These components include but are not limited to:

• Bushes
• Greasable shackles
• Anti-inversion plates
• U-bolts
• Centre pins
• Spring packers
• Caster correction kits
• Steering stablisers
• Trim packers
• Gearbox packers
• Sway bars
• Sway bar links
• Control arms
• Adjustable drag links
• Fitting kits
• Stone guards

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ARB designs and engineers Old Man Emu (OME) suspension components in house and sources from reputable manufacturers that meet our stringent quality control requirements both in Australia and internationally. ARB’s premium internal bypass shock absorbers, the BP-51, are manufactured entirely by ARB in our Thailand plant.

Bypass shock absorbers have been used in off road racing for many years and are renowned for their ability to handle the toughest terrain and endure through the harshest abuse.

Whilst most shock absorbers use velocity sensitive damping (meaning the faster the shock absorber compresses and expands, the higher the level of damping force is), bypass shock absorbers take this to the next level by also generating damping dependant on the position of the piston within the shock absorber body.

Bypass refers to the ability of the hydraulic fluid to bypass the piston by being routed externally to the shock bore; creating a high level of comfort initially but increasing the damping forces as the shock reaches the end of its travel in both compression and rebound. In Old Man Emu BP-51 shock absorbers, the amount of bypass is adjustable so that it can be tailored to suit different terrain, speed and loads.

BP-51: RACE TECHNOLOGY CLEVERLY PACKAGED FOR EVERYDAY 4WDS

Traditionally, the bypass shock design incorporates a number of tubes that run external of the shock absorber body in order for the hydraulic fluid to bypass the internal piston.

This design has prevented bypass shocks from being incorporated into everyday vehicles without expensive modifications due to dimensional constraints; especially modern coil-over independent suspension. BP-51 uses a unique extruded alloy body where the tubes are replaced by passages within the shock absorber body, allowing it to fit into tighter confines such as inside a coil spring.

Whilst an Old Man Emu suspension system incorporating Nitrocharger shock absorbers is a vast improvement over standard suspension systems for both on and off road use, by design, there are always compromises between comfort and control.

Old Man Emu’s BP-51 high-performance bypass shock absorbers bring the latest in racing bypass technology to everyday 4WDers, giving the ability to customise their ride with user adjustable compression and rebound damping control while still being fully compatible with Old Man Emu springs and suspension related components.

You don’t need to be competing in off road events to appreciate the benefits of adjusting your ride for optimal performance when faced with challenging terrain, towing or carrying loads, and returning to the asphalt with a compliant comfortable ride.

Bypass 51mm diameter bore.

All shock absorbers need some amount of airspace to allow the hydraulic fluid to expand and move properly, however, when the air mixes with the hydraulic fluid, it can cause it to aerate (foam) and therefore lose damping effectiveness. This most commonly happens in standard hydraulic shocks.

Nitrogen gas is used to replace air within a shock absorber to help control the flow of hydraulic fluid (this is because it is not readily absorbed into the fluid like air). Various shock designs do this differently.

Within a twin tube shock, the gas sits in the reserve tube to keep pressure against the fluid as it passes through the valving and prevents it from being dumped into the reserve tube.

A monotube shock uses a floating piston at the base of the piston bore to separate the hydraulic fluid from the gas, also preventing aeration. This design, however, reduces the travel of the piston within the shock body, affecting the overall travel of the shock.

Like a monotube shock, the external canister in a BP-51 utilises a floating piston to separate the hydraulic fluid and gas, however, it is contained within an external reservoir so as not to cause a restriction on the shock travel. The reservoir is large to handle the increased fluid volume in the shock and is remote mounted to aid fitting. Additionally, it can also help cool the hydraulic fluid as it is routed away from the hotter moving internal components.

Whilst many aftermarket bypass type shock absorbers are not tuned to suit a particular vehicle or spring, Old Man Emu’s ride control engineers have spent considerable time refining the BP-51s to not only be vehicle specific but also matched to Old Man Emu spring selections. Unlike when fitting Nitrocharger Sport shocks, which are specifically tuned to match the selected spring, BP-51’s valving is designed to allow a greater level of personal tuning to match vehicle load and track terrain; with recommended settings available in the fitting and user guides.

Customers can use this as a starting point and then customise accordingly to suit their own personal comfort and driving style preferences.

WHAT IS COMPRESSION AND REBOUND DAMPING?

Damping refers to the slowing of the shock absorber’s oscillation. This is controlled by a series of valves that slow the movement of the hydraulic fluid through the piston. Valving controls the movement of the pistons during both the compression and rebound strokes.

WHAT EFFECT WILL THESE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE ON A VEHICLE?

Adjusting the compression valving has an effect on how comfortable or firm the suspension is when the suspension of the vehicle compresses. Too firm and the vehicle will feel every bump and ripple in the road surface as the shock tries to prevent the spring from freely compressing. Too soft and the ride will become more comfortable, however, more body roll can be felt when tackling corners and the vehicle may nose dive during braking, resulting in less control. The suspension may also easily bottom out on the bump stops.

Adjusting rebound valving effects the rate at which the shock allows the spring to return back to ride height once it has been compressed. Higher rate springs are used to maintain correct ride height when either accessories or greater constant loads are added to the vehicle. When these springs are compressed with greater load, the energy stored within the spring is also greater and requires extra damping control as it rebounds. Not enough rebound control may cause the shock absorber to top out, causing internal damage to the shock or allow the suspension to bounce numerous times after hitting an obstacle, resulting in less control of the vehicle.

If you have fitted your vehicle out with accessories that add overall weight such as a bull bar, winch, rear bar, long range fuel tank or drawer system, among others, the additional weight will have an effect on the ride and handling characteristics of the vehicle; resulting in the need for suspension with increased spring rates.

Whilst a tuned suspension where the shock absorber is matched to a spring rate will give greater comfort and control over a range of terrain types and load carrying requirements, these systems may offer a firmer ride than standard when unloaded (although giving better control).

If your vehicle spends a lot of time unloaded, the ability to decrease compression and rebound damping can give greater comfort on road. Whereas the ability to increase compression and rebound damping can benefit you when carrying larger loads or driving off road at greater speeds.

Shock absorbers come in all shapes, sizes and designs – from the outside it’s hard to know what’s what!

Whilst mono-tube shocks are common in aftermarket 4WD suspension, by design they offer less travel for a given external length and can be more prone to failure if impacted by rocks and debris off road; a dent to the single tube can damage the internal components.

Old Man Emu Nitrocharger Sport is a twin tube design with the outer reserve tube providing protection to the internal components off road. Utilising the latest advances in shock absorber technology, Nitrocharger Sport is the most finely tuned 4×4 shock absorber on the market.

Old Man Emu’s Ride Control Engineers spent countless hours in design and testing to ensure Nitrocharger Sport valving is precisely matched to an OME spring selection that is right for the accessories fitted to your vehicle, as well as your load requirements.

Testing is carried out both in the field with sophisticated data logging equipment, as well as inside the OME laboratory using shock dynamometers to ensure durability under all conditions. With Nitrocharger Sport’s vehicle specific valving technology, owners will experience improvements in both ride control and comfort whether it be on or off road.

WHAT IS COMPRESSION AND REBOUND DAMPING?

Damping refers to the slowing of the shock absorber’s oscillation. This is controlled by a series of valves that slow the movement of the hydraulic fluid through the piston. Valving controls the movement of the pistons both during compression and rebound strokes.

WHAT EFFECT WILL THESE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE ON A VEHICLE?

Adjusting the compression valving has an effect on how comfortable or firm the suspension is when the suspension of the vehicle compresses. Too firm and the vehicle will feel every bump and ripple in the road surface as the shock tries to prevent the spring from freely compressing. Too soft and the ride will become more comfortable, however, more body roll can be felt when tackling corners and the vehicle may nose dive during braking, resulting in less control. The suspension may also easily bottom out on the bump stops.

Adjusting rebound valving effects the rate at which the shock allows the spring to return back to ride height once it has been compressed. Higher rate springs are used to maintain correct ride height when either accessories or greater constant loads are added to the vehicle. When these springs are compressed with greater load, the energy stored within the spring is also greater and requires extra damping control as it rebounds. Not enough rebound control may cause the shock absorber to top out, causing internal damage to the shock or allow the suspension to bounce numerous times after hitting an obstacle, resulting in less control of the vehicle.

• Draw tapered and diamond cut leaves ensure the load is progressively distributed over a larger surface area, reducing the high stresses that develop at leaf ends, increasing ride comfort and longevity
• Leaf clamps are bolted to allow installation of anti squeak nylon liners
• Fully scragged to ensure the spring takes a permanent ‘set’ which reduces the risk of sagging
• Load testing ensures the spring meets the required specification
• Military wrap designed to provide added safety
• Re-greasable nylon interleaf anti friction pads reduce friction at the leaf tips where the load is the greatest
• Flat axle seat area allows a positive, safe axle mount reducing spring stress and increasing spring life
• The tension side of all leaves is shot peened to reduce spring stress. This process can double the life of a spring
• Two-stage leaf pack featured on most rear springs for optimum comfort. When unladen, the vehicle is largely riding on the primary stage, with the secondary stage providing additional support when a heavy load is added

• Unique, easy bolt together assembly eliminates out of angle ‘shackle pin to side plate’ problems commonly associated with press fit assemblies
• Each pin has two grease outlet holes to guarantee maximum grease coverage between the shackle pin and the spring bush – increasing bush life and improving ride quality
• Heat treated pins ensure long life under heavy loads and off road conditions
• Side plates are zinc plated for protection against corrosion

• manufactured from state of the art micro-alloyed spring steel for superior strength and durability
• Double scragged before and after shot peening to reduce spring stress and enhance spring life
• Constant and variable rate coils available for multiple applications
• Formed on computer controlled, precision mandrels to ensure manufacturing consistency
• Spring end configurations designed to exact specifications, guaranteeing perfect fitment to your vehicle
• Finished in durable, hard wearing black powder coat
• Designed and manufactured in Australia

• Manufactured from premium grade spring steel with a resilient powder coat to protect against corrosion
• Precision drawn, dropped forged ends for optimal strength and integrity
• Pressure rolled splines for precise fitment and increased spline durability
• Hardened and tempered to exact specifications for improved performance
• Preset and hardened to prevent sagging and increase life cycle

Put simply, your vehicle’s springs hold the vehicle weight and set its ride height, while the shock absorber controls the motion of the spring during compression and rebound; keeping the tyres planted firmly on the road. Both components are designed to work together, so the changing of a spring’s specification should also require the changing of the shock absorber that controls it.

For example:
Increasing the spring rate so that it is capable of carrying more load will require the shock absorber to be valved so that it can handle the increased forces of the rebounding spring whilst also providing controlled compression. Increasing a spring’s length for greater ride height will require lengthening of the shock absorber body and possibly lengthening its range of travel in order to prevent the topping or bottoming of the shock absorber.

Old Man Emu’s Design Engineers have spent countless hours testing and developing spring and shock absorber combinations to best suit a range of accessories and loads that our customers are likely to fit to their vehicles.

Our sales team is trained in selecting the best options based on your individual requirements, however as a starting point the Old Man Emu suspension selector is an easy way to get started. Selections are based on the amount of additional weight added to the vehicle with the front suspension selector including allowances for different bull bar and winch combinations whilst rear selection includes options for constant loads. It is important not to underestimate the loads of both accessories and payload as this can result in choosing the wrong components for your vehicle’s needs.  Email us on support@oldmanemu.co.za for advice.