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Leaf springs, any size, length, and rate, what would you choose?

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84_Chevy_K10

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Ok, imagine you're the owner of a huge spring company or something and can make springs for your trail rig. Any length, any spring rate, etc.

What would you choose? Why? How long? What spring rate? Where would you put the centering pin?
 
the only limit in the front is your front mount. anything longer then a 56" up front and you end up losing approach angle. unless you have an offset center pin. In the rear the longer the better as long as you can control them.

rates
front 300-250 rear 200-250

ALOT of thin leaves is where it's at.

and for the centering pin, they didn't name them wrong. the closest to the center they are, the better your pinion will travel.


also it doesn't matter how soft you make or how much travel you have built into the springs. If the shackle can't get them to do thier thing then it's no use.
 
Well actually for me that's not totally true. I can do the 56s up front, great, no problem, that's what I've got planned.

There rears I cannot really move my front mount forward all that much because the gas tank is in the way. I really wanted to do 63s in back but I dont have time to move my gas tank right now so, I might not be doing that.
 
im a real big fan of my 63's just wish there was more lift with the same spring rate.... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
3 leaves and a flipped overload, i may re-flip the overload and see if i can do away with the 2" blocks i made.

pull the 8 or so bolts outa the bed and drop in a blazer gas tank, then the front mounts can be moved forward to make a bit o room
 
A Blazer tank makes for crappy departure angle.

If anything I'll put a fuel cell in it, but that is well into the future.
 
[ QUOTE ]
A Blazer tank makes for crappy departure angle

[/ QUOTE ] Disagree there. My is a long bed and I have a 40 gallon tank back there. I haven't hit it yet. The only way I see is if you came down straight off a 3 foot ledge.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A Blazer tank makes for crappy departure angle

[/ QUOTE ] Disagree there. My is a long bed and I have a 40 gallon tank back there. I haven't hit it yet. The only way I see is if you came down straight off a 3 foot ledge.

[/ QUOTE ]



Doesn't the tank sit up in the framerails anyway?
 
[ QUOTE ]
The twisty curly kind that wrap around shocks in a 250/lb per inch rate.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I know, STFU already /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

I really do want to link this thing though, it make little/no sense to go through all this pondering to keep the leaf springs, but I suppose for the budget 'wheeler you can't beat it.
 
why not look into inboarding a set of 63's? thats what NORULEs used on his ford IIRC.
 
[ QUOTE ]
A Blazer tank makes for crappy departure angle.

If anything I'll put a fuel cell in it, but that is well into the future.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess we're putting them in different spots, because if i get hung up on the gas tank, then the 14 bolt was stolen /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
 
The 14 bolt is 4 feet forward of the rear bumper and tank.

I just went out and looked at it, maybe I'll put the tank in the bed and be done with it. /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
i had room over the axle. its no good for getting airborn. but they havent hit yet. just food for thought
 
[ QUOTE ]
why not look into inboarding a set of 63's? thats what NORULEs used on his ford IIRC.

[/ QUOTE ]
That is correct and it flexes like mad...
 
[ QUOTE ]
i had room over the axle. its no good for getting airborn. but they havent hit yet. just food for thought

[/ QUOTE ]
Mine is pretty much the same. I actually built a cross member and bump stop to keep the diff out of the tank. But my 23? gallon tank doesn't even have a skid and it's got one small dent in it in 2+ years of being back there. A rock has to come up just right to get in there without the tires or something else keeping it out...
 
[ QUOTE ]
why not look into inboarding a set of 63's? thats what NORULEs used on his ford IIRC.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you explain that set-up to me? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Steve-
Instead pf the springs being out on the outside of the frame rails you have the mounts under the frame like the older trucks and jeep ran em. flatter leaf packs and gain lift. In this manner the springs will have tons of movement cause of them being mounted closer together. You gain leverage at the tires to help creat axle flex. Be ready to get the shocks out as far as you can to control it though.
 
I'm wondering what a set of 14" travel 5150s and a set of 63s, inboarded so that hte front was damn near under the cab would be like. I can use ford towers in the rear to mount the 5150s straight up and down and combined with the agressive valving I think I'll be able to control them.

I'll leave the overload on to control the wrap.
 
Jeremy, is there any pictures so I can clarify what it looks like (I have a picture in my mind, not sure if it's correct or not though) Thanks for the explanation! /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
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