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Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 6:27 pm
by pdq67
Anybody ever figure out a way to use the f/g rear mono-leaf springs off an Astro Van?

I like the idea of a substantial weight savings, at least I think they would be lighter than multi-leafs?

I've had 560 pounds of water softener salt in the rear of our Astro Van so know they are strong enough.

pdq67

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2016 4:52 am
by englertracing
pdq67 wrote:Anybody ever figure out a way to use the f/g rear mono-leaf springs off an Astro Van?

I like the idea of a substantial weight savings, at least I think they would be lighter than multi-leafs?

I've had 560 pounds of water softener salt in the rear of our Astro Van so know they are strong enough.

pdq67

I've heard of street stocks using fiberglass leafs.

How about this?
Torque arm and leaf springs,
I don't like the way they did the birdcages, they will wear out the axles, should have some big ole bushings.
but I like the concept

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2016 3:56 pm
by Splitter
How about adding half leafs on the front half of the spring, to make the spring stiffer in the front? That should help with axle wrap and squat, i would think.

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 7:26 am
by midnightbluS10
pdq67 wrote:Anybody ever figure out a way to use the f/g rear mono-leaf springs off an Astro Van?

I like the idea of a substantial weight savings, at least I think they would be lighter than multi-leafs?

I've had 560 pounds of water softener salt in the rear of our Astro Van so know they are strong enough.

pdq67
Flex-Form makes fiberglass monoleafs for all sorts of applications. What about those? The Astro leafs have cracking issues. Lots of guys swap to steel. I know there's been issues with guys having aftermarket monos crack, too, but most of what I've seen was all stuff that was 10+ yrs old. There's always the Calvert split monoleaf, too. But it's steel, too, isn't it? Still lighter than an entire spring pack.

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 12:27 pm
by TRN

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 6:36 pm
by pdq67
How is this thread going?

Anyway, back right out of HS, about '66 or so I knew a guy that had a long bed 1/2 ton Ford with a 427 engine with 2x4's on it. He had a 4-speed and I think a posi- under his truck.

I forget how he did it, but he used 1/2" log chains such that when the rear end tried to wrap, it couldn't and the truck would pretty-much stand right up!!

I wish that I remembered more about his truck, sorry.

pdq67

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:05 pm
by Brian P
Could use a chain as a half-arse upper control arm ... tie it between the top of the diff housing somehow and the frame of the vehicle somewhere ahead of the axle. Redneck (and probably rattly) but it might just work!

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 1:52 am
by Seanh832
Cal Tracs , Ladder bars or pre-loaded Traction bars will stop it from squating.

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 9:21 pm
by Bob Hollinshead
Alan Roehrich wrote:We used a "leaf link", which was basically a 4 link that used the leaf spring as the lower link, and a large tube adjustable upper bar and brackets, equal in length to the spring, from the center of the axle to the front spring eye. We also used the biggest shocks, with the stiffest compression valving we could find.
Alan, if I understand this right you made an upper bar that attached above the axle tube housing at the center line of the axle and the other end shared the same mount as the front spring eye? I've also considered a longer leaf setup but the longer the length the more chance of leaf spring wrap up. I think caltrack bars must rely on some front spring bending for their system to work.

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not squat

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:54 pm
by HotRodRay
Pulling a sled, the hitch height vs pull angle is the most important.
If the sled pulls down you are planting the tires lifting the fronts,,, stiffer springs are the thing.
If the sled tongue is neutral or lifting your hitch line.... oh oh.
True sled pullers are the guys you need to befriend.

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not sq

Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 5:34 pm
by va454ss
midnightbluS10 wrote:Flex-Form makes fiberglass monoleafs for all sorts of applications.
I've used them on my 90 for several years. Competition Engineering Slide a Link bars and adjustable shocks. Been 1.49 60 ft on a low 11 second pass

Re: Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not squat

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 2:41 am
by Krooser
Old thread but the front spring eye should be below the C/L of the axle... that will limit the squat and increase forward bite.