Old Man Emu Products

OME Shock Absorbers

WHY BUY A SET OF FOUR SHOCK ABSORBERS?
It's a simple fact of life that shock absorbers do wear out and should be replaced. It's also fact that a vehicle may be equipped with shock absorbers that were not designed to meet your requirements. OME shock absorbers last much longer than original equipment units. They also reduce pitch and body-roll. OME shock absorbers will make your vehicle track better and handle better. It will, therefore, be a safer vehicle and the ride will be more comfortable - regardless of whether your vehicle is brand-new or old. But, for the best result, it's strongly recommended that all four shock absorbers are replaced at the same time. Nitrochargers are not the cheapest shock absorbers on the market, but they are the best value for money. Why? Because the imported models weren't developed to take the punishment handed out by Australian roads. Fifteen years experience in 4WD suspension, a strict policy of thorough development before the introduction of any new product and an extremely successful long-term involvement in off-road racing led to the production of Australia's best shock absorber - a very special shock absorber, ideally suited to our particular and exacting conditions. Nitrocharger's unique glacier bush, its teflon-impregnated piston-rod guide and teflon-banded piston eliminate metal to metal contact within the piston tube itself - thus reducing bore wear, friction and heat. New-design multi-stage valves - including a seven-stage coil-sprung compression valve and a four-stage coil-sprung rebound valve - improve the Nitrocharger's consistent performance characteristics, enhance its fine-tuning capabilities and increase overall durability.

THE BENEFITS OF GAS PRESSURIZATION
As the piston travels in a non-pressurized hydraulic twin-tube shock absorber, oil passes through the base or compression valve to and from the outer-tube, which serves as a reservoir. Part of the reservoir must be filled with air to allow movement of the piston-rod and this air is thus open to the oil in the reservoir. The air does little to prevent foaming of the oil, which drastically reduces the efficiency of the shock absorber and causes "fading" to occur. The OME Nitrocharger replaces the air in the reservoir with pressurized nitrogen gas. This aids in eliminating foaming and subsequent fading, while maintaining optimum shock absorber performance.

LOW PRESSURE VERSUS HIGH PRESSURE
Essentially, there are two basic varieties of gas shock absorbers in common usage today: one is the low-pressure twin-tube shock absorber, while the other is the high-pressure "De Carbon Principle" mono-tube. High gas pressures are the norm in Europe, but the Australian on-road and off-road environments embody markedly different needs and, in the OME experience, there are two problems with high pressure shock absorbers. Under low pressure, the broader range of bottom-end softness is able to be easily fine-tuned. Such is not the case with the high-pressure approach, as the system is inherently stiffer - regardless of the setting. The degree of bottom-end softness dictates the level of comfort experienced whilst driving at low speed. Consequently, the low-pressure system is more comfortable and more desirable. The other problem is that the internal gas cylinder of the De Carbon principle mono-tube design has a shaft length shorter than the Old Man Emu twin-tube design. If an OME unit and a mono unit of the same compressed length are fully extended, the ONE unit will extend further. On 4x4 vehicles, therefore, the OME unit will allow the axle to drop down further and gain traction, dependent upon suspension design. The walking effect of your 4x4 may be limited by the shorter-travelling mono-tube, but not by the Old Man Emu Nitrocharger.

VALVING
The inherent limitation of original equipment shock absorbers, which tend to be comprised of small componentry and contain only a small volume of oil, is that the original equipment units are insufficient to control large springs, adequately, in hard terrain. They quickly begin to "fade" and are less durable, the level of ineffectiveness indicated by excessive bounce or sloppiness and a deteriorating ride. OME's engineers have many years experience in determining just what is required to ensure the optimum performance in a 4WD vehicle shock absorber. The Nitrocharger has a larger bore, more oil, a stronger 18mm shaft and much more - features designed to eliminate fade, increase durability an effectiveness which result in better ride and handling. The valve itself consists of a seal around the piston circumference and a series of holes, or slots, to allow the shock absorber fluid to pass through. The size and number of the holes determines the speed at which the fluid passes and this, in turn, determines the resistance of the shock absorber and the subsequent ride.

VALVE CODING
Valve coding is an engineer's term describing a shock absorber's compression and rebound valves control characteristics. Old Man Emu shock absorbers have eleven valve stages: seven in compression and four in rebound. All components of the valve, including washers, springs, oil flow holes and so on, can be varied by OME in size and/or strength to create an optimum combination of ride and control. Shock tuning is a combination of theory and application and the correct valving for both compression and rebound is determined by extensive ride evaluations - over all types of surfaces, at different speeds and with various loads. Old Man Emu's engineers undertake the task of determining the valve combination which, in compression (downward movement), provides both a good highway ride and off-road traction and yet still keeps the wheels controlled at speed on bumpy surfaces. In rebound (upward movement), the goal is to prevent the vehicle from being launched by the spring and, again, keep the wheels in contact with the ground. OME carries out all its shock absorber evaluation and valve coding work in Australia, unlike most other aftermarket suppliers. As expertise in valve coding is a scarce commodity in this country, our competition is forced to seek overseas solutions to local problems. Combining this valving with other variables - including open and closed lengths, mounting types and bush configuration - OME can offer over 200 different fitments: and that's a much broader range than any other suspension company in Australia can supply.

NITROCHARGER - THE BEST 4X4 SHOCK ABSORBER
The improved ride, with the low-pressure Nitrocharger shocks over small bumps, is similar to riding on a cushion of air, the unit's multi-stage valving absorbing large irregularities. Compression prevents bottoming-out and reduces body-roll when cornering, with rear rebound valve coding reducing pitching. Even when the going gets tough and the heat builds up, the Nitrocharger gas unit still maintains its performance - and highlights all the advantages of the system: no aeration, no cavitation and no starving or fading. But, no matter which shock absorber you buy, you will not be able to carry an increased load. You will need a spring kit (either leaf or coil) that's capable of fulfilling your extra load and performance expectations resulting in increased wheel travel and improved ride, handling and traction, whether on or off-road. It should be noted that aftermarket springs will require a completely different valve coded shock absorber to the original equipment spring shock absorber. Again, OME can supply a specialized shock to suit your spring selection.

OME Springs

A shock absorber controls the spring, dictates the ride quality and is often used as a stop to limit suspension travel. A shock absorber cannot cure a suspension problem if the spring's characteristics or condition are inappropriate.

Simplistically, the spring provides the flexibility in the vehicle's suspension necessary to ride over uneven surfaces and the shock absorber ensures that this flexibility does not allow the vehicle to bounce out of control.

A spring without a flat has a greater free camber, which requires a greater working deflection and hence higher stress induced by the U-bolts - which leads to sag. Characteristics of sag are lost height, uneven appearance and a spoiled ride.

All OME leaf and coil springs are fully scragged and load-tested to ensure that the finished product meets the required specifications. Scragging is the process of subjecting the spring to a load greater than that which will be experienced in service. This ensures that the spring steel has yielded and adopted permanent curvature.

After scragging, all Old Man Emu springs are subjected to a preset load and checked to ensure that the amount of deflection is within the required limits of plus or minus 3mm.

Note the importance of eliminating stress and friction - which are the keys to ensuring

a long and trouble-free working life, even under the worst conditions. The greater operating life achieved by Old Man Emu leaf and coil springs over other original equipment and aftermarket products is testimony to the correct application of spring technology.

The selection of a "two stage' leaf spring, from the extensive OME range, for heavy duty applications will maintain both a good ride and handling when unladen, as the extra spring is not being used. Under load, all the leaves contact each other and provide the required additional support, though the OME suspension system's good ride qualities are still retained.

The less-expensive aftermarket suspension "fixes" of "add-a-leaf" or "reset and extra leaf" have a strictly limited life-span and eventual spring replacement is inevitable.

OME two-stage springs are fully cambered and designed as integral units, so sag is eliminated. There are no cheap fixes to load or ride problems. A "system' is needed, where the spring is designed to relate to the shock absorber. OME supplies just such a system.

It's important to note that a spring can only be reset twice before the steel loses its spring characteristics. The addition of a helper leaf on the bottom of a single-stage spring also has limitations, as it is usually not compatible with the design of the original spring and "picks up" too late to perform the load-carrying function properly.

There is clearly a need for springs which are more suited to coping with this environment, whether the vehicle is laden or unladen.

When matched with OME's specially valve coded range of Nitrocharger shock absorbers, the increased suspension travel results in improved off-road performance, better towing and load-carrying capabilities and enhanced ride and handling characteristics

Old Man Emu coil springs are available in either constant or variable rate to suit the specific performance requirements of particular applications. Manufactured to exacting standards, OME coils are shot-peened for a longer life, fully scragged and load-tested to ensure optimum quality and durability.

Constant rate coils are acceptable on the front of most vehicles, when the correct spring and shock absorber combination is fitted. However, constant rate coils are not acceptable on the rear, as they produce a harsh ride when unladen and a comfortable ride only when laden. For this reason, OME designs variable rate coils which provide both an excellent ride - whether laden or unladen - and the much-needed increased load-carrying capability.

On variable rate coils, the wire diameter may taper for part of the spring length and then remain constant from that point onwards: the tapered section is the first stage of the variable rate spring and provides the ride comfort when unladen. A second method of achieving a variable rate is to vary the coil spring's pitch - pitch being the distance between the individual spring coils.

Regardless of your vehicle choice and its original equipment suspension specifications, OME can supply a suspension system that will transform the ride and handling characteristics, both on and off the road. Fitting a OME Nitrocharger shock absorber and leaf or coil spring system will instantly result in improved towing capabilities, an increased load-carrying capability, enhanced off-road traction and excellent on-road comfort: these are the benefits to be enjoyed with an OME durable suspension package. Forget the production-line compromises, as there is an alternative to that harsh ride, sagging suspension and poor handling - Old Man Emu.

Warranty

(a) That the Licensed OME Fitter as undergone a training course under the supervision of OME in the proper selection, fitting and testing of suspension equipment;

(b) That the Licensed OME Fitter will select, fit and test the Kit in a proper and workmanlike manner.

PRODUCT WARRANTY

1. OME warrants its products against any defects in workmanship and material which caused it to perform below the specifications contained in the current OME fitting manual, for a period of twenty four (24) months or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first, from the date of retail sale, to the extent that OME will replace with a new or reconditioned part any component part the workmanship or materials of which are found to be defective according to such specifications.

2. On instructions from OME, any spring or shock absorber which the customer claims to be defective should be returned, together with all mounting parts, to OME or to any Licensed OME Fitter accompanied by proof of purchase and a description of the claimed defect. The out-of-pocket cost of returning such part will be borne by OME in the event that the warranty claim is sustained.

3. This warranty does not apply to, and OME excludes liability under this warranty (but see Clause 5 below) for, damage to or wear of any component part:


(a) Caused by improper or negligent use
(b) Caused by installation or use on modified vehicles or on vehicles other than those recommended by OME
(c) Caused by any racing or competition use if such use does not have the prior approval of OME.
(d) Occurring after 300 miles of use unless the safety check recommended by OME has taken place.
(e) Occurring by use of a vehicle loaded in excess of the Gross Vehicle Mass stated in respect of the vehicle by the relevant manufacturer.
(f) Where installation is not performed by a Licensed OME Fitter.
(g) Where used in excessively severe conditions such as mining and some government departments.

4. This warranty and all other warranties which by law may be negated shall be so negated if a suspension Kit is not fitted as a suspension system comprising entirely of OME parts.

5. The benefits conferred by this warranty are in addition to the rights and remedies which the customer has under the Trade Practices Act and similar state and territory laws in respect of the Kit and services provided with respect to the Kit, by a Licensed OME Fitter or any other person.