ARB/OME BP-51

[SwainBuilt]

It never actually settles. those avs shock are weirdly tuned.

We completely agree with this statement. After discussing this with the Lexus engineers the takeaway was "this is what was required to achieve the 9000lb tow rating". As not every customer requires this need for their use case, this is where quality aftermarket suspension makes a ton of sense (does not include spring spacers or entry level low technology shocks). My opinion is an upgraded suspension with quality shock absorbers is one of the most rewarding improvements that can be made to the GX550 platform. The comfort and handling can be improved for both a driver that has zero plans of ever going off road or intends to spend half their time there.

 

[rocksallday]

We completely agree with this statement. After discussing this with the Lexus engineers the takeaway was "this is what was required to achieve the 9000lb tow rating". As not every customer requires this need for their use case, this is where quality aftermarket suspension makes a ton of sense (does not include spring spacers or entry level low technology shocks). My opinion is an upgraded suspension with quality shock absorbers is one of the most rewarding improvements that can be made to the GX550 platform. The comfort and handling can be improved for both a driver that has zero plans of ever going off road or intends to spend half their time there.

Them Lexus engineers forgot to mention "required for 9000lb tow rating while costing less than $100 to make". I'm running the Lexus coils in the rear with the MT64 shocks and the improvement is wild (especially considering they're not adaptive). I don't know if they skimped on beefier shocks, more complex shock design, or just better electronic control, but I really hope they take some lessons from GM on how to design cheap variable suspension, or just offer OME/Fox/King/... options from the factory.

 

[Angelitopstar27]

We completely agree with this statement. After discussing this with the Lexus engineers the takeaway was "this is what was required to achieve the 9000lb tow rating". As not every customer requires this need for their use case, this is where quality aftermarket suspension makes a ton of sense (does not include spring spacers or entry level low technology shocks). My opinion is an upgraded suspension with quality shock absorbers is one of the most rewarding improvements that can be made to the GX550 platform. The comfort and handling can be improved for both a driver that has zero plans of ever going off road or intends to spend half their time there.

If i may.
I´m from another country, my 2026 Gx550 is a Panama spec one. No tow mode. No tow hitch. nothing. An interesting fact is that while my model is a 2026 it does not come with the 1 in lift you guys in north america got for the 25 and up models. I basically have the 24´ suspension. I also own a 2022 Land cruiser prado 150 kdss with passive shock and it rides better and more controlled than this Gx550.
I have owned mine since march of the present year and since day one i want new shock. The rear is too stiff. Yes at low speeds under 10 mph its a cloud ... once you drive faster they become to harsh and the ride is too jittery... i know its a BOF but the prado does not ride like this.

Besides the BP-51 shocks i also had in mind the Radflo 500 r , the dobinson IMS and the Mt64´s.
Panama is a hub for dobinson, so my prices here in the IMS are just like in USA.
I know here is just about the Bp+51 and Mt64s, but what other monotube non adjustable shock could be a OEM plus upgrade so like you said a quality aftermarket suspension would be a great improvement.
thanks.

 

[Angelitopstar27]

Them Lexus engineers forgot to mention "required for 9000lb tow rating while costing less than $100 to make". I'm running the Lexus coils in the rear with the MT64 shocks and the improvement is wild (especially considering they're not adaptive). I don't know if they skimped on beefier shocks, more complex shock design, or just better electronic control, but I really hope they take some lessons from GM on how to design cheap variable suspension, or just offer OME/Fox/King/... options from the factory.

Fun fact.
North america is the only market that gets the 9000lbs tow rating.. is a 4081 kg tow rating.
Not even the Land cruiser 300 with the F33A-FTV 3.3 TT diesel from toyota can tow over 3500kg or 7,717 lbs....
It´s weird you have a higher rating than the rest of the world.
Just saying

 

[Ctprelude]

Great question. 4 drivers in the family but I pick and maintain them and drive each one sometimes. GX was the oddball in terms of not having sorted suspension. I was blown away how good the AT4 suspension is for a low $40kish truck compared to the GX. 3/4 ton was smoother too until it engages the leaf springs, then it kicks back hard. BP-51 solved most of my issues with the GX; more on that soon.

Definitely curious to hear a full review. I can certainly tell upgraded suspension would make a big difference on my Overtrail.

 

[ColoradoOutdoors]

Definitely curious to hear a full review. I can certainly tell upgraded suspension would make a big difference on my Overtrail.

Thanks for the reminder and will finally put together some cohesive thoughts on it this long weekend now that I have about 900 miles on the OMEs.

 

[SwainBuilt]

We just finished another BP51 installation on an OT. We love the adjustability in the shock package to compensate for variables in vehicle weights. The ride on this loaded GX is very comfortable as it is on a stock vehicle. Different spring preloads and rebound/compression settings allow for the versatility. There are some changes made to the included LC250 mounting brackets to allow proper fitment on a GX550. Slee Off Road - Toyota Off Road Specialist

 

[rocksallday]

We just finished another BP51 installation on an OT. We love the adjustability in the shock package to compensate for variables in vehicle weights. The ride on this loaded GX is very comfortable as it is on a stock vehicle. Different spring preloads and rebound/compression settings allow for the versatility. There are some changes made to the included LC250 mounting brackets to allow proper fitment on a GX550. Slee Off Road - Toyota Off Road Specialist

How much clearance to front skid plate?
I’m beyond disappointed with my MT64 setup in terms of clearance. I love the ride, but I got maybe 10” from ground to front skid, which makes no sense considering this car claims 8.5” stock and I have the MT64 on the top perch and running 34” tires. Whatever is going on here, i’m not seeing 2.5” lift. More like 1”.

 

[SwainBuilt]

This particular project is likely not a good comparison as it came to us for the suspension upgrade with all the weight added previously. As such it sat much lower than factory and netted a big increase in height. We don't keep measurements at the skid plate as this if affected by tire size as well but the height gained at the wheels wells would be an equivalent increase. Based on our database most GX's have a factory front height measurement (center of wheel to bottom of wheel well) of 530mm - 545mm. We commonly see 50-60mm of increase with both the BP-51 and MT64 shock packages. There will always be some variables in our measurements between wheel/tire packages, fender flair type (OT or not) and the person reading the measurements but start to finish is fairly accurate. The last MT64 kit we installed netted 50mm of additional height with the preload set a clip 5 of 6 (one more to go) on a stock weight vehicle. Below is 50mm of additional height with MT64's and 285/75/17 (34") BFG AT's.

 

[rocksallday]

This particular project is likely not a good comparison as it came to us for the suspension upgrade with all the weight added previously. As such it sat much lower than factory and netted a big increase in height. We don't keep measurements at the skid plate as this if affected by tire size as well but the height gained at the wheels wells would be an equivalent increase. Based on our database most GX's have a factory front height measurement (center of wheel to bottom of wheel well) of 530mm - 545mm. We commonly see 50-60mm of increase with both the BP-51 and MT64 shock packages. There will always be some variables in our measurements between wheel/tire packages, fender flair type (OT or not) and the person reading the measurements but start to finish is fairly accurate. The last MT64 kit we installed netted 50mm of additional height with the preload set a clip 5 of 6 (one more to go) on a stock weight vehicle. Below is 50mm of additional height with MT64's and 285/75/17 (34") BFG AT's.

Wow. Ok, that's not my experience.
I have the MT64 and took it back to the shop to figure out what exactly is going on.
Just measures center wheel to bottom of wheel well (fender) I'm measuring 560mm with the 2.5" kit.
The shop measured it (they measure bottom of wheel to bottom of fender) and found that after 3 months of driving the springs settled and are now a full 20mm lower than right after the install!
It's actually sitting lower now than with the OEM OT+ springs and a 1" spacer I had when I first took it to install the MT64.
And you're saying 590-600mm is possible?

 

[SwainBuilt]

Wow. Ok, that's not my experience.
I have the MT64 and took it back to the shop to figure out what exactly is going on.
Just measures center wheel to bottom of wheel well (fender) I'm measuring 560mm with the 2.5" kit.
The shop measured it (they measure bottom of wheel to bottom of fender) and found that after 3 months of driving the springs settled and are now a full 20mm lower than right after the install!
It's actually sitting lower now than with the OEM OT+ springs and a 1" spacer I had when I first took it to install the MT64.
And you're saying 590-600mm is possible?

Unfortunately I don't know enough about your project to give you a specific direction. Historically OME springs don't sag as scragging is part of the manufacturing process, which we have verified over 26 years of installation. Many times the initial height measurements (post suspension installation) are taken before settling and/or before alignment which will be inaccurate and often mistaken as "sagging". If you are looking for more height from the front of your vehicle you should verify the preload setting is at the top snap-ring location. If this is verified and you still feel the vehicle is under the desired height you likely need more spring rate. What OME part number do you have in the front? Do you have added weight to the front of the vehicle?

 

[rocksallday]

Unfortunately I don't know enough about your project to give you a specific direction. Historically OME springs don't sag as scragging is part of the manufacturing process, which we have verified over 26 years of installation. Many times the initial height measurements (post suspension installation) are taken before settling and/or before alignment which will be inaccurate and often mistaken as "sagging". If you are looking for more height from the front of your vehicle you should verify the preload setting is at the top snap-ring location. If this is verified and you still feel the vehicle is under the desired height you likely need more spring rate. What OME part number do you have in the front? Do you have added weight to the front of the vehicle?

I was there when they measured and it was definitely right after alignment, on the perfectly level alignment rack. Which is where they did the re-measurement now.

I had the JW-offroad front bumper and winch before the MT64, estimated ~ 100lbs of front weight.
Only thing I did post install is replace the OEM aluminum skids with CBI aluminum skids.

The coilovers are MT64996003. They might not at the top ring, but that doesn't explain the sagging after 3 months.
I can't really tell which ring they're on without removing them, but I can see 3 ring slots under the spring perch. Maybe you can tell me what that means.

 

[rogdee1]

I considerd the BP-51 & Kings and Fox, but really do not want to deal with reservoir service as my offroand is limited to the Beach and Jeep trail in Jefferson National Park - so no real rocky stuff like out west. The MT-64s work great and the maintenance free aspect is appreciated. Honestly, the ride and hanling on road and at the beach are awesome compared to the OEM OT suspension. Used OME UCAs and 1" Apache rear coil packer to maintain rake.

 

[rogdee1]

I considerd the BP-51 & Kings and Fox, but really do not want to deal with reservoir service as my offroand is limited to the Beach and Jeep trail in Jefferson National Park - so no real rocky stuff like out west. The MT-64s work great and the maintenance free aspect is appreciated. Honestly, the ride and hanling on road and at the beach are awesome compared to the OEM OT suspension. Used OME UCAs and 1" Apache rear coil packer to maintain rake.

 

[SwainBuilt]

I considerd the BP-51 & Kings and Fox, but really do not want to deal with reservoir service as my offroand is limited to the Beach and Jeep trail in Jefferson National Park - so no real rocky stuff like out west. The MT-64s work great and the maintenance free aspect is appreciated. Honestly, the ride and hanling on road and at the beach are awesome compared to the OEM OT suspension. Used OME UCAs and 1" Apache rear coil packer to maintain rake.

Thanks for sharing! The MT64 is a good, honest 2.5" diameter shock. Now if we can package a 3.0" diameter version For the record, both the BP-51's and MT64's do not have a service interval from ARB and are intended to be used through their service life, then disposed. We typically find a good expectation should be 60K-80K miles (depending on environment) while performing as expected. As all shocks wear internally with every stroke and temperature cycle the performance will degrade over time. We do offer BP-51 shock service through the shop for customers who want to maintain like new dampening and usually recommend this every 30K-40K miles (not required). We also stock all the external service items (bearings, bushings, stone guards, etc) We expect this to be a service we offer for the MT64's in the future once ARB has service parts available.

OME BP-51 Spherical Bearing - 200 Series LC, 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser - Slee Off Road

ARB OME BP-51 Spherical Bearing COM12T – VD10010019SP 200 series, 4Runner, Tacoma, FJC (S/N 180500000 and later)(for earlier S/N use VD11010018SP) Included 2 O-rings and Spiral locking clips

sleeoffroad.com

 

[rocksallday]

2.5" is better than most (all?) others in the category. 3" won't fit without additional mods. The MT64 bodies are already an 1/8" away from the front sway bar links.
I'm loving the MT64s, and the only time I've had any concerns about heat dissipation was a 10 mile Death Valley washboard run at 50-60MPH while still on OEM shocks.
Not worried about these (and I don't really do desert runs).

 

[rogdee1]

2.5" is better than most (all?) others in the category. 3" won't fit without additional mods. The MT64 bodies are already an 1/8" away from the front sway bar links.
I'm loving the MT64s, and the only time I've had any concerns about heat dissipation was a 10 mile Death Valley washboard run at 50-60MPH while still on OEM shocks.
Not worried about these (and I don't really do desert runs).

MT-64 is actually a 2.8" Diameter, not 2.5". I've had Kings and Fox adjustable with resevoirs on 4runners, and prefer the MT-64s.

 

[rocksallday]

Unfortunately I don't know enough about your project to give you a specific direction. Historically OME springs don't sag as scragging is part of the manufacturing process, which we have verified over 26 years of installation. Many times the initial height measurements (post suspension installation) are taken before settling and/or before alignment which will be inaccurate and often mistaken as "sagging". If you are looking for more height from the front of your vehicle you should verify the preload setting is at the top snap-ring location. If this is verified and you still feel the vehicle is under the desired height you likely need more spring rate. What OME part number do you have in the front? Do you have added weight to the front of the vehicle?

My installer got an answer from ARB USA support regarding the MT64 shocks and the GX550.
I find it strange and would love if someone can verify their long term status with their MT64 setup.

tl;dr- my suspension settled by almost a full inch (20mm) measured 1000 miles after install and ARB say it's because it wasn't really meant for the GX.

Their words-
"With the suspension being designed for the LC250 and the front of the GX550 being heavier, I can see that as an outcome. You can increase the preload to the top position from the 5th position, however, that would gain about 10mm of ride height after adjusting.
Eventually, we will have springs proper for the weight of the GX550. However, we do not have them yet. It will likely be into the new year by the time we have availability.

 

[munkeeboi]

I'll have to see if I still have the measurements fresh after my install. My issue is that I added a front bumper since then so it might cloud my results.

Mad at myself that this is news to me that the MT64 set is not truly for the GX. I usually do so much research before the fact...

 

[rocksallday]

I'll have to see if I still have the measurements fresh after my install. My issue is that I added a front bumper since then so it might cloud my results.

Mad at myself that this is news to me that the MT64 set is not truly for the GX. I usually do so much research before the fact...

don't get me wrong, the ride is great and I enjoy this setup a lot!
it's a good setup.
it's just not as great as I wished it would be on the trails...