Go Fast Leaf Spring Tech

['84 Bronco II]

$1200 with the $200 flat plate shackles?

I think a pair of all pro leafs for a Toyota was like $650 about 8 years ago. Probably at least $800 now, so $1200 for something totally custom isn't bad imo.

If you can use something off the shelf you are definitely money ahead. The G50 Deaver packs would have been ~$400 cheaper and given comparable performance, I just didn't want the springs and shackles hanging so far out the back and I couldn't find anything that would fit better for what I was trying to do. The shackles were an extra $200 I would not recommend them...

 

[Covecrawler]

Trying to bring this back from the dead. Hope that’s ok.

I’m working on setting up the rear of my 1993 dodge. I’m currently planning on running a set of these Carli/deavers. They’re used and were “cheap”. They’re 3” wide roughly 63/64” long. Plenty of arch. Lots of thin leaves.

I plan to run tension shackles, like factory. Seems like there are lots of companies selling long travel tension shackle kits for various vehicles. ORD, Dirt King, PMF etc. It seems from googling and searching on this page there’s a lack of tech on shackle angles and what not to run with tension shackles.

Any thoughts or rules of thumb like there are for compression shackles?

The truck doesn’t necessarily need max travel, but that would be cool.

Probably going to run whatever cheap/used nice shock I can find laying around on Marketplace, likely raptor takeoffs or secondhand kings.

 

[WiscoF100]

Some people had commented on my design on IG but concluded as it’s an art. My target was roughly 60* shackle trying to keep the leaf bushing at the same point in space, drawing the shackle bushing down and back, minimum 6” long and clearance to avoid bind ie: boomerang.

Mines just space junk that’s never left the ground. Couldn’t tell ya if it works.

 

[Covecrawler]

Some people had commented on my design on IG but concluded as it’s an art. My target was roughly 60* shackle trying to keep the leaf bushing at the same point in space, drawing the shackle bushing down and back, minimum 6” long and clearance to avoid bind ie: boomerang.

Mines just space junk that’s never left the ground. Couldn’t tell ya if it works.

I have that same shackle designed in my head. I’m curious if there’s a benefit having the shackle droop past parallel to the ground or if that’s roughly where it should be limited.

 

[bdkw1]

TLDR. But.... desert racing, front mount about level with the t-case output. Spring under. This will force you into compression shackles. This is done so that the path the wheel takes through its travel works better at speed.

Now, cheat like a **********er, above setup with rotating spring pads on the axle. Single point "torque arm". Instant 4 link geometry.

 

[bdkw1]

Also, you can get more than 14" of travel out of a 14" shock. Your limiting factor will be the DS. A HP diff would help this a lot.

 

[mobil1syn]

TLDR. But.... desert racing, front mount about level with the t-case output. Spring under. This will force you into compression shackles. This is done so that the path the wheel takes through its travel works better at speed.

explain

 

[bdkw1]

explain

Do you want the axle moving back in bump or forward? Ever see a truck that kicks in the rear a lot? Low mounted front hanger is usually the culprit.

 

[McBastard79]

In for more updates on this

 

[Covecrawler]

Some people had commented on my design on IG but concluded as it’s an art. My target was roughly 60* shackle trying to keep the leaf bushing at the same point in space, drawing the shackle bushing down and back, minimum 6” long and clearance to avoid bind ie: boomerang.

Mines just space junk that’s never left the ground. Couldn’t tell ya if it works.

It looks like your old design worked!

 

['84 Bronco II]

Trying to bring this back from the dead. Hope that’s ok.

I’m working on setting up the rear of my 1993 dodge. I’m currently planning on running a set of these Carli/deavers. They’re used and were “cheap”. They’re 3” wide roughly 63/64” long. Plenty of arch. Lots of thin leaves.

I plan to run tension shackles, like factory. Seems like there are lots of companies selling long travel tension shackle kits for various vehicles. ORD, Dirt King, PMF etc. It seems from googling and searching on this page there’s a lack of tech on shackle angles and what not to run with tension shackles.

Any thoughts or rules of thumb like there are for compression shackles?

The truck doesn’t necessarily need max travel, but that would be cool.

Probably going to run whatever cheap/used nice shock I can find laying around on Marketplace, likely raptor takeoffs or secondhand kings.

What makes sense to me is to have the shackle leaning towards the front of the vehicle so the the mounting point of the spring rises as the spring compresses (at least through a significant portion of the uptravel). This should give a more compliant/softer feel to the spring. Once the shackle goes past vertical, the mounting point will start traveling downwards as the spring continues to compress which will make the spring feel stiffer. Basically the further forward the shackle is angled, the softer it will make the springs.

 

[LScout800]

What makes sense to me is to have the shackle leaning towards the front of the vehicle so the the mounting point of the spring rises as the spring compresses (at least through a significant portion of the uptravel). This should give a more compliant/softer feel to the spring. Once the shackle goes past vertical, the mounting point will stare traveling downwards as the spring continues to compress which will make the spring feel stiffer. Basically the further forward the shackle is angled, the softer it will make the springs.

So, you want the shackle to swing back in the last couple inches of travel to stiffen up the suspension before bottoming out?