Hey Sport
IS YOUR TOURING LOAD WEIGHING YOU DOWN? MIKE PAVEY GIVES US THE LOWDOWN ON HIS OME NITROCHARGER SPORT UPGRADE
A
fter stacking on the kilos from our recent touring rig build-up, it was time to reassess suspension requirements. Our existing Old Man Emu Nitrochargers had served us well, with over 120,000km of hard work without issue, but the Nitrocharger Sport range had grabbed our attention, with claimed improvements in valving and terrain adaptability. The Nitrocharger Sport range has been around for almost two years now, after a three year development program. The design of the shock absorbers was profiled in the Autumn 2009 edition of ARB 4x4 Action, so check that out online for a detailed analysis of the Sport range. The objectives for the upgrade were to replace the coils and shocks to better suit our revised touring load while maintaining articulation, ride, handling and a flat towing profile (no sag). A number of additional accessories had been added since our last upgrade, including an ARB bull bar, side rails and steps, a Warn 12,000lb winch, an ARB Simpson III rooftop tent and touring roof rack, Outback storage system, Foxwing awning, Kaymar rear bar with dual wheel carriers, a Long Ranger tank and a rugged off road van, all putting additional download on the suspension. The boys at ARB Brighton assessed our touring load, selecting a pair of heavy duty 400kg constant load coils for the rear and matching heavy duty coils for the front. Similarly, heavy duty Nitrocharger Sport shock absorbers engineered for the Patrol were fitted on all corners.
12 Track Touring / AUG, 2012
A steering damper, castor correction kit and wheel alignment completed the fitout. As the Outback storage system and Kaymar rear bar were scheduled to be fitted at a later date, I expected the initial ride would be over-sprung, resulting in a harsh ride around town. Interestingly, the suspension was firm but compliant and well controlled, an initial testament to the new valving. But the real test would come once all our touring accessories had been fitted, the Topaz hitched up and the Patrol packed for the open road. In touring mode, with the Patrol and Topaz loaded, the vehicle sits level with no hint of sagging. Rim to guard measurements indicate 798mm for the front and 842mm to the rear, a variation of only a
couple of mm on our original OME kit. And to our delight, that dreaded Patrol 80km/h steering wheel wobble has been rectified. While others have experimented with load carrying air bags, we have found a well sorted, coil sprung system such as OME’s to be just as effective, without the added complexity and vulnerability of the air bags and the additional stress on the chassis mounts.