adding a military wrap leaf...

[jekbrown]

Since I am going to run longer than stock springs in the front and rear... and I don't really like either of the common spring clamps (folded don't let the leaves come apart... bolts become a shear point for breakage)... I am considering taking my main leaf from each pack down to the local spring shop and having them knock out a military-wrap style leaf for them. Anyone done this? Seems like it would be a good compromise, and protect against main-leaf breakage under severe-droop conditions. Might even help slow down axle wrap a little bit. Not sure if the extra leaf would clear the stock front spring mounts or not though. Anyone tried this? Thinking 56s in the front and rear...

j

 

[cegusman]

The extra leaf should clear no problem, My 4" front BDS springs have the millitary wrap and it fits fine.

 

[jekbrown]

thats good to know. Might cause some problems on the shackle end if the clearances are tight there though. Guess I'd just have to try it out. How about the front mount on the rear springs? Doesn't seem like there was much room on top of the leaf eye from what I remember...

j

 

[K5er4Life]

my POOcomps have a miiltary wrap on them too, and no clearance issues. As a matter of fact when I swap in my 52's, which will be soon, I was planning on taking them to the spring shop and having them do that military wrap. I was talking to the man (stephen @ ORD) and he thought that was a good idea, he doesnt like to run rear springs up front mainly because of that reason of no mil wrap.

 

[85mudblazin]

Its not the extreme droop that kills the springs. Its the fact that if you get wedged up against something it tries to push the axle back. With the soft springs it just fans out the pack and bends the main leaf.
In our group we all clamp the main leaf to the leaf below it.
Let me find a pic of what im talking about, a pic is worth a thousand words in this case

 

[85mudblazin]

Here you can kind of see them in this pic.
Basically its 2 pieces of 2"x1/4" strap. Clamps the main leaf to the leaf below it with 2 3/8" bolts.
Everyone runs them front and rear and hasnt had a bent spring yet (used to bend a spring every trip).

 

[ntsqd]

Those Rancho 4" Pre-Run front springs I mentioned in the leaf spring rate thread have a partial military wrap leaf. From the way it is configured it looks like anti-wrap is it's primary intent.

 

[MTBLAZER89]

Here you can kind of see them in this pic.
Basically its 2 pieces of 2"x1/4" strap. Clamps the main leaf to the leaf below it with 2 3/8" bolts.
Everyone runs them front and rear and hasnt had a bent spring yet (used to bend a spring every trip).

I like that idea. Simple and cheap.

 

[jekbrown]

simple and cheap is good... and I won't have to worry about clearance between the extra leaf and the frame under full compression either. Thanks for the pic.

j