Custon rear springs almost done.......

[Diesel Dan]

My wife didn't like the stiff ride in my truck and got authorization to make the truck ride better. (you gotta love it when you get permission to bomb) contacted National Spring and a custom set of rear leaves are in process. the spring pack consists of apx ten (yes 10 thin leaves) instead of stock (four thick leaves) and eliminating the nasty 4 and a half inch block under the springs.

Suspension travel will go from apx 8 inches (stock) to around 14 inches!!!!!! of ultra plush travel. the spring pack was custom(they all are) designed for my app. allowing for my 800 lb tonge weight of my 28 foot toy box. Because they are elliminating the lift block i will eliminate the axel wrap (sorry steve ST. Laurent wont need those traction bars anymore) should be ready at the end of next week cant wait!!!

 

[Cooker]

Keep us posted on the ride. I was thinking of doing something similar, but have a set of Roadmasters awaiting install instead. If they don't meet my expectations, I'll check into the new spring pack again.



What was the approximate cost of the new spring pack?



Thanks,

-Ryan

 

[Diesel Dan]

Between $650-700 depending on your application

 

[jmeehan]

Please let us know how your new springs work out. I too have thought about going this route for my truck.

 

[Diesel Dan]

Custom Rear springs are done!!!!!!!

Well they have been done for a few weeks but just now getting time to post These things should be standard in this truck . To say this truck rides better is a huge understatement!!! my wife loves the new ride. no more back aches while traveling. the key to the success in the new springs is there are eleven springs 5/16 of an inch thick as upposed to three springs 3/4 of an inch thick. my neighbor watched me go into my driveway at the side where there is a strait up curb as upposed to a cutout and said that wathcing that big 315 BFG tire suck up into the weelwell was awsome as the truck hardly moved up. Can't wait to take this thing off road.



My only dissapoint is that i ordered the springs to give me an 1 inch lift and i actully lost an inch after installation. National Spring offered to fix then(rearching the springpack) but it involved 90 miles each way and leaving my truck for two days so they sent me a 2inch lift block and a new set of U bolts which i installed myself. fortunatly (sp) 2 inch blocks dont induce axle wrap so it is ok still rides great and got me the inch that i wanted. this thing has soo much wheel travel (apx 13 1/2 inches)

that i have to replace my rancho 9000's with a set a few inches longer. haven't done any towing yet but i will report back when i do. Let the questions fly on this awsome mod.

 

[Sled Puller]

Going with more,smaller springs won't effect load carriering ability?

Want about us guys with helper springs?

Just eliminate them?



Do they do front coils?



Any possible info you can come up with would be great!

Gene

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

NO axle wrap? How?

Dan, do you really have reduced axle wrap? Tried peeling out in gravel or driving in sand? I think you may still have axle wrap because I have no spacers in the back of my truck (2wd) and still have a lot of intense judder when spinning in sand or whatever. I would be interested to know if something with the spring assembly addresses that. I would think axle wrap would be worse with softer springs.



Also, have you put some weight in the back to see if it can support it adequately?



Sounds like a great mod though



Vaughn

 

[Diesel Dan]

Gene,

The difference in the settups is that the stock springs are much firmer on the innitial travel. try standing on the back of your truck and jumping up and down like a madman(preferably at night or in a secluded area for obvious reason ) depending on your weight and you dont have to lie we are all friends here you will probably only see an inch at the most of travel in the rear suspension. This distance easily doubled with my new springs thus allowing for much more initial suspension articulation and a much more linear rear suspension travel instead of a jolt to the back end of me and my truck as the stiff springs resist movement.

As for helper springs go they dont come into play until the suspension has already moved a few inches and removing them will not change your empty or light load only make your heavy load a real drag or sag if you will.

Yes thy make new front coils however you want them for around $350 or so but dont qoute me on that.



Vaughn

haven't tried this yet hoping to do so soon. However this setup idwith stiff springs,the axle doesn't have any way to go so it is used on many race truck setups and the pictures and testemonials line the walls from head to toe at this shop.

There is a chance the 2 inch blocks will hurt me a little with wrap but i will wait and see. i can have them redone if i wish as a plan B alternative

Haven't put any significant weight on the yet but they were designed to carry my 700 lbs of tongue weight.

i will report back after offroading and towing

hope this has been helpfull

Diesel Dan

 

[Diesel Dan]

Vaughn,

should have profread befor i posted. The sentence should have read. This setup has been used on many race trucks and the pictures and testimonials... ... ... ... you got the rest



DD

 

[radixr]

With the exception of requiring longer travel shocks, these springs seem like a better way of attacking axle wrap (no welding on the axle tube or drilling the frame). Interesting.

 

[radixr]

Update?

Dan, any further comments on your new springs?

 

[Extreme1]

Careful with the extra travel...

You might bottom out the driveshaft.



The hot setup for dragracing old Camaros was to use the monoleave rear springs. NO wheelhop.

 

[Diesel Dan]

radixr

Still haven't gone off roading yet still stuck in the city trying to get a new business off the groung. but the ride is fantistic. did have an opportunity to put 2100 lbs of sand in it for my son's new pool

and experienced a 1 3/4 inch rear end drop/sag in the springs which is about what i expected and the ride is even more fantastic. can't wait to get out of dodge in the dodge.



extreme

the increase in travel is in the droop not the compression and the std suspension limiters are still in place just in case i get a little too much air time



Best wishes to all

DD

 

[Cooker]

I've got a set of Raodmasters I need to install and see how I like the ride then. From there I may stongly consider a set of custom springs for the rear. For me too much rear end sag is a moot point because I already have a set of airbags.



Please continue to keep us (and me) posted on these.



-Ryan

 

[NVR FNSH]

Diesel Dan,

Any updates on your springs? No sagging problems, how's it tow now, are you still happy with the ride on the lovely LA freeways?



Brian

 

[Diesel Dan]

Brian,

The report on the new springs is stil excellent. no sag, towing is great only 2 inch drop when adding my 700-800 ln tounge wt from the trailer take 1 inch back when adding my load carring bars, and the ride on the freeway is excellent and the wife is happy did finally get a chance to do a little offroading near barstow, Ca and could climb any hill in 2wd as the springs were very compliant to the terrain. no report on axle wrap as i havn't used the truck in any loose sand



Grade AAAAA



best regards

DD

 

[Hammer]

MMMMM,,I'd like to know how the removal of the spacer blocks will eliminate the "axle wrap" problem that we have???,,Basic knowledge of suspension geometry will tell you that eliminating the blocks WILL not help removing it at all,,See problem with your theory here is this,while it may help with your stiff ride and allow more travel(your new spring setup) it does nothing to cure the flaws that were engineered into the basice truck leaf spring system we have,,Ok,now you ask WHAT FLAWS??,,Well for that answer we'll need to back to drag racing chassis setup 101,,See any suspension that is designed with the rear mounted dead center will wrap the springs due to acceleration force caused by Hp and torque,,Now keeping in mind the rear is centered(ala Chuvy and Phord cars) the rear will wrap due to equal amount of spring being front and rear of the rearend housing,thus the need for a way to control it,,Now why no reference to Ma Mopars cars on this theory,its due to the fact that Mopar had already considered it when designing their muscle cars and moved the rear housing front of center and thereby already designing a way to control wheel hop from the onset(think of it,long ago not only did their powerplants keep the competiton at a disadvantage,but their suspension did),,Any of the fast Chuvy of Phord stock eliminator cars ALL use some from of bolt on traction device to plant tires and control wheel hop(Cal-Tracs now are among the prefered guns now),,Now as far as trucks go,certainly till recently they were not considered much more than work vechicles and till recently there were used little for racing,so why design the suspension to help in a racing purpose,except off road racing,,I'd hate to say I disagree with you Diesel Dan,but,I must,to many years of NHRA & IHRA stock racing and too much suspension knowledge to disagree with your statement about "lift blocks gone,I do not need Steve St. 's bars",,Spring change alone will not control wheel hop,sorry.....

 

[Steve Roseman]

Hammer, I have to disagree with you somewhat on your theory. By removing the spacer blocks you will "reduce" axle wrap, notice I didn't say eliminate. What the blocks do is increase the leverage the axle has on the leafs.

I will agree that the trucks suspension is not designed for drag racing.

I don't quite understand how a softer leaf pack can help reduce wrap, old school lessons say stiffer leaves = less wrap.

Thank you for letting me in on this thread.

 

[Diesel Dan]

Hammer,

Thanks for your imput. It is the lenghth of the lift blocks that add leverage to the axle wraping the springs. Think how bad it would be if we had 15 inch lift blocks rolleyes: steve was on the money

By eliminating the lift blocks you reduce the leverage on the springs. probably should have stated that i reduced the axle wrap not eliminated it.



Steve it was the loss of the blocks not the softness of the springs that reduced the axle wrap.



Steve St. laurent's traction bars are awsome. if i need additional help with wrap that is what i will do next. just wanted to improve the ride first.



hope this clears this up



DD

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Here are a couple of references



http://www.4x44u.com/pub/k2/am4x44u/truck_stop/parts/nspring.htm



http://www.broncoparts.com/viewcatalog.php3?selmaincat=Specials



This set is for a Jeep application



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Vaughn