The front leaf spring thread. who's doing it now? what have you learned?

wrecked said:
Thats actually quite interesting. How is the shackle in the rear more reliable? You mentioned that it would have more brake dive and would require a long slip shaft on my front drive shaft, I'm not quite understanding how the shackle in the rear is more reliable?

I can see the front suspension compressing when trying to climb an obstacle(like a wall) with a rear shackle. Where as a front would try to decompress.
Little bit confused which way to go.
-Kevin
Click to expand...

This is what happens.
t_100_1670_598.jpg


When going down a steep hill or hitting something at speed the axle pushes back and the shackle allows it to more back and bend the rear section of hte main leaf. check out this viedo of the little hill I wnt down that bent that main leaf. Not a worthy obsticle to cause carage...
VIDEO DOWN KISSING ROCK, BENDS THE LEAF
VIDEO UP KISSING ROCK
VIDEO UP "local" DUMP BUMP WITH BENT LEAF

With the shackle in front the axle pulls on the front spring hanger rather then pushing. more reliable.


With the shackle in back as the axle drops the shackle swings forward further from the T-case so you need a longer then stock slip drive shaft or a center limit strap. With shackle in front the shackle will swing back twards the t-case on down travel so a stock drive shaft could be used.

Toyotas are stock with shackle in back and have a normal slip drive shaft but you but somen flexyspring on it and you quicly will over extend the shaft. Square drive shafts are a common cheap fix. Ive run square shafts front or rear, it works but its noisey and has soem binding, but for free...its an option.
 
I just bought a set of stock cj 2" wide 41" long eye to eye leafs off ebay should i put them under my front or get somthing else. I want around 8" but dont wanna spend the money on getting new ones
 
xtrflexj said:
I just bought a set of stock cj 2" wide 41" long eye to eye leafs off ebay should i put them under my front or get somthing else. I want around 8" but dont wanna spend the money on getting new ones
Click to expand...

I have no idea if they will get you 8" of lift or not... but I am inclined to say no. 2" wide springs aren't the best route to go either. So, the short answer is get something else. Re-read this thread and pay attention to the springs everyone else is using and the estimated lift height they received. You should easily be able to determine what you need for ~8". I could tell you the answer, but I get the impression that you should read all 11 pages of this thread...


xtrflexj said:
Also when test fitting should the front shackles be vertical when loaded?
Click to expand...

No. The angle should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 or 40 degrees. I think you need to take some time and understand how a leaf sprung suspension works before you tackle this project. I can tell you how to put together a decent leaf sprung front suspension... but then your not learning anything are you? My advice is to go figure out why you should run a 2.5" inch wide spring as opposed to a 2"... and why your shackle should have an angle instead of being vertical. Take your time to understand what your doing... it will turn out much better that way.

-Justin
 
Well Justin i bought the leafs off ebay and they are souposed to be the 2.5" rear which i intended on using so i mocked up the mounts with the 2" ones. Yes i know how a leaf susp works, with the 2" if i where to use they would wrap side to side and and would track all over the place. also be weak as hell. and as far as the angle goes on the shackle they should sit forward so they can not extend past there vertical point while driving or hitting small bumps. I just need needed to know the degree which you stated so now i think im set. Thanks for all your help oh yea i bought front narrow trac wagonner 2.5" 9pack leafs ill keep you posted on the pics!
 
hey guys, i read through a lot of this thread and its really helpful. im doing this mod mid to late summer hopefully, and i was wondering what kind of front lift ill get from 3" lift rear packs for an XJ, if they could be used for the front, and what if anything needs to be done to the steering and such.
 
bigsky89 said:
hey guys, i read through a lot of this thread and its really helpful. im doing this mod mid to late summer hopefully, and i was wondering what kind of front lift ill get from 3" lift rear packs for an XJ, if they could be used for the front, and what if anything needs to be done to the steering and such.
Click to expand...

Dont put Xj Main leafs on the front get a shoreter mil-wraped leafs for the front. The main leafs can not support that much weight..

Xj main leaf mixed pack on the front of my XJ, back in 2003...
IMG_0417.jpg
 
bigsky89 said:
whast a good leaf spring to get? as in out of what vehicle?
Click to expand...

I had good luck with 80s toyota truck rear main leafs, they are mil wraped, common and most guys I wheel with have toyotas so spares are easy to find.

A YJ aftermarket Mil wraped leaf would be good. An aftermarket Wagoneer Mil wraped leaf would be good.

If you do shackle in back you will use the mil wraped leaf correctly and the life of the setup will be great. Shackle in front bends main leafs no matter what. I would never do shackle in front again.
 
all you just said i have it..im running 36s...and im doing my xmember...all im asking....its what leafspring and shackle do i need to get this...im also doing reversal shaclke so there is no sackle in the front....
 
DraVen said:
im running yj front axle.. so what leafs sholud i run so i can clear and flex 33"s
Click to expand...

YJ axle as in a stock YJ axle? If yes, then... well.... im not even going to ask.

RE 2.5 YJ springs gave me enough for 35's. You might start with stock YJ springs (sprung over of course)...

-jm



but why?????
 
lift wil depend on your front shackle mount placement. I have 4" YJ leaf springs OTA with Confer 2.5" shackles. I have about 10"es of lift with waggy axles, and 2"es of bs. I also have fenders trimmed about 4"es with some TJ flares, and riding on 38 TSL SX's.
 
DraVen said:
the yj axles were free to me so thats why for now... so RE yj 2.5 leafs for the front... and what re xj 2.5's for the rear?... to be even?
Click to expand...

RE1444 Springs + stock length shackle in the front
RE1463 Springs + 1.75" lift shackle in the back

That will get you level and enough height for 33's assuming your mounts are exactly like mine. But thats just the problem, when doing custom bracketry up front, its impossible to tell you if its going to sit level.

I did the RE 2.5" YJ's + stock shackle up front and the XJ 4.5" + 1.75" shackles and I somehow came out perfectly level. You need to understand that its a guessing game and not an exact science, there are simply too many variables.

I just have to ask, are these stock YJ axles, or at least built stock yj axles? I fear your going in the wrong direction with your build...

-jm
 
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