Leaf spring sliders

[krawler09]

Has anyone used or are using leaf spring sliders? I am thinking of getting some from Liquid Iron but would like some input before spending $250 on them. Thanks

 

[ParadiseXJ]

Haven't heard of them. Picture??

 

[hubs97xj]

http://www.liquidironindustries.com/product.php?productid=18222

 

[krawler09]

 

[Voteban]

I've never used them, and I never will because they look like you're just asking for trouble - more wear parts, more potential for breakage, hard to fix in a pinch. I'm a bigger fan of shackle relocation boxes to get your shackle angle where it needs to be. You can buy the relocation brackets and new shackles for the price of those and (IMO) be much better off.

 

[AeroSync]

I have them. They are pretty nice and solid. I landed them on a rock and nothing happened but a scratch. They gave me 0.5" lift in the rear, but also made it ride somewhat smoother since instead of a shackle angled at 90 degrees, the leaf spring just pushes back on the roller.

 

[CaliXJ]

Now those are interesting.... What do they ride on? Delron? Teflon? I guess a better question is, Whats the wear item on these?

Never mind= UHMW plastic.

UHMW Sheets and UHMW Rods & UHMW Tubes (aka UHMW-PE - PE1000) offer a combination of excellent properties – outstanding abrasion resistance, superior impact resistance, non-sticking and self-lubricating properties and excellent mechanical properties, even in cryogenic conditions. UHMW Sheet, Rod, Tube and Profiles reduces noise from impact & vibration. It is a self-lubricating material that is chemical, corrosion, and wear-resistant. UHMW is also available in several filled grades including higher-temperature, ceramic-filled, conductive and ESd versions.

 

[krawler09]

Yes they are very interesting, I've been searching and reading about them and some say the plastic slider wears out quickly and some say it does good. The one thing I was looking at and worried about is the flexibility when articulated.

 

[yossarian19]

You would probably lose flex but gain ride quality, at least as compared to a poorly angled shackle.
I remember, last time the topic came up, a handful of serious desert go-fast guys saying "tried it, S#!T broke" and a handful of milder use guys saying "yeah, these are cool" but nobody *loved* them. Main benefit would be for stock height or lower, no serious off roading, gain ride quality

 

[krawler09]

That's pretty much what my conclusion was after looking around. I may just go with a boomerang style shackle. I'd hate to spend that kind of money to ruin my off-road capability.

 

[CaliXJ]

I'd hate to spend that kind of money to ruin my off-road capability.

Maybe they will give you a set for long term R&D test? :laugh3: Tell them your part of and will write a install right up and full review in return.

Hell thats a good idea... I think i'll do that myself. LOL I'll keep ya posted if they consider it.

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

Just a note about uhmw polyethylene, this is the material that is used as the bearing surface on sno-mobile tracks.

Just sayin. The stuff is tough.

Oh yeah, Kitchen cutting boards are made out of it as well. A very good Engineering grade plastic.

Ultra
High
Molecular
Weight

UHMW. Have used it for years in machine tool applications...

 

[ParadiseXJ]

Does this not negatively affect load capacity?
Seems to me that once there was a couple hundred pounds in the rear (or towing) your rear end would just get lower and lower.

 

[X E Ryder]

I'm still not sold on them based on loss of twist which you have in the 2 bushings in a shackle setup, now down to 1 with this. Might even put a nasty strain on the main leaf eye fatiguing over time?

 

[Click-Click-Pull]

Read the vendor posts and you'll get most of your questions answered cause they've been asked before. It's good to have questions don't get me wrong but try not to judge without trying or doing more research. M2C

 

[Alexia]

Just a note about uhmw polyethylene, this is the material that is used as the bearing surface on sno-mobile tracks.

Just sayin. The stuff is tough.

Oh yeah, Kitchen cutting boards are made out of it as well. A very good Engineering grade plastic.

Ultra
High
Molecular
Weight

UHMW. Have used it for years in machine tool applications...

It is the same thing I used on stage sets for sliding them across the stage. The stuff is great, but I would expect to have to replace them more regularly than rubber bushings.

 

[rockclimber]

RoyalXJ was running those before he parted his rig, HeavymetalXJ on pirate runs them.

you won't lose flex over a shackle, they are more stable. the UHMW will wear, but not as fast as you think and replacement slider pads are cheap.

 

[rstarch345]

I'm still not sold on them based on loss of twist which you have in the 2 bushings in a shackle setup, now down to 1 with this. Might even put a nasty strain on the main leaf eye fatiguing over time?

If this were in the Modified section, I'd tend to agree, but since it's OEM, they'll do a good job. Spring sliders have been around a long time and have proven themselves in the performance vehicle world. Many modified stockers that have leaf springs use them for improved ride performance.

 

[krawler09]

Does this not negatively affect load capacity?
Seems to me that once there was a couple hundred pounds in the rear (or towing) your rear end would just get lower and lower.

That's a good point, with all the crap I carry back there when I go out it may hurt more than help.

 

[hubs97xj]

Maybe I'm missing the obvious, but how would sliders be different than shackles with regards to load capacity?