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old man emu kit for WK2. Who has it?

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wk2
62K views 63 replies 28 participants last post by  eqbirvin 
#1 ·
HI All,

As title says, after research this kit seems the most thought out and I have decided on it, but I am curious why more don't run this kit? It seems I have seen only 1 youtube video of someone with it. Is cost the only thing holding people back on it? I like that it has several options, diesel and tow, etc.

If I am just not seeing the folks and there are several with this kit, what are the biggest tires sizes with no spacers for this kit? I have a Limited with no QL on the way. Looking to put this in not too long after it arrives. Thanks!

Thoughts?
 
#2 ·
275/55/20 is the biggest I'd go. You might have a little tire rub at full compression if you hit some dips at high speed but chances are you won't ever bottom out if you have this lift, you would have to drive really hard. I'm currently running Bilstein 5100s up front set to max hight of 1.75" with RRO trim packers which are supposed to add 3/8" and on back I have poly TJ spacers with the OME shocks. The longer OME shocks and the trim packers up front should mitigate tire rub at full compression. so far everything is great, I love the setup. If you get the OME kit you may want to add the RRO trim packers to the front because the OME lift raises the back .25" more than the front. I have heard of people breaking the OME struts by overextending them but you can't even full extend them with your sway bars on as far as I know. I have my sway bars off and apparently get more droop travel than the guys who have them on. A you tube search for OME Failure will show you the video I'm talking about. He had the OMEs on a tacoma. I noticed an improvement in both handeling and off road ride when I put the poly spacers on back with the OMEs and replaced the 5100s on back (although the 5100s where much better than stock. I don't know if it was more the shocks or the poly spacers between the coils and the unibody but I would recommend it. Your cheapest option would be to run what I've got and I can even sell you the poly spacers for like $25 with shipping. I know where you can get the Bilstein 5100s for the front for only $160 each and the OME for 122 a piece. Not only is this setup cheaper but since you use the OE springs you will not stiffen the ride as much as if you do the full OME kit which utilizes their springs. Their kit also raises the back a lot. I dunno if you like that. The poly TJ spacers will only lift it about 1.25" -1.5". You can also probably get the job done yourself if you are mechanically inclined. I just did it all and can share some experience.
 

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#3 · (Edited)
I have the OME kit installed. The front springs are the heavy versions for the added weight of a winch. The rear springs are also heavy for towing. The ride is noticeably stiffer, but I prefer it to the stock mushy suspension. The rear shocks made noise at first because they reused the soft upper bushings. ARB/OME fixed this in the new kits and sent out the parts the day I notified them using 1 day mail. If you do the install yourself I would recommend having a shop build the front struts. The front is still difficult to accomplish on the driver side. Both rears are cake.

I don't have over sized tires because the WK2 can not be re-geared. ARB informed me that the ring gear is welded to the carrier.
 
#4 ·
I installed my own lift and did the front and rears. Also bought spring compressors and did the front stuts and everything although I wouldn't recommend it. I had to wrap duck tape around the springs so the compressors wouldn't slip, it was sketchy but I'm glad I got it all done.

would you be interested in measuring your drrop travel by any chance? I few of us have been measuring our droop from the edge of the rim up to the fender measured from the center of the wheel directly up. I would be very interested to know what you have with the OMEs front and rear and sway bars on. You may get different measurements if you jack up one side vs the whole axle.
 
#6 ·
Have in a way done my own kit, for a diesel. Light duty OME springs both front and rear, with the Bilstein 5100 struts and position set to the second notch up from the bottom. Recapitalized on the wonderful Nivomat shocks from the rear and kept them on. Ride height increased 40 mm in the front and 47mm in the rear, after the springs had settled. 275/65/18 KO2s increased the height over the stock 265 tyres. Nose dive and the general wallowing felt in corners has been greatly diminished. However, I might look to add the front and rear sway bars from the SRT model.
 
#7 ·
Very well done. About a month ago when I was looking to be inovative, I had the same idea. I got on the phone with the OME US Wholsaler and asked them if their springs would work with other struts like bilstein 5100s. They couldn't really answer me but said there was nothing that they could see that said their springs would not work with other struts. They also said they don't design their springs for their competitors shocks either. Then I emailed OME in australia and they said about the same thing. I wasn't really wanting to risk in and was mostly contemplating possible future mods. I'm glad to know you took the chance and it worked out for you. You probably weren't able to get any guarantee that it would work were you?

If there is any downside to your set up it would be that the bilsteins probably don't have quite as much dampening at the OME. Also you probably don't have very much down travel in the rear if you kept the OE shocks. You probably don't drive very hard so this may not really apply to you but I broke one of my 5100 struts by driving fast and topping out. My strut over extended and was longer than it was supposed to be by about three inches. I wasn't even at the highest preload setting. So with the longer stiffer spring the 5100 stuts could be likely to over extend if you top them out too hard. If that happens I doubt Bilstein will cover them under warranty if they know you put OME springs on there. However, as long as you don't set the preload too high and drive too hard I think you should be alright. Way to be inovative and run something new.

I feel I've done the same to some extent. I'm running bilstein 5100s up front set to the max 1.75" with RRO trim packer and .75" poly TJ spacers on back with OMEs for maximum wheel travel bc they are the longest rear shocks that I know of. I also gained about 2" of droop travel on front with the 5100s so I'm very happy with my setup so far although I've broke a couple 5100s. The only other option I would consider would be putting Icon Coilovers up front and keeping OME on rear so I can start airing out my jeep. :)
 
#8 ·
Very well done. You probably weren't able to get any guarantee that it would work were you? Way to be inovative and run something new.

Beyond death and government imposed taxes, very little of anything is guaranteed. But thank you all the same. I enjoyed the challenged of trying something beyond the norm.

Here in this part of the world, pavement is excessive, public lands do not exist beyond quad bikes and pedal bikes. Gravel travel is all we get to enjoy, so the chances of exceeding the limits of suspension travel are virtually non-existent. That being said, the outcome has exceeded my expectations, still allows me to tow at the manufactures specs while still maintianing acceptable ride qualities. Fuel economy has been respectable as well. I am quite happy with the quality of the components - everything was made to high standards, nothing hodgepodge or made in someones garage. I foresee many, many KMs of use.
 
#12 ·
Just lifted my wife's last week and had 255/75/20 KO2's on it. It's been a pain in the arse. Dropped it off at the shop on Monday. They called back soon after and said that the drivers side rear shock was missing the bushing and they would have to have it overnighted so we would need to leave it overnight. The next day on the way to pick it up and they called to say that on their test drive the ABS light was on so they think it's a speed sensor. They tried swapping a new sensor cable but couldn't solve it and they couldnt read the computer wth their scanner so it would need to go to the dealership. Next day we took it tot the dealer, but they couldnt look at it until yesterday morning. They had to replace both sensor cables in the rear. Picked the Jeep up and noticed a clunk in the driver rear on any harsh bump. Found out that when the shop called ARB about the missing bushing, ARB told them to use the factory bushings, even though the passenger shock had hardware with it. Now the shop is trying to get ARB to send the correct hardware to fix it.

Other than the clunking, we like how it rides. We are getting some rubbing on the passenger front front fender, but it's likely due to the RockStar II's with -12 offset that she has on it. Thinking that if she swaps the wheels for something closer to +30 it will help?

 
#16 ·
Sure, the clunk is coming from the drivers side rear. It sounds like a loose upper shock mount. I spoke with 4Wheel Parts and we found the cause. When we dropped the Jeep off they called us soon after and told us that when they checked the kit for the rear, only he passenger side rear shocks had bushings. They told us they'd have to call ARB and get them overnighted. When they called ARB, ARB told them to just use the factory hardware because they only recently started including it in the kit and before the factory bushing was used. Turns out the factory bushing leaves some play in the upper mount causing the clunk on harsh bumps. They ordered 4 other rear kits and called me today. One of those kits had the hardware so I'm taking it in tomorrow to get the OME bushings installed. I'm guessing that will fix it.
 
#17 ·
I am having the OME kit installed today. I ordered the medium springs. The shop couldnt compress the springs on the struts for the front. Went to two different shops with a floor mounted and a wall mounted compressor with no luck! Has anyone head this problem?! They are taking to a freight auto shop tomorrow morning.

Furthermore, I ordered the 5MM Spacer set to bring the front end up a bit more as I was told the front sits lower than the back. Where do these spacers go? Currently, the shop is trying to install them under the rubber boot that sits under the coil spring. I was told by someone else that it goes on top of the assembled strut between the top hat and car mount. Also, ARB Tech support told me to just install the left spacer and not the right as it is intended to balance the left and right side due to all of the components on the left side. Has anyone just installed one side or both? Is it worth it?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!!!
 
#18 ·
I have old man emu kit hd with rro front trim packers. From the axle to the fender I am sitting at 26" at the front and 24.8 @ the rear. Not sure if the extended sway bar links has something to do with it. I have 2011 wk v6. the overall ride is good. hits bumps hard on the road. but I guessing its due to the HD springs but I lowered my tire pressure to 28 and its much better. I have 285/70/17


 
#24 ·
Re: old man emu kit for WK2. Who has it? Well worth It

Just got the Old Man Emu installed in my 2012 Grand Cherokee , Very happy with the whole set up !! :thumbsup::thumbsup: Im running 255/75-17 KO'2s and now have plenty of room , went with the heavier springs in the front cause I have the front bumper winch , the ride may seem a little stiffer :confused: but honestly it really rides nice ! yes its definitely pricy but IMO its worth every penny !! :thumbsup::cool:
Ill try to add some pic when I get the chance
 
#27 ·
Sorry to jump on this so late. I have OME on my 2015, absolutely love it. But if I could level the front out a little I would. Am I reading that some folks are using the RRO front spacer with the OME installed? My concern is the CV angle. Thanks!
 

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#31 ·
I went to 32" tires no issues at all with the OME lift
 
#33 ·
Anyone install this on a 2016? I understand changes were made and curious if anything was corrected. I don't want to take it from ARB or a dealers word.

I see parts are different here; http://www.arbusa.com/uploads/PDF/accessorizeYourRig/jeepGrandCherokeeWK.pdf

At the bottom page are parts for 2016-2018 Diesel.

Hoping it still works with 32" tire. I see it's only a 1.5" lift now??

Any other advice is welcome.

No QL, Non Tow package.
 
#34 ·
I'm not seeing on the product information sheet that it supports 2016 (Only says up to 2015 which is what mine is and I have this installed) and from what I've been told, but have not looked into, is that starting in 2016 the control arms won't work with a lift kit as they are made of something different now and may require a bracket to reinforce. This is just stuff I've heard and I have no details.
 
#35 ·
BTW I see now what you said, says it supports 2016 at bottom of page for Hemi/Diesel. I would trust them. ARB/OME is serious about what they do. Everything is fine tuned.
 
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#36 ·
Another Question, is there any reason why the tow package nivomat shocks cannot be ordered to swap standard shocks? Pretty substantial difference of .48 inches in lift. I would most definitely need a front trim packer if I can go that route.

Just seems to make sense and add the self leveling Nivomat shocks if I can, my diesel already has heavy duty cooling, HD Brakes and I installed the OEM Mopar hitch....thoughts??
 
#37 ·
As i recall, the Nivomat leveling shocks are substantially larger in diameter and likely not a fit with OME kit but you could check with them. The Nitro Chargers that OME developed and are part of the package are great. It's all tuned just right, in my opinion and I'm a 2nd time customer. Not sure about the Nivomats working well given the lift either, would assume they are engineered to work at a given ride height so adding a lift might throw them off if they reach/fit at all
 
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