Suspension answers once and for all.

[Fjamming]

So many questions, so many choices, and most of it is personal preference or based on things others have said. How do you really know what works and what doesn't?

Here's what I propose. I think if we can get volunteers with suspensions from Allpro (reservoired), DR, OME, and whoever else is available to come out one day and do a test, it can make the seletions and reviews much more objective.

We'll need the above vehicles to be in their stock tires and aired to the same psi. Preferrably the above vehicles will have minimal mods besides the shocks. UCA, links, etc. should not figure into the equation unless all the vehicles also have them.

We'll also need a location with relatively difficult terrain in which a stock vehicle will have a hard time climbing. The test should include rock crawling, uneven surface at speed (test for comfort and control), and street driving. I'm volunteering my stock vehicle for the thest.

Anyone interested in this? If you are, please post what mods you have on your vehicle and suggestion for dates. Once we have enough interest, I'll post a date and more coordination. If you have suggestion for location or more ideas, please post up also. I'm posting this in SoCal, so I can participate.



***UPDATES*** 6/13/07
So, now we have:

• Fjamming: Stock FJ
• MudlovingFJ: OME front and rear (mediums)
• Mir207: OME front and rear (hard)
• FJrod: AllPro reservoir front and rear.
• (volunteer): Donahoe front and rear.
• (volunteer): alternative shock setup.

I've heard a lot of people singing the praise of their vehicles, this is a good chance to try out the different setups and get a better idea of how they really compare.

[jeshua]

great idea Fjamming a couple things to add
1. trans type might have some effect so try to keep it all the same probly AT
2. would be nice to have a couple guys drive each rig one after the other over the same terrin.
3. will be hard to have the same tires as most of the guys here in socal have long gotten rid of the stock tires. what would work but would take a little more work is to use the same set of tires on each rig so you would have to change them from Fj to Fj it would be a lot of work though.

[highbeams]

great idea however, it would either have to be a long day. or several days
and then, we could probably give you the answer before you even try
the DRs are going rule at speed over the uneven, or washboard stuff, remember their design is for desert bombing, the allpro will work best on the knarly stuff and excell over the rock and stuff, it's main desighn. the OME will be a great stable all around setup, and the stock ride will get hung up everywhere. Street use will be a subjective answer as some will want the softness of stock, the complience of the DRs or the stability of the All Pro. Which ever when doing the test you will be comparing apples to oranges to watermelons to blackberries.
Good luck, would love to see the effort.

I would also have to agree that all units would have to be the same with the exact same equiptment installed to make i a fair writeup.

[Fjamming]

We know, in some general sense, where each suspension might excel, but to what degree and how severe are the compromises are what's really important to know. Is the Allpro going to do poorly in desert running? DR going to suck on the rocks? OME? Let's see if we can find out. We don't have the big budgets to design a controlled course and use precision instruments to capture and measure data collected, but we can use some common sense and experience to see if we can distill some truth from myth.

We're going to test them over variety of surfaces. They'll each get their chance. They may be different, but we should be to see what what degree they are different.

[highbeams]

Fjamming previously said:

We know, in some general sense, where each suspension might excel, but to what degree and how severe are the compromises are what's really important to know. Is the Allpro going to do poorly in desert running? DR going to suck on the rocks? OME? Let's see if we can find out. We don't have the big budgets to design a controlled course and use precision instruments to capture and measure data collected, but we can use some common sense and experience to see if we can distill some truth from myth.

We're going to test them over variety of surfaces. They'll each get their chance. They may be different, but we should be to see what what degree they are different.

now we are getting into driver area
because most guys are not going to be able to tell as they are not going to have the skills to push them. Most guys are going to be still figuring out lines in rocks and stuff, I could push a FJC with any suspension and make it outshine another by choosing the line I wanted to. What you do, is you look for design purpose, and then look at build purpose. Then go match it. I honestly believe most guys on this board are better off with suspensions they did not choose, but then who am I to tell them how to spend the money.
I will tell you this, Come follow me around and at the end of the day tell me what you did not like about your stock suspension, then we go somewhere else and do the same, so on an so on till you figure it out, What you will figure out is what you like to do, not which suspension is best. then match to that goal. I watched a FJ with a set of DRs do a rock trail this weekend and he raved about the suspension. I am sure he would have raved about a All Pro or OME suspension in the same place. I do not think he sees a reason to question it as it is such a great improvement over stock, However, I know from having pushed each type of suspension, I would rather have the all pro there.
Look at this
OME, just a great and well designed all around setup
All Pro, designed for the tough stuff when things get rough
DR, designed for the desert style racing

on road all will offer a better ride, off road each has it's place and we know it already, however till you really learn how to push a rig offroad and have the experience to do it with ease, you could probly never tell the difference between the 3 except where they shine.

[Fjamming]

Jim, we need to get you involved in this. You're very experienced and can help a lot in evaluations. Do you like to participate? Maybe help in designing the evaluation criterias and paramenters.

[frogeye]

The WEs can handle high speed desert wash action. This topic is sooooooo subjective. Jim, when is the last time you drove a rig with WEs at high speed in a deset wash? I have and they work great. So, I'm going to disagree with you on how the WEs can't handle the high speed desert action.

[Fjamming]

Froggy, we're trying to make this "objective" . You want to volunteer?

[frogeye]

I've been encouraging people all along to try each. Not to go on peoples' blanket opinions but on fact and functionality.

[MudLovingFJ]

great idea, tony. i would love to see the results from this test. i would also volunteer my vehicle for any tests if neccessary.