pkess3

I've had my OME lift a couple months now (ordered from David at Northridge) and it has be absolutely GREAT so far. But just yesterday I was off roading (doing some extreme flexing) and I started hearing a strange noise coming from the front passenger side tire. The noise would occur when going over bumps and when the suspension would receive even the littlest flex. When I get off the trail to air up that's when I discovered that the top shock isolator was missing. I go to a local parts store and find some cheap one to replace it since I was out of town and it's 5pm on a Saturday night. The guy at the store said it was impossible for that to have fallen out since the nut that goes on top was still there!?? Could we have forgotten it when we installed?? I would think I would have heard this noise a long time ago if we did. While I was putting the rubber isolator on I noticed that I'm able to compress the shock quite easily. I also notice that the top half of the shock is able to rotate very easily. Once I got the isolator on and the nut tightened I took the jeep over some speed bumps to test it out and part of the noise was still there. I got out and started pushing down on the bumper and when I do the shock doesn't seem to be putting any pressure between the top of it and where it mounts, kind of like the shock may be out of pressure or dead.

Does anyone have any advice or experienced this with their shocks?? Is there a way to remedy it or do I just need to call ARB or David and order a new one? I appreciate any help.

Northridge4x4

Give me a call on monday and I give you all the information you need to get this problem solved.

David

jckid

I have OME shocks as well. I can tell you that they do compress by hand quite easily--this is normal for this shock. They compress so easily that I was able to install them myself (and I am a lightweight, not very strong female!). The top half of the shock also rotates easily as you mentioned. As far as the other issues you mentioned, I can't help you there, but I thought I'd comment on the part I do know about.

Northridge4x4

I agree this is very true they are a progessive valved shocks so they do compress by hand very easy but that doe snot mean they are bad.

David

sloppyjoe

I am pretty sure that the OME shocks use a low gas pressure setup, and this may be why you can compress it by hand. I have never installed a shock(in the 200 or more ) I have installed that I could not cycle myself before installing it, anyway. But I truely think it is the shock being low pressure more than anything. Hope this helps some. JOE>

jckid

That's what I was trying to let him know--that it is normal and that's how they are when they're new.

pkess3

Yes I do remember it being that way when new but the one on the passenger side doesn't give at all. It's really stout.

On a side note I ran a trail with the shock like this on Sunday. The cheap rubber isolator I bought came off immediately. I've tightened the nut on top of the isolator as far as the threads will go and I can still rotate the top portion of the shock by hand while it's installed.

lv jk

I too lost the top shock isolator on my FT lift. Front driver side. If you come across some good replacements for them let me know. I am also in vegas. Don't really want to pay dealership prices on this.

pkess3

Found out that the top rubber bushing failed because we put the washer below it instead of on top of it and it was cutting the bushing. I installed some new bushings and the shock is working just fine now.

lv jk

where did u pick up the bushig?