Outer Limits 4x4 Board

G'day all, i've done a search and i couldnt really find much on getting my leaf springs to work a bit better. I've got a FJ73 with some fairly healthy sitting leaf springs height wise. Things is though the flex jack all and they are pretty stiff, the shackles front and rear are also nearly verticle. The picture shows how it sits now, and it will be getting 33''x12.5 tyres on it. The springs in it now have 7 leaves front and rear, the rears have a double thickness leaf on the very bottom. What can i do to get it to flex more, i was thinking of removing some leaves but i'm not sure which ones to remove and how many? like should i remove the two bottom leaves from all the backs and maybe fit 1'' or 2'' extened shackles to compensate or what the go?

thanks for any help

cheers

parabolics is one option or go longer springs also you can move the top shackle mount on the chassis and re weld it to give the shackle more of an angle so it can move up and down or go a set of climax shackles on the back

mate if you wanna go all out do what tuffsahara said but i have to disagree with him about th parabolics... they are crap if you ask me

what kind of leaves do you have?

what brand? as you get what you pay for.....

1st - im assuming you have already removed your front sway bar completly..

2nd - get rid of the reall fat little short leaf you have either side of you rear spring pack (even take 1 or 2 leafs out all round and see what you like)

3rd - get a set of extended greasable shackles (anti inversion)

now if you wanna go all out:

1st - convert it to coils all round

2nd - like its been said cut and move you spring hangers to accomidate longer lmore flexable leafs

3rd - 2 pair of superior drop schackles (front and back)... be aware these can work well and not work at all depending on your leaf set up and amount of leafs in each pack and you will need and anti wrap bar to go with it. and on the front you may need to make adjustments or mods to stop tyres rubbing etc

hope that helps mate

thanks for the help, following are some pictures of how it currently is. I'm not sure whos springs they are, they have got some yellow stencilied numbers on them thats all.

Here are the fronts

http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/atta ... 1172488809

http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/atta ... 1172488812

http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/atta ... 1172488816

and here is the rear end, my budget wont let me change the springs, so i've got to work with what i have, but i can extended to changing the hangers. As for the car, it has a gastank in the back and when i go away for the weekend it will have two people in it and out gear thats all. Dont need to tow or carry massive loads

cheers for the help

http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/atta ... 1172488848

http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/atta ... 1172488853

http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/atta ... 1172488857

anyone able to offer any more help?

otherwise i think i will remove the two bottom leaves all around and chase up some lengthened anti inversion shackles, what size shackles should i get?

cheers

by removing leaves you will affect your load carrying capacity.. it will most likely also affect the height of your suspension lift too..

start by playing with what you have.. as you mention you will be taking two people + gear, maybe take the shortest leaf out of the rear pack first..

don't be surprised if you will have to go through the whole process (take leaf out, refit, settle springs,evaluate, repeat) a few times before you get it right..

this should soften up your current pack..

if you want to go for longer shackles, you might want to look at getting a longer main leaf to support it, with a flatter pack you will get some shackle angle back but it might not be enough.. you could probably get a longer leaf from the wreckers (measure your main leaf and go to the wreckers to look for a longer one, 75# might work?)..

longer shackles will cause more modifications - possibly longer brake lines, but castor correction the main one on the front so if you can avoid that initially it might save you some $$..

anyway.. get in there.. take a few leaves out and see what you end up with..

once you think you have what you want.. fill up your middy with all your camping gear and a few mates.. then see if it will handle it..

hope some of this helps..

one other thing you can do to get more flex is to open up the clamps on the springs slightly (you will need to do this to remove leaves anyway)..

be aware that if you leave them too open they could allow the leaves inthe pack to splay or fan out..

this will let the leaves seperate on droop.. giving more flex..

when you are removing leaves, remember to clamp the spring pack when you remove the center pin.. .. i used a crowbar and a BFH to move the clamps on the spring packs..

have fun and play safe!

I would take out one leaf all round and get the extended anti invertr shackles


These shackles can be purchased at Carrolls springs

I wouldnt go the parabolics,id play with the packs and remove a load carring leaf,id also check that its not your shock absorbers that are limiting your travel.

thanks for the help everyone, i'll remove a leaf all round and get bigger U bracket clamp things and see how i go, maybe even two leaves, i dont mind if it loses a little height, can make it up with longer anti inversion shackles since i need them anyway. Or leave it low and stable i think there should still be enough room for 33''x12.5'' claws in there

cheers

I'd suggest going for 33x10.5s. Narrower section will allow the tyre to stuff into the well more easily.

I swapped from 12.5 to 10.5 and find that the uptravel improves, especially in the rear.

Ditto on removing one of the shortest leaves. Run it for a few weeks then re-assess. I removed one leaf (not the shortest mind you) and found the handling woeful after a few weeks going around corners at speed.

Silly mistake, but gave me a good excuse to get Dakar all round.

Also, hold off on the longer shackles until you KNOW you NEED them. MWBs are high enough as it is. An extra inch of COG won't help.

My 02c