thoughts on new front end
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thoughts on new front end
well the drivetrain is pretty much done for the 52F2, now its time for the suspension... right now its 4link bagged 9'' rear, but for the front (to try and keep with the theme of the truck) im thinking of dropped axle, removing all leafs but one, and replacing the shocks with shockwave air bags from air ride. oh and also disc brakes (because safty is first). any thoughts on this set up?
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well the leaf will be acting like a 2 link suspension... there just mostly there to hold the axle in place, while the airspring will be taking most of the load..... but thats a good point, im not sure if one leaf can handle that without breaking....
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Minnesota
Got it the springs are just there to hold everything in place. I think I would do something a little different. Maybe a reverse eye and a few extra long leafs. That is what I did, I still have four leafs up front but they are the long ones not the short ones.
Originally Posted by six7seta
well the leaf will be acting like a 2 link suspension... there just mostly there to hold the axle in place, while the airspring will be taking most of the load..... but thats a good point, im not sure if one leaf can handle that without breaking....
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i asked a few people at a shop around here and they said that its somthing thats never been done because people either go for a dropped axle or IFS, but they think it will work, and if i install a sway bar that will make a huge change.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Durham NC
I'd be concerned if a single spring leaf would have enough stiffness to resist twisting and wrap up. Also resonating might be an issue. I think I'd leave a couple more in there just to be sure. Chevy tried monoleaf rear springs on the Nova in the 60's but soon abandoned them.
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From: Lancaster CA
It sounds like you are thinking of doing the rear air bag assist that air ride tech does. The problem is that they do use more than one leaf like actually only removing a few but i do understand your idea as the front does not get the torque that the rear would get. I would keep more like 2 or three just so you do have more "meat" on the springs but the main leaf does really do all the holding so you could try it.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Durham NC
It will torque a lot IMHO when you hit a bump, with a dropped axle that's a lot of leverage working on that single leaf that was never intended to operate by itself.
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true... but the load will all be taken by the airspring.... i actually learned that some offroad racers cut there rear leafs in half and put asprings on... just like a two link. but from what it sounds (and that no one has had a real answer) its never been done... so i guess we'll just have to see.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,497
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From: Tucson AZ
my partner has a '32 with leaf spring suspension on a tube axle, the spring pileup is cut in half and acts as a 2-link (new term for me) and it works extremely well. The important thing is to use the whole pileup or at least most of it to resist the tendency to warp. good luck, keep us posted, I am curious to see how it works
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Durham NC
semi eliptical suspensions have been around a long time, my friend put one one his 34 Ford pickup rear end, but in his case and all I've seen done, the spring was cut in 1/2 then the thick portion bolted to the frame. The ends of the springs were attached to the (rear) axle. It still needed a link to keep the axle from rotating and the wheelbase from changing. Basically a 4 bar with the spring acting as one of the bars. Worked well for drag racing, but the short springs were very harsh riding for the street. One of the magazines I get recently had an article about someone offering an airbag kit for beam axles. I'll have to go back and look, but I think it was for the early Ford buggy spring axle and used radius rods to locate the axle.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Iowa
Six
Obviously you are just using a leaf to replace a 2 link 4link. It would seem like a fairly straight forward fab. I agree with AX that the beam roll is an unknown factor here. There is an awful lot of torque on a hard break. It would seem prudent to eliminate the spring steel from the equation if you can. You could then be certain your beam will travel in a predictable arc.
Obviously you are just using a leaf to replace a 2 link 4link. It would seem like a fairly straight forward fab. I agree with AX that the beam roll is an unknown factor here. There is an awful lot of torque on a hard break. It would seem prudent to eliminate the spring steel from the equation if you can. You could then be certain your beam will travel in a predictable arc.