.Good luck with your build.
 
#65 ·
i have a Hefty rear bumber ,no tire carrier. The issue with the extended shackles,IMHO, is when you start getting the the middle and higher settings you will hasten flattening out the spring. Your spending a lot of cash on thosee Alcans, take your time and make the right decision once. Remember the installation is not a piece of cake. You can do it but you don't want to be taking it apart in 2-3 months to add extended shackles . If you want extended shackles put them it at the time of the leaf spring install. On the lowest setting they add 1-1/2 inch over the lift that you ordered. Remember these springs to seem to settle 1/2-1 inch (so I've read) over time.
 
#67 ·
I bought 3" @350#. I had sliders and rear tire carrier/bumper.

It gave me about 2.25" of lift. I had to add PRG shackle to get the 3" lift that I wanted.
 
#68 · (Edited)
Keeping an eye on this thread.

I currently have MK84s with 550lb springs and just ordered Alcans with +350lbs. Reading some of these replies almost make me want to go higher. I'm mostly stock however (sliders only) with no plans to add any significant weight. So far, I've been pretty happy with the 550lb springs.
 
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