Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Somehow my spring hangers got pushed right up against the body like this:



when it should sit like this:



I took the spring out and you can see here where it is stressed from flexing on this one part of one leaf.


As apposed to the other end of the spring.


I was going to undo the leaf pack and try straightening the individual leaf however I was a dumbarse and parked the Patrol infront of the gate so I couldnt get my other car out.. So its all back together for now.

Any suggestions how to fix the leaf?

Hey Juls

Yeah mate quick fix just undo the pack and sledge hammer over a piece od "C" section or somthing with about a 3inch gap, heres how i do mine all the time, good way to set them to get a bit higher. But with those standard shackles it'll happen again for sure.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n198 ... CF0211.jpg

juls wrote: when it should sit like this:

even that is wrong, it should sit forward of the top mount not back.

By standard shackles you mean as apposed to extended ones?

How long does it take before the spring sags back to normal?

How can i fix the angle of my shackles so it sits forward of the mount?

Just order some longer main leaves too fix the prob.. Cheap as chip shouldnt cost anymore than 150$ for the two front main leaves.. Thats what i did all round. 2inch longer leaves, 2inch extended modded 75series shackles. flex like all hell. cost me 200$ for 4 longer leaves, plus the rest for long shocks.

If you jacked that up under the chassie the shcakle will point back.. But if thats how it sits with the weight on the spring they may have been set too far hence it points back OR there is a kink in the rear of the spring due to it folding back.

Yeh im starting to think they have been reset because it has quite a lot of lift compared to other MQ's i see around.

Been reading the forum on leaf springs and it seems like I could move the front spring mounts back a bit so the shackle will sit properly.

I don't really want to spend money on springs for the moment, but I do have to fix this, it isnt good to drive.

are these leafs raised more than standard? they look it. What you need is anti-inversion shackles.

Its definately looks higher than most MQ's ive seen.

So is something like this what you are talking about?

http://coolfj40.stores.yahoo.net/shackletri.html

So I should make some for my Patrol like this?



I am a complete leaf n00b here so all this is new learning

juls wrote:Yeh im starting to think they have been reset because it has quite a lot of lift compared to other MQ's i see around.

Stop "thinking" .....................
They are definately reset !

& they have been over done big time

juls wrote:Been reading the forum on leaf springs and it seems like I could move the front spring mounts back a bit so the shackle will sit properly.
I don't really want to spend money on springs for the moment, but I do have to fix this, it isnt good to drive.

Shifting the front hanger back is the cheapest way out for the time being.
The right way would be to get a new set of paks

Generally reset paks will sag back to somewhere near halfway of what they were before being reset and where they are reset too, just find the roughest patch of ground around and flog the guts out of the suspension for a day........
but replace that bent top leaf for starters

Here's a pic of my truck:



What I did was measure the height of the roof and compare to the specs in the service manual. Given the fact that its about .75" lower because its irunning 31's, it actually seems to be at the factory height.



So I shouldnt just reset that leaf?

I was thinking Its probably stressed a fair bit but maybe I could clean it up and check what the metal looks like around the bend, then reset it.

The mechanic has done the preliminary RWC on it and ive fixed what he wanted. I just gotta take it back for him to check the stuff off so I really want this done Monday or Tuesday so I need a fix I can do today

juls wrote:So I shouldnt just reset that leaf?

yep

make ya anti-inversion shackles & fit em too (like what ya drew)






remember ........

This is NOT fixing the problem, its just covering it up
Kingy

Sounds good, I like doing half assed job to cover up problems...

I was thinking about this in the shower... I might get away with not having to remove the leaf because as long as the shackle doesnt invert again, the spring will sit down properly like on the other side.

So today im gonna try making some shackles.

yeah man, looks like they were reset too high, but yeah, fix em up man, otherwise youll get that when you get out in the rough. Gotta hate an inverted shackle.

peace out!

So far so good.



Now i need to get some bolts tommorrow.

i fya want cheap and bodgey but it defiantly works.

I welded a piece of flat on to the susp mount so the shackels will hit that first instead of flipping. much easier and quicker than new shackles.

juls wrote:Its definately looks higher than most MQ's ive seen.

So is something like this what you are talking about?

http://coolfj40.stores.yahoo.net/shackletri.html

So I should make some for my Patrol like this?


I am a complete leaf n00b here so all this is new learning

Yep that sure is the ones,, Took a bit of work in the lathe. Had to machine down pins too fir the bushes in the sprin eye and chassie mount then make some spacers as toyota shackle plates are wider than nissan.

Well the extend shackle idea didnt really work so well.

Even after taking apart the leaf packs and trying to reset the spring (which didnt really do much) it still has massive force on the shackle plus the inside of the chassis rail doesnt really work with the shackles I made. Perhaps next time i dont assume the inside is the same as the outside.

I guess ill find some stock springs and remove a leaf or two and add extended shackles once i make some up.

Also, after reading some of the old threads in the bible, all the pics have dissapeared. Why is this?

When you relocate the shackle mounts, Do you move the front mount back or the rear mount forwrd? How does this effect the steering geometery, castor? etc?

Im guessing adding extended shackles removes some castor?

I got ahold of 2"over standard leaf packs, and some 2" extended shackles,
When i put these on the patrol I noticed the shackles almost sat perpendicular to the chassis, see pics in build, So I will be getting a boiler maker to come and cut them off and re-weld them back on 2-3" back. i dont see how it will change steering/caster geometry though it might change front ride height.
http://outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?t=86843

best bet is to get longer main leaves.
cutting off the mounts n rewelding the backwards will make your approach angles worse, and when you decide to do it right later on you will have to cut another set of welds of the chassis to move em forward.

dont forget longer leaves flex n ride better so its will be worth the lil bit of coin

juls wrote:So far so good.



Now i need to get some bolts tommorrow.

Is that sitting at ride height, or at full droop. If thats at ride height, and you fit a plate that stops the shackel moving, you will have no more (or bugger all) down travel, and it will ride worse than i suspect it already does. Honestly, just get some longer springs, or re-set your current ones.

Layto....

Yer youre right, i need different springs or i might look at moving the spring mount.. Given up on fitting the shackles i made.