OME Nitrocharger Sport

[Crispin]

So... it finally happened. With thanks to Greg and .... (I forget his name ) at Land Cruisers Overland, I now have new shocks and a slight lift on the 120.

First thoughts: I like the stance. Not stupidly high but higher than it was. I know it's higher 'cause may fat rss now gets stuck on the seat bolster when getting in.
The drive: Muct nicer than the standard setup. It certainly is harder and I am now more aware of imperfections in the road but it is not uncomfortable. Just different. The biggest difference is it is far less wallowy in bends and roads with soft, offset bumps which always caused it to lurch.
There is a local country lane I use often which always causes a grown from the RHS of the truck. After lots of checking, I concluded the noise was emanating from the wife being thrown about on the bumps. I shall attempt this again tomorrow and see. It shall be the acid test

The only thing that I was not expecting was bad understeer. When I left Greg's, I went into a circle a bit fast but then floored it while in. This would normally induce an easy drift. Today, the front just left go quite quickly and without groan from the tyres. Previously they would moan long before they got upset.

I know it's early days and the springs have to settle etc so I'll try this again in a while. I might have been a wet patch I hit...



All in all, I am happy with them and the ride, I think, is better than before.

Some pics (apologies for the angle but it was their best side )

Greg trying to convince me I need some new tyres...

 

[Tommo&Claire]

Looking smart mate, now lets go play!

 

[Paul]

And proof that it is not higher than an 80

 

[Trevor]

Looking good Crispin, can't wait for your road report once everything has bedded in.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Cool. Give a while then get alignment dine to fix the understeer

 

[Graham]

Good looking truck Crispin,

When I got my lift, the thing West Coast first kept telling me was to ' go and punish' the suspension.

Get some serious up and down flexing, get some articulation.

This will bed the springs in much faster.
Also a short cut to getting the steering set up , if it still needs doing after the punishment lesson.

Graham

 

[Crispin]

Well, [strike:2672ihhe]one[/strike:2672ihhe] two weeks on and 500 miles and I am still happy with them. The ride is softer than when I first got them and a bit more comfortable now. Still firmer than the OEM stuff though. I can feel bumps and cracks in the roads whereas the OEM one used to absorb them quite well. BTW: Has anyone noticed the state of our roads! Someone should do something about it! I've never noticed it before

Corners are nice, much less roll than before. Sits nice and upright. if I must complain, it is speed bumps; I used to be able to fly over them with very little movement from the front, some bounce from the back. I now crash over them and send people in the 3rd row into the roof. Odd, I keep doing it

Anyway, still happy and still convinced it was money well spent (Only way I can stay sane!)

 

[Trevor]

How is the understeer you first experienced, has this now reduced? Or was it just the unlucky damp patch?

 

[Scott]

Stick some weight in the back and give the speed humps another go. You'll probably find that the unlanden weight of the 120 is a tad light for the ome suspension and it needs some extra weight to get it to move.

Cheers,

Scott.

 

[Crispin]

Actually, Scott, I should have mentioned. On Saturday I loaded it up with rubble. Bags of old concrete, sand and stone. About rubble bags, not sure of weight but maybe 20-30kgs each. It was a very different ride. Much smoother than unladen. (not that unladen is bad...)


Trevor, it must have been a damp patch. A couple of circles it has had very slow understeer but lots of noise from tyres before. Lack (read: vastly reduced) of body roll is nice

 

[Trevor]

Can't wait to see it in action at Lincomb, I bet the better ground clearance will be good.

 

[Scott]

It was a very different ride. Much smoother than unladen. (not that unladen is bad...)

I've found it the same on a number of different 4x4's, ome is designed and rated to smooth out harsh terrain whilst carring a load. Unladen it can be a bit too firm for some, but stick a bit of weight in it, or bolt some goodies on! and the extra weigh will get the suspension moving and working perfectly.

Oh and in my experience they can take a fair amount of overloading and abuse in their stride, without sagging much, if at all.

Cheers,

Scott.