Designing a Rear Leaf Spring Suspension to hook & not squat

Shocks, Springs, Brakes, Frame, Body Work, etc

Moderator: Team

pdq67
Guru
Guru
Posts: 9841
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 8:05 pm
Location:

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

Post 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
englertracing
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1547
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:55 am
Location:

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

Post 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
Splitter
Pro
Pro
Posts: 260
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 11:45 pm
Location: Manitoba

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

Post 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.
User avatar
midnightbluS10
Expert
Expert
Posts: 933
Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 8:41 am
Location: Shreveport, LA

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

Post 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.
JC -

bigjoe1 wrote:By the way, I had a long talk with Harold(Brookshire) last year at the PRI show. We met at the airport and he told me everything he knew about everything.It was a nice visit. JOE SHERMAN RACING
TRN
Member
Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 3:30 pm
Location: Quincy, WA

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

Post by TRN »

pdq67
Guru
Guru
Posts: 9841
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 8:05 pm
Location:

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

Post 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
Brian P
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1611
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:35 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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

Post 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!
Seanh832
Pro
Pro
Posts: 201
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:00 am
Location: Houston, Texas

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

Post by Seanh832 »

Cal Tracs , Ladder bars or pre-loaded Traction bars will stop it from squating.
Maintenance Machinist for Anheuser-Busch
Bob Hollinshead
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1477
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:32 pm
Location:

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

Post 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.
Pro question poster.
HotRodRay
New Member
New Member
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 12:29 am
Location:

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

Post 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.
va454ss
New Member
New Member
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:23 pm
Location:

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

Post 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
Krooser
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1857
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 10:14 pm
Location: Tropical Wisconsin

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

Post 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.
Honored to be a member of the Luxemburg Speedway Hall of Fame Class of 2019
Post Reply