Guess who manufactures OME shocks for ARB.

**CB3** · 03-04-2008, 11:33 PM

Anyone know which major shock maker manufactures OME shocks to ARB's specifications?

XJLI · 03-04-2008, 11:53 PM

not rancho.

Crashnburn80 · 03-05-2008, 11:40 AM

ARB manufactures its own products in its own plants, it is not out sourced.

**Jerry Bransford** · 03-05-2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crashnburn80

ARB manufactures its own products in its own plants, it is not out sourced.

While ARB does manufacture their main product line, I believe it's highly likely they do not manufacture their own shock absorbers. My guess is that Monroe makes them since they are the OE manufacturer for so many other shock brands commonly seen on Jeeps.

**daveshan** · 03-05-2008, 12:26 PM

My guess would be Bilstein USA.

My second choice (please God not this) would be Monroe

**Whybu1** · 03-05-2008, 01:51 PM

OK, I am slow. I saw OME and wondered how anyone other than Old Man Emu would be making "OME" shocks.

**CB3** · 03-05-2008, 03:10 PM

Monroe makes OME shocks with their usual level of high quality. That's right. Monroe, and it's good stuff.

I've always preferred Monroe's highend shocks for stock height vehicles. I had them on my XJ and they were fantastic. Made a "better than new" XJ out of it.

Monroe shocks are also a good price, even their super sweet highend shocks are a good price.

The only down of Monroe that I know of is that they only make Monroe brand shocks for stock height vehicles.

Enter ARB. They made arrangements with Monroe to manufacture OME shocks with Monroe's best quality, just like Monroe's best shocks, but made to ARB's specifications that are not only for the specific vehicle weight (as I believe Monroe shocks already are), but also specifically mated to OME spring rates and heights. Heights meaning for the lift height.

You ever wished you could get one of Monroe's highend shocks for a lifted Jeep? You can. It's called an OME shock and it's made to match the lift height, as well as OME spring rate, vehicle weight.

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P.S. - this in no way detracts from OME's shock reputation because Monroe makes great quality stuff, and in the case of the OME shocks, they're made to OME's (ARB's) exacting specifications based on their extensive testing and offroad knowledge.

**daveshan** · 03-05-2008, 03:52 PM

Well what do I win for my backup guess

I've never had a set of Monroe branded shocks that didn't leak after the first 5000 miles, but then after the first set I never bought another one.

Even Bilstein makes some bad ones however, their "Touring Class" for sports/touring cars had some real teething problems.

**CB3** · 03-05-2008, 04:03 PM

Maybe you had Monroe's lowend shocks?

I bought Monroe's best speed/inertial sensitive shocks for my XJ, and then put 63,000 miles on them and they worked fantastically good, greatly improving on and offroad performance, reducing body roll during cornering, nose dive during stopping, and were all around fantastic on and off road.

After 63K miles, they were still in 100% perfect working order when I sold my XJ.

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The thing you have to realize is that Monroe makes everything from lowend shocks to highend shocks. I've personally only had experience with their highend shocks, and I'm happy. When I said they were a good buy, I meant a good buy for a high performance product. I've never tried their lowend stuff.

Cooper tires is a comparable thing. They make lowend tires, middle quality tires, and highend tires. The thing that Cooper does that is smart/sneaky, is they put a different brand name on their lowend products so they don't damage Coopers name (Dean tires for example). The put a different brand name on their middle quality products (Procomp for example), and they put other brand names on their highend products (Mastercraft, D!ck Cepek, Mickey Thompson for example).

Monroe is less sneaky about their marketing. In fact, they aren't sneaky at all. Monroe just puts their name on everything they make (low, mid, and high end products), except for OME which they don't put their name on.

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I have complete confidence in Monroe's highend products. I don't really care how cheesy their lowend products are - since I don't buy them. Their lowend stuff is probably comparable to any other brand's lowend stuff for same price. i.e. - you usually get what you pay for. However, with Monroe's highend shocks, I feel I got more than I paid for.

**_Kyle_** · 03-07-2008, 08:28 PM

Guess who makes Monroe's shocks?

If you guessed, it's Tenneco - who makes many many other shocks brands as well.

http://www.tenneco.com/brands/monroe.html

**CB3** · 03-07-2008, 08:46 PM

One of the vendors at/from this very forum (who sold me OME spings and shocks) told me Monroe makes OME shocks for ARB.

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Actually, if you look at that link, Tenneco owns Monroe. Perhaps it's like this: Tenneco owns Monroe, and Monroe makes Monroe and OME shocks. The OME shocks made to ARB's specs. I think that's how it is.

If you go to Tenneco's website, you'll also notice they own many shock brands, and Monroe is only one of many.

Kind of like Cooper owning many subsidiary tire companies (Mastercraft, D!ck Cepek, Mickey Thompson, Procomp, and many others).

Is is interesting to note that Monroe yellow looks the same (to my eye) as OME yellow, if you look at the color both those brands of shocks are painted. i.e. - it's probably the same paint all done at same factory.

**_Kyle_** · 03-07-2008, 08:57 PM

I'd vote for Tenneco being the holder/owner of Monroe (and others) and Monroe makes their own shocks/OME shocks as well under those names, but it's owned by Tenneco. Similar to Cooper tire like you said.

rustym38a1 · 03-09-2008, 02:25 PM

Monroe is a division of Tenneco. ARB does manufacture a majority of their products. But the Old Man Emu shocks are made by Monroe Australia to OME engineering design specifications. Monroe is not allowed to use OME's design for any other manufacture. So it is a stand alone shock design that you will not find a copy of by anyone else. I asked about this earlier and got this info from Jim Jackson, President of ARB-USA in WA state.

**CB3** · 03-09-2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustym38a1

Monroe is a division of Tenneco. ARB does manufacture a majority of their products. But the Old Man Emu shocks are made by Monroe Australia to OME engineering design specifications. Monroe is not allowed to use OME's design for any other manufacture. So it is a stand alone shock design that you will not find a copy of by anyone else. I asked about this earlier and got this info from Jim Jackson, President of ARB-USA in WA state.

OK. That interesting. I didn't intend to besmearch ARB or OME in any way. I like their stuff, and I also like Monroe's highend stuff. There is no shame in being made by Monroe. OME has good designs, and so does Monroe's highend shocks, and they're both well made, aside from the paint jobs. The paint does flake off and peel off way to easy (or maybe they need some padding in the box when shipping). My OME steering stabilizer was missing signifigant paint new, right from the box. Aside from that, I have only good things to say.

**CB3** · 01-26-2009, 10:55 PM

Monroe makes ARB and Rancho shocks, or perhaps it's most accurate to say that the parent company that owns all 3 companies makes all 3 brands of shocks, but with different valving and various other features differing.

I cannot remember the name of the parent company. Anyone remember? Is it Temeco or something like that?

FYI - Just because all 3 brands of shocks are actually made by the same company does not mean they peform the same. Each has valving and other features tweeked according to whatever the goal of the application is.