OME shocks with Gwyn Lewis Challenge Mounts

[SteveG]

As some of you may know, since replacing my shocks on the 90 last October to fit Gwyn Lewis's Challenge shock mounts, I haven't been happy the handling of my 90. Basically it's too bouncy and pitches/dives too much on road and it's due to underdamping of the Rough Country 11" travel shocks.

I've seen a few posts suggesting that's it's the angle of Gwyn's mounts that reduce the damping effect of the shocks. I know that shock angle affects damping, but the difference in angle is not that much and doesn't explain why the front is underdamped too where the angle hasn't changed at all. So a change of shock was needed, but with this much travel there is not a lot of options.

So I decided to change out the shocks for the OME set that Gwyn supplies. These are N73 OME shocks used for lifted landcruisers. The reason I went for the Rough Country's in the first place and not the OME's was price, as they were over a £100 less than the OME set.

Here are the shocks side by side...

As you can see they are almost identical in length. Here they are fitted front and rear..

What are they like???? - Well the transformation is instantantaneous with a much firmer ride even on the fairly flat tarmac at the beginning of the test drive. I spend a lot of my road miles on b-roads at speeds of 40-60mph where road quality is not at it's best and the ride with the Rough Country's was awful. The test route included some faster b roads and the ride was so much better and back to normal when I was running the DeCarbon +2" dampers with the previous suspension set up. The damping of the N73 shocks is so much more effective than the Rough Country's and shows that you can have a good handling Defender with Gwyn's shock mount set up.

The shocks were fitted yesterday and since then I've done over 200 miles on road and about 20 off-road and the ride is excellent again (for a 90 that is ). So I'm very happy again. Unlike people say, you can have a Defender with good articulation/performance off-road with good road handling on road and no compromise is needed. I'm running LR HD 90 springs front and rear and X-springs on the rear springs.

To make sure it wasn't a placebo effect I popped over to Chris's (GBMUD) and he drove the 90 before and after fitting the shocks. I'll let him post his opinions if he wants to, but it's safe to say there is no placebo effect in my preference for the OME shocks. I should have saved myself £170 and ordered the OME's in the first place instead of being a cheap barsteward! Lastly, you seem to get what you pay for and the quality of the shocks is much better with bigger bushes and a full metal shroud over the shock shaft.

Cheers

Steve

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

Thats very usefull.

I have Procomps at the mo - cheap but the build is poor - the chrome is coming off and the damping far to soft for what I am after.

I too have asked around on the RC Shocks, and am told they are as soft / poss softer than Procomps - so thats no use either,

I may well have a go at these shortly

Thanks !

nige

[Guest WALFY]

Strange you say that ProComp are to soft. I run Bearmach +2" springs and ProComp ES9000 on my 90 T/C. The ride is fairly hard. I wanted to look at something softer for road work. But as it all works I think I'll end up leaving it as it is for now.

[SteveG]

Strange you say that ProComp are to soft. I run Bearmach +2" springs and ProComp ES9000 on my 90 T/C. The ride is fairly hard. I wanted to look at something softer for road work. But as it all works I think I'll end up leaving it as it is for now.

You have to look at them as a package. For hashness of ride, like shocks being transfered through from the road then Spring rating will have a significant effect along with bushes too. The dampers have a more subtle abeit key effect in how they work with the spring. A damper that is too soft will actually increase harshness as it's having little effect on hard shocks being transmitted through and the ride can appear harsher too as you feel the rebounds too as they are not being damped well enough.

If you want a softer ride, I'd look at changing springs and then look at dampers.

Cheers

Steve

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

^^^^^

Spot on

I have soft springs - poss a tad too soft and with soft shocks thats not too good too fast off road.

Soft Springs but with hard(er) shocks are what I am after, Procomps are cheap and have given me the ability to play and fine tune, for me this is to up the srping rate a tad (have a new pair +15 brand new genuine from ebay, and I think the OME shocks will make a further subtle difference.

It is all compromise at the end of the day

nige

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

Steve,

I was using Procomp shocks and OME 781 spring on the rear of truckcab and found this setup to be fine both on and off road. My lift is about 3 inches (2 inches from the springs and 1 inch spacers to level the suspension.

The procomps were beginning to show their age after 12 month of hard use (i.e. rust damage to the piston rods etc), so I recently fitted 11 inch travel Rough Country shocks. TBH I can detect no difference between either set up ,and I am not renowned for being the worlds slowest driver on the roads ...............A good test for me has been 5 trips up the A30 / A303 in the past 2 weeks (260 miles each round trip) and it handles well on the twisty bits.................I guess it should be noted that 781 springs are not renowned for their supple ride

Ian

[JST]

Steve,

i totally concur with regard to the shocks quality i have just changed the front procomps+2" on mine to OME HD shocks after breaking one. they are far better and go well with my OME springs as well.

when the rear +2" procomps die then it will be OME on the back as well.

Mark - as Nige and Steve say i think you will find the springs are too hard, my brother in law is running them and they are far to hard in my opinion. but they work! they got you out of the Culmhead hole above Ians bog!

[gsr341]

i run gwyns full challenge kit inc trailing arms , with OME shocks and springs , and have allways been happy with the handling , landy can easly stay with normal cars through twisty roads .

have heard the rougth country shock where a little on the soft side , but lots of people in the past have blamed gwyns kit ,

if you ever have any problems give gwyn a call he does know his stuff and will help you out , even if it doesnt lead to a sale for him on that occasion , real genuine guy ..

allways get the best you can afford it really does pay off in the end , ive supprise a few people with the handling of my landy on 34" simex JT

[Paul Humphreys]

I had Gwyns kit on me 110 for 2 years before I sold it. I had OME springs and Pro-comp shocks (I am tight you know ) I had no probolems at all.

Paul

[honitonhobbit]

You have to allow for sprung weight, un sprung weight, tyre width, wheel off set, loading, driving style , other mods, driver preference etc etc.

I don't like OME kit full stop - why? Because it has let me down to often. What I do know is it takes time and effort (not to mention money) to get what you prefer

[Guest WALFY]

Steve,

i totally concur with regard to the shocks quality i have just changed the front procomps+2" on mine to OME HD shocks after breaking one. they are far better and go well with my OME springs as well.

when the rear +2" procomps die then it will be OME on the back as well.

Mark - as Nige and Steve say i think you will find the springs are too hard, my brother in law is running them and they are far to hard in my opinion. but they work! they got you out of the Culmhead hole above Ians bog!

James

I agree that it did help me with the slight undulation on the DRD. Some would say that it was my driving that got me through . But yes the springs are hard but I've sort of got used to them. I couldn't envisage any other setup. I can't afford to go throwing money at it just to change it. I'm fairly happy with it. At the end of the day it's a compromise of on and off road. And it's now the 3rd car in the fleet so doesn't do that many miles at all so I'll stick with what I've got.

[red90 driver]

We're running Gwyn's kit with OME springs and shocks. Really happy with the ride and the articulation. Can't remember what the springs are - 764's on the rear?

Had the kit fitted for over 2 years now. The shocks are just now startings to show their age - smidge of rust on the shock bodies. I have fitted the rough country shocks to Faiths disco along with the rest of Gwyns suspension kit and police spec springs. She has not yet got the tub on the road so I don't know what it handles like......

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

I don't like OME kit full stop - why? Because it has let me down to often.

Yes, I can relate to that ............... I have broken both pins and eyes from OME shocks .............. never had any trouble with the springs ........

Ian

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

<bugger>

Ian,

Did you have 'pin pin' .............or 'eye pin' ?

'Eye pin' puts all sorts of strains that pin pin doesn't do if set up right ?

Hoping you say your prob were eye pin not pin pin....... TTFN

nige

[will_warne]

I'd agree about the handling with OME shocks - they really are excellant. My 90 was always very civilised and handled well (for a Land Rover) when on BFG muds.

I never had issues with breaking shocks although I ran a non dislocating setup. I've seen a couple break including one of Tony's but I have to say I've seen far more breakages of other brands of shocks.

Nige, what about something more bling?

[white90]

I broke one of the rear eyes from a rear OME shock

it was replaced no questions.

quality costs and good quality is worth every penny if you intend to use the item for its intended purpose.

I have some OME shocks on the front over 5 years old and still in fine order

even the paint.

[robhybrid]

I have seen shocks break several times but have yet to see this caused by the shock quality.

I have seen shocks fitted on home brew suspension where they bottom out putting extreme pressure on the mountings.

I have seen shocks break when the fittings have been used with incorrect bushings not allowing shocks to move as the axle articulates.

I have seen shocks break when the bushings have been fitted that tightly the main rod can be seen to bend during axle articulation.

I have seen shocks wear out due to rubber boots being fitted holding in water and mud causing rust and acting as grinding paste on moving components.

Unfortunately many people want to have a go at doing their own modification but then blame the kit when they have problems.

It is always seems to be the case that those people that have the money to pay out in the first place are the people that end up saving money at the end of the day.