what is the best suspension set up with leafs

[GRPABT1]

I'd avoid the missing link setup altogether....

[mick85]

I dont think thats possible on teh front due to the spring length.. ?

[mick85]

and custom main leafs are about $100 each i was quoted from one place..

[want33s]

Cant be run legally?? Even if its a bolt on kit not affecting anything??
The kit doesnt seem to touch anything to do with the steering and there is no welding involved.. just seemed like a good option...

I think the idea of a "bolt-on setup" is great for ease of fitment but to get it approved in QLD you'd have to sweet talk an engineer and the mounts would have to be welded not bolted on.

The reason I say it's 'not on' in QLD is that it is a bolt on suspension mount point.
If you fit that then you have an extra point for failure.
Bolts can fatigue, shear or loosen so you want as few as possible holding it all together.
Look at any unmodified car or 4wd and you won't see a bolt on suspension mount anywhere.
Don't take my word for it though.... Ask an engineer if he'll sign his name to it. Good luck..
Jas.

[mick85]

fair call - im still undecided on the whole thing just thinking of ideas

thanks for the input

[GRPABT1]

I dont think thats possible on teh front due to the spring length.. ?

This kit doesn't use wacky shackles and fits all bull bars. http://www.rocky-road.com/yjkit.html

[Guy]

Cant be run legally?? Even if its a bolt on kit not affecting anything??
The kit doesnt seem to touch anything to do with the steering and there is no welding involved.. just seemed like a good option...

I think the idea of a "bolt-on setup" is great for ease of fitment but to get it approved in QLD you'd have to sweet talk an engineer and the mounts would have to be welded not bolted on.

The reason I say it's 'not on' in QLD is that it is a bolt on suspension mount point.
If you fit that then you have an extra point for failure.
Bolts can fatigue, shear or loosen so you want as few as possible holding it all together.
Look at any unmodified car or 4wd and you won't see a bolt on suspension mount anywhere.
Don't take my word for it though.... Ask an engineer if he'll sign his name to it. Good luck..
Jas.

There are heaps of vehicles with bolt on suspension mount points. The first few that springs to mind is most IFS double wisbone type suspenesions like kingswoods, Rear shackle mount on BA falcon utes, front shackle mounts on CJ jeeps .. I am posative I can come up with some more with a quick search. I would trust a known quantity like a few 10mm high tensile bolts, structural washers and locktite over an untested weld any day. I reckon most enginners would to.

[want33s]

Holden, Ford etc put their vehicles through extensive ( & crash) testing to meet ADRs.
Does the bolt on kit meet the same?
Let me know when you can get an engineer to approve it on a Zook in QLD.

[Liam]

this would have to be 1 of the flexiest leaf set ups I know of in Oz !!!

Not discounting it as being a awesome rig and built up with a lot of thought, and not to say the leaves alone wouldn't flex great but it is running funky drop away shackles on the front....?

front and rear i believe

PM liam to be sure if you want

Its a YJ spring kit imported from the states, the "missing link" shackles give it the extra length needed to use the longer YJ jeep wrangler leaf springs.

Layto....

Actually it had lots more flex than what was shown in those shots.

No it definetly wasn't a YJ kit from the states.

Flexed awesome with the shackles pinned as well thanks very much.


The modified missing links worked great with the springs which were build around that specific set up.

Neither the mains nor the packs are $100.

If anyones interested the basic spring specs were;
Modified ome rear mains in the front with clearanced eyes, reversed 4way second and third leafs that got diamond tailed and tapered. These used nolathane bushes ( rubber worked identically, but was lasting 1 trip)
The rears were custom made by cortina springworks in Toowoomba, based on CJ Front's . mains were 3 inch longer with the camber reversed, flipped seconds ( to reverse the camber change of moving the diff back 4 1/2 inches), the tapered diamond tails at the back and standard thirds with a shortened overload leaf. Mains were wrapped around johny joints with viton liners. they were drilled for grease zerks.
Clamps were marginally wider and longer . On the rear the shackles had to be clearanced to clear the springs.
Narrow track in the rear, wide track in the front.

For this to work some crazy driveshafts were needed (no, some crap from a hilux wont cut it) and a well designed track bar was needed. (yes, you can build a track bar that works great!)

After some experimenting and fine tuning the shackles worked awesome.

Regarding chassis extensions- the engineers we use don't care if its bolted on or welded, an extension is an extension regardless of how its fitted.

Liam

[moose]

bout time you spoke up !!!!
surprised you can remember the spring specs !!!
(or have you been digging & found them somewhere !! )

[alien]

Liam - do you have images of the track-bar used to control this weapon? lol

[Liam]

Liam - do you have images of the track-bar used to control this weapon? lol

that do?

bout time you spoke up !!!!

I don't get to the circus much either.

surprised you can remember the spring specs !!!

I get asked asked this a lot, it's usually followed by 'but I didn't want to spend much, isn't there anything I can get for free that awesome offroad, legal, and good onroad that just bolts on?"

[mick85]

Actually it had lots more flex than what was shown in those shots.

No it definetly wasn't a YJ kit from the states.

Flexed awesome with the shackles pinned as well thanks very much.

The modified missing links worked great with the springs which were build around that specific set up.

Neither the mains nor the packs are $100.

If anyones interested the basic spring specs were;
Modified ome rear mains in the front with clearanced eyes, reversed 4way second and third leafs that got diamond tailed and tapered. These used nolathane bushes ( rubber worked identically, but was lasting 1 trip)
The rears were custom made by cortina springworks in Toowoomba, based on CJ Front's . mains were 3 inch longer with the camber reversed, flipped seconds ( to reverse the camber change of moving the diff back 4 1/2 inches), the tapered diamond tails at the back and standard thirds with a shortened overload leaf. Mains were wrapped around johny joints with viton liners. they were drilled for grease zerks.
Clamps were marginally wider and longer . On the rear the shackles had to be clearanced to clear the springs.
Narrow track in the rear, wide track in the front.

For this to work some crazy driveshafts were needed (no, some crap from a hilux wont cut it) and a well designed track bar was needed. (yes, you can build a track bar that works great!)

After some experimenting and fine tuning the shackles worked awesome.

Regarding chassis extensions- the engineers we use don't care if its bolted on or welded, an extension is an extension regardless of how its fitted.

Liam

Thanks for the big reply, i can see alot of thought has gone into making your rig what it is and its a damn fine piece of work well done at the moment im looking around for options before i go spend the cash - I have looked at the trail tough kit a few times and thought about it but being in QLD they dont look too highly on this type of setup.. i keep leaning toward the custom leafpacks but id need to find somewhere good and get it right the first time otherwise its $$ down the crapper!!

[alien]

wow - thats an original trac-bar too =) i like the hoop idea over the diff housing!

[DeWsE]

surprised you can remember the spring specs !!!

I get asked asked this a lot, it's usually followed by 'but I didn't want to spend much, isn't there anything I can get for free that awesome offroad, legal, and good onroad that just bolts on?"

Hahahahahah

I have a banana peel, do you care to trade?

I guess the key is to mix and match and test a lot of different setup's. Suitable springs don't just come off a shelf, look even a store owner has to work with different setup's to get them to work that well.

As for the original question about 3/4, mate be sure your rig won't unload on side hills. I think with SPOA some people have said it's not as stable or pradictable. I've never done it, so I can't confirm.

[alien]

i had mine (SPOA) on some gnarly side slopes a few months back and it was stable as... having the epileptic leaf would be like a drop shackle though and i'd imaging that would want to flap around on side slopes if the spring rate was wrong.

[NIK]

Thanks for that info Liam, love the pics of the traction bar too.
Nik

[GRPABT1]

Liam - do you have images of the track-bar used to control this weapon? lol

that do?

bout time you spoke up !!!!

I don't get to the circus much either.

surprised you can remember the spring specs !!!

I get asked asked this a lot, it's usually followed by 'but I didn't want to spend much, isn't there anything I can get for free that awesome offroad, legal, and good onroad that just bolts on?"

More pics of the rig in the background!