toyota springs

[Custom_Yota]

hey all you guys i just got back from ocotillo wells and can not wait to get some different springs for my yota. Well anyway my question is that i saw a guy out there with 62 deavers mounted at the stock front hanger position so that way it would keep the rear of the truck not so high. and he was saying that he had to extend the frame for the rear shackles and his whelbase was like 9 inches longer than before so my question is what do you do for fiberglass? do you just run longbed glass or what?

[drtdevil93]

hmmmm... interesting. im assuming he meant it would keep the ride height down because the factory mount would be higher on the frame rail. the problem with that is it kinda screws up the geometry. youd need a massive shackle (like a foot and a half) to put it where it belongs, and then the ride height is right back. i guess it could work though, but i definitely wouldnt do it that way.

erik

[1992f150]

if the wheelbase increased wouldnt you need a new driveshaft? (unless motor was moved)

Azusa: shame of the foothills

[Custom_Yota]

yes he had to have a new driveshaft made and he just extended the rear of the frame so why would the shackles have to be a foot and a half? his shackles were like 11'' mounted on top of the frame with a custom glide plate to help resist side to side sway

[drtdevil93]

believe it or not there is geometry involved in leaf springs. when i set a truck up, the rear eye needs to be about level with the front eye. it has to do with anti-squat characteristics. with the front hanger where it is stock, youd just need to have a pretty big shackle to make it work.

erik

[BIG_FAT_LOSER]

Listen to Erik: A.K.A leaf spring savant

Sems like a lot of work and extra cost to keep the ride height, same can be acheived by having the rear shackle mount in or above the frame. First I have heard of this method.... have heard of rear shackle in or above frame. hhhmmmm... Wonder why????????

If your gunna go.........go Ghetto...

[drtdevil93]

theres a little bit about the leaf spring geometry in some of carroll smith's books. its pretty simple reading. as far as lengthening the wheel base, if it was a reg cab-short bed, then a couple inches would be good, but 9 inches seems like way too much to me. i hope i dont sound like im down on the guy for doing it that way. i have seen people do things that vary from brilliant to suicidal with rear setups. his idea isnt bad, i just wouldnt call it ideal. that doesnt mean that it wont work fine for him, and do what he wants it to do.

erik

[Custom_Yota]

ok now i seee what you are talking about . That makes sense when it comes to the rear shackle But just out of curiousity why does the rear shackle need to be level to perform good Or is it just a way to make it cycle nicer? What would you say the best way to do a rear shackle? on top, in the middle, or on the bottom of the frame rail? one more question if i was to lean my rear shocks forward would it make the rear softer or stiffer?

[havahockey]

When I bring in my springs to get dearched I'll try to get the eyes lined up. If you can't get them lined up is it better to have the rear eye above or below the front eye?

Race-Dezert Anonymous - Step #1:
"Hello, my name is Jason. And I'm a Race-Dezertaholic."

[ntsqd]

I recall some discussion about ideal shackle length, but I don't think it matters where, vertically anyway, that the shackle is mounted. My understanding is that the length will determine where the frame mount is, not the other way around. Fore/aft frame mount location is a different topic.
An effect of the spring eyes not being level as Erik suggests is roll steer. As the body rolls one side of the axle will move forward and another will move rearward. Some tilt may be needed to zero out this effect depending on the exact spring geometry, other springs will want to have their eyes dead level.

TS

I used swerve around my halucinations, now I drive right thru them.

[Custom_Yota]

do you mean level with each other as in meaning that both rear eyes are the same (or level with the front?)

[drtdevil93]

make a line from the front eye to the rear eye. this line should be about level. i think it works a little better with the rear eye lower than the front eye just a bit. this causes the axle to move backwards as it cycles upwards. when you hit a bump, the force is up and back, and your axle will now move the same direction as the force. this reduces stress and smoothens the ride. this works for setups with the shackle above the rear spring eye (like a toyota). for a setup like a ranger, with the shackle under the rear spring eye, its different.

erik