Center mounted limiting straps front and rear

[stan1688]

Who's running them? How did you mount them?

I'm considering running some to control my suspension from unloading on hills yet still getting good amounts of flex.

Also, would running a panhard bar up front with leaves essentially do the same thing as a center mounted limiting strap?

School me.

 

[imiceman44]

Who's running them? How did you mount them?

I'm considering running some to control my suspension from unloading on hills yet still getting good amounts of flex.

Also, would running a panhard bar up front with leaves essentially do the same thing as a center mounted limiting strap?

School me.

I can't help you with the limiting strap because I haven't done it yet, but it does exactly what you described which is what you want out of a crawler, but not necessarily out of an off road racer.
As for Panhard bar, it's a completely different animal, it prevents the axle from going sideways.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

A center limit strap will still reduce articulation travel some, the pivot point is out by the spring so limiting the suspension inboard of that will reduce droop travel some.

A panhard bar only stops side to side travel and has nothing to do with keeping the front end down.

Sounds like you need to look into getting a winch setup to suck the front end down

 

[stan1688]

I know panhards are to locate the axle side to side. My thought was that when the suspension unloads, the axle will want to pivot on the frame mount of the panhard bar. The leave springs would then prevent this pivoting this stopping axle droop. Does that make sense or is my logic wrong?

 

[stan1688]

A center limit strap will still reduce articulation travel some, the pivot point is out by the spring so limiting the suspension inboard of that will reduce droop travel some.

I saw some people have mounted two in a V shape, going from one frame rail to the axle center. That would probably still limit articulation some, wouldn't?

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

I know panhards are to locate the axle side to side. My thought was that when the suspension unloads, the axle will want to pivot on the frame mount of the panhard bar. The leave springs would then prevent this pivoting this stopping axle droop. Does that make sense or is my logic wrong?

What you're talking about there is the inherent bind with a leaf spring/panhard setup and, because it binds, it will inhibit suspension travel.

I saw some people have mounted two in a V shape, going from one frame rail to the axle center. That would probably still limit articulation some, wouldn't?

Same idea, it just needs a little longer limit strap.

IMO using a winch to keep the front down is the way, everything else suggested has lots of downfalls and the winch has none.

 

[imiceman44]

What you're talking about there is the inherent bind with a leaf spring/panhard setup and, because it binds, it will inhibit suspension travel.



Same idea, it just needs a little longer limit strap.

IMO using a winch to keep the front down is the way, everything else suggested has lots of downfalls and the winch has none.

I wouldn't want my winch cable to be worked like that, it's easier to have limiting straps that you can unhook if you want more travel in a particular trail.

 

[toomany]

I wouldn't want my winch cable to be worked like that, it's easier to have limiting straps that you can unhook if you want more travel in a particular trail.

A small/cheap HarborFreight ATV winch is perfect for something like this.

 

[imiceman44]

A small/cheap HarborFreight ATV winch is perfect for something like this.

a strap is easier and checper.

 

[Avery4jc]

a strap is easier and checper.

I'm not sure you're catching everyone's drift. They're talking a true suck down winch that you can pull the front end down with for a particular obstacle. Meaning it's sucked down sometimes lower than ride height, something you couldn't do with just a simple hook/unhook of a strap.

 

[blazinzuk]

I have used them before but never on a leaf sprung rig. Usually on a very flexy coil spring or air shock set up.

The best way to keep leafs from unloading is to get low.

My 73 had nearly 10" of lift, very, very flexy ( not any type of stock spring) It unloaded so bad.

Horton on the other hand has 2 to 3" of lift, same tires, longer wheelbase I will admit to that but doesn't unload nearly as bad as really steep climbs.

I lied come to think of it I have used center limit straps on leaf sprung rigs to keep the driveshaft from separating.

I don't think a limit strap on the center will really be a whole lotta of benefit on a leaf sprung rig.

The only real problem I have seen with suck down winches is when the main winch is being used I have seen the cable get crushed ( but this is easily prevented) or the cable be in a spot where you could not get it off the axle when you needed the winch as a winch.

 

[imiceman44]

I'm not sure you're catching everyone's drift. They're talking a true suck down winch that you can pull the front end down with for a particular obstacle. Meaning it's sucked down sometimes lower than ride height, something you couldn't do with just a simple hook/unhook of a strap.

I am catching the drift, me not agreeing with it is another matter.
What he is asking for has nothing to do with sucking down really tight, he want to limit the unloading of the front when traveling on bouncy trails.
There is a stock example of what he needs, it's the Range rover, I believe they only did it in the back though, they have a stubby shock in the middle and some really long ones on each end, it's to keep the flex, but restrict the unloading and stiffening the suspension in straight line driving.
I think a shock is a softer solution than a strap myself and I have been trying to design my expedition rig suspension with that in mind ever since I saw how the Range rover was setup and how nice it rode.

 

[Avery4jc]

I am catching the drift, me not agreeing with it is another matter.
What he is asking for has nothing to do with sucking down really tight, he want to limit the unloading of the front when traveling on bouncy trails.

Yes, it does. Nobody ever said anything about "bouncy trails". Suspensions unload on hills. Here's what he said in the first post...

I'm considering running some to control my suspension from unloading on hills yet still getting good amounts of flex.

So that's why Chris brought up a suck down winch. Something he could use to suck the front end down for a hill climb then let off for normal trail crawling. I have no doubt he could setup a conventional limiting strap that would possibly help but it could also limit his down travel while crawling in technical sections that he needs lots of flex and isn't worried about the unloading. So the suck down winch solves his unloading on hills issues while not limiting him when he needs the droop.

 

[stan1688]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll try lowering it first and see how it does from there.