To give you an idea of how much more suspension our rig has to deal with, we used a Coke can to size it up. As you can see, this is the before photo.

Visually, the rig began looking like a low rider cruising Whittier Blvd. than a well-outfitted rock-crawling Wrangler. Functionally, small irregularities in the pavement at highway speeds would overcome the suspension's dampening ability causing contact between the axles and bump stops. Off-road capability was also limited with the loss of articulation and inability to disconnect the front sway bar for fear the tires would contact the fenders during twisty sections.

These factors identified the need for a suspension upgrade and there are a numerous manufacturers ready to sell you anything from a mild to wild suspension.

SUSPENSION SELECTION

When deciding on a suspension upgrade, tire size is normally the first
consideration. Since many owners utilize their Wranglers for daily commuting and moderate weekend wheeling, we decided to retain the 31-inch BFG Mud Terrain tires and install a compatible suspension. This eliminated the need for looking at suspensions advertising greater than a 3-inch lift over stock.

With the suspension installed, we slid the Coke can beneath the wheel well again to find just about a 3-inch difference in height from stock.

Even in the 3 inch and under category there are great variances in designs offered by a multitude of manufacturers. The easiest and cheapest way to lift a TJ Wrangler is with spacers. Spacers between the body and frame are known as a body lift while spacers between the coil spring and frame mount are known as a coil spring spacer lift. Each provides clearance for larger tires; however, they will not directly improve articulation or increase spring rate and dampening to compensate for the added accessory and tire weight. The spacer type lift may have made our test Wrangler more aesthetically pleasing and prevented tire to body contact, but it would not have improved on and off-road suspension performance.

To maintain the best possible highway ride and achieve maximum articulation, the replacement springs should be designed (appropriate spring rate) for the vehicle's weight with the added accessories in place. The shock absorbers (dampers) should be designed to work with the spring rate to provide the optimum ride. Here is where the Old Man Emu kit really began to stand apart from the crowd. Old Man Emu designed springs and shock absorbers for vehicles with or without added accessories.

Not to blow smoke out our exhaust pipes, but we've got to give recognition where it is due. OME is among the best-engineered and most thought-out suspension packages on the market. Tailoring to the needs of the driver, the rig and its intended use, OME offers a combination of spring and shock absorber rates for both front and rear of your particular rig.

By offering two separate spring rates for the front and rear along with two different shock absorbers for the front and one for the rear, Old Man Emu allows the owner to select the proper combination for his or her needs. OME's suspension is not touted as a "lift kit" but rather a suspension upgrade, which normally has a net effect of lifting the vehicle 2-2.5 inches.

JUST SHOCKS

Ok, so we were just curious. Sure, shocks alone will not compensate for nearly 400 pounds of added accessories. However, some readers may want to know how Old Man Emu shock absorbers alone would change handling characteristics. Shock absorber installation on the TJ is very straightforward and can be done with basic hand tools. For the front shock, a trick is to slide a box end wrench over the upper nut and hold the top pin with vice grips. Working the two tools together allows you to remove the nut. Preparing the new Old Man Emu Nitrocharger shocks is made easier by pressing the cross pins through the bushings using a vice and deep socket. Snap ring pliers were used to secure the snap ring in place.

The OME shock uses an 18mm chrome shaft and touts some impressive dampening abilities over that of stock form when traveling through the rough. Here, the easiest way to press the bushings into the eyelets is using a deep socket and a vice.

The shock absorbers are extremely well built using a 18mm chromed shaft enclosed in a steel protective sleeve. The length is appropriate for a stock to 2.5 inch lifted TJ. It is interesting to note some other suspension manufacturers list these shocks as an upgrade over the shocks provided in their lift kits further attesting to their quality. Ride quality was nearly identical to stock; however, the shocks proved superior in dampening irregularities. Two particular irregularities along the TJ's daily commute caused the stock suspension to bottom out.

One irregularity is in a slight turn that generates enough lateral movement to get the driver's attention when encountered at speeds above 50 mph. With the new shocks installed, neither irregularity causes the suspension to bottom out and the lateral movement no longer occurs. For someone looking to replace the stock shocks and wishing to keep their options open for a spring upgrade later, the Old Man Emu Nitrocharger is an excellent choice.