Rear Leaf Springs

[shockseals.com]

Does anybody have a pair of F53s off the truck and can measure the free arch? If you draw a straightline from eye to eye and measure to the top of the main leaf at the center bolt would be the free arch.

I know what they are new but I have a feeling they take a set once used and thats the number im looking for

i have a brand new pair, off the truck, at my house... but i'm at work

i might have read this wrong? do you want free arch measurement for new or used? if you want, i can measure my new ones when i get home

lemme know

***EDIT*** aaah! my bad, i just re-read your post (sorry)

New should be 12.5". Want to verify that?

[Pony Boy]

Finally got my Deaver's in the back! Unfortunately, it sits around 1-2 inches taller in the rear than in the front But, I used standard shackles, and I just ordered Camburg's 1.5 inch longer shackle, so that should help some. And I have the stock wedge in there which has to go anyway; the vibration from the driveline angle is beating my u-joints and irritating me to death! But everything rides great so far, as I've only put on a few miles.
I did get it aligned, and they couldn't get the passenger side camber in, even with a two degree cam. I'm waiting for the springs to settle a little bit and see how much that helps.
Now the 33 inch tires look way too small!

[Polarcub]

With the wedge gone and the shackles it will drop that rear about 2 inches and give it a nice stance.

[tcm glx]

Finally got my Deaver's in the back! Unfortunately, it sits around 1-2 inches taller in the rear than in the front But, I used standard shackles, and I just ordered Camburg's 1.5 inch longer shackle, so that should help some. And I have the stock wedge in there which has to go anyway; the vibration from the driveline angle is beating my u-joints and irritating me to death! But everything rides great so far, as I've only put on a few miles.
I did get it aligned, and they couldn't get the passenger side camber in, even with a two degree cam. I'm waiting for the springs to settle a little bit and see how much that helps.
Now the 33 inch tires look way too small!

Before you worry too much about the rear height, do yourself a favor. Load the rear with whatever gear you will normally carry when going fast, and a full tank of gas (tools, spare tire, ice chest and 30 gal of fuel, will EASILY bring down the bronco 1" in the rear).

The Bronco behaves very differently based on the rear altitude of the vehicle once loaded. Just my two cents.....

[shockseals.com]

Leaf spring testing saturday morning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4Q5rTqRnvQ

[Polarcub]

Nice perspective their Kris...Looks like the leafs are working good.

[baja-chris]

Rear leafs finally houred out. Should of replaced after 1 year but left them on for over 2 years. And no, I STILL don't think a 2-link will help or make any difference. Photos show drivers and passenger side. Course marking the SCORE San Felipe track this past weekend. Leafs are just fine ahead of the axle, all damage behind axle.

[Polarcub]

When mine broke they broke just ahead of the shackle and left a nice mark in the floorboard....its interesting to see where peoples leafs break I have had mine for about 3 years but only about 50 hours or so on them of actual use in the dirt. I am curious to see how some of the two link folks hold up.

[shockseals.com]

I am curious to see how some of the two link folks hold up.

I am curious who has a 2 link and lays down the kind of miles, has the kind of HP, and carries the kind of load Ole Yellar does. I dont think there is a non linked bronco out there that does.

Ive yet to see a Bronco with all of those things and a 2 link. The A-fab two link would be bashed by rocks to hell I think in just one outting on ole yellar.

Bottoming the leafs on the factory location is what kills the leafs as that is when the stress is the highest. If a 2" bump stop extension was installed limiting uptravel 2" the life of the springs would go to infinite just like the factory springs were designed. With the factory bump location and the aftermarket packs the stress goes beyond the acceptable 120ksi which is for infinite life to a finite life meaning the springs can only go all the way to the bumpstops so many times.

Spring under would be the solution for a Bronco but for me the ground clearance lost and the fact im not moving my rear hanger back due to cage design its not an option.

Im hoping i can get 2 years of prerunning out of the springs I just designed if not more since I was conservative on the max stress. If it turns out I cant, 4 simple links and a 3 or 4" coilover will be in the future.

[Polarcub]

Great point Kris, when I busted my first set of springs I felt that the short life of them was due to exactly what you said...With the J40s and a change in my rear set up I dont get as much bump travel so the spring is not going into the negative arch that my fist set would. I have had this set for over 2 years now but I have not put nearly the off road miles on them that I was putting on the others.
So many things go into the equation it makes my head hurt haha

[SteveG]

I am curious to see how some of the two link folks hold up.

I am curious who has a 2 link and lays down the kind of miles, has the kind of HP, and carries the kind of load Ole Yellar does.

Papa Wilson's is the only long-term, high(off-road)-mileage Bronco that comes close but he also recommends yearly replacement of leaves. And we all know what ultimately happened to his leaves....

It's just as you said, Kris. The leaves get really unhappy at full compression.

The good news for us posers is that we don't use our trucks nearly as hard as you hard core Baja veterans.

[shockseals.com]

I am curious to see how some of the two link folks hold up.

I am curious who has a 2 link and lays down the kind of miles, has the kind of HP, and carries the kind of load Ole Yellar does.

Papa Wilson's is the only long-term, high(off-road)-mileage Bronco that comes close but he also recommends yearly replacement of leaves. And we all know what ultimately happened to his leaves....

It's just as you said, Kris. The leaves get really unhappy at full compression.

The good news for us posers is that we don't use our trucks nearly as hard as you hard core Baja veterans.

Papa Wilson has less than 200hp(probably 150) to the wheels like the rest of us and he is linked I thought?

Im jealous of the time Chris has got to spend using his bronco to figure it all out and tweak it and its still never done. I am hoping to halve if not quarter the time it took and even then...its still just a grocery getter with AC, cup holders, sirius, and stock seats.

[SteveG]

Papa Wilson has less than 200hp(probably 150) to the wheels like the rest of us and he is linked I thought

That's why I said comes close... Chris' experience is tough to beat. Papa had a 2-link kit on his Bronco before switching to links. But, like I said, he still replaced leaves once a year.

Im jealous of the time Chris has got to spend using his bronco to figure it all out and tweak it and its still never done.

That's exactly why anything good enough for Chris is WAY more than good enough for me!

[PaulW]

Yup. Mine had the 2 link for several years. No ground clearance issues. My biggest issue was broken springs and sagging ones that were re arched once. My breaks were mid point at the axle attach. Caught the break on one leaf at a time. Nothing like Chris had since I never tried to keep up with him.
Yes I had issues every year.
Remember although mine was build by Spirit. It still kicked and that slowed me down considerably to the point that I seldom bottomed out. It was pretty uncomfortable in the whoops. Having said all that I believe the blasts from SF to highway 1 on the washboard is what killed the leafs. We did that several times a year and very high speed.

Leafs are gone replaced by a 4 link proper suspension. Nice and comfe now. and back seat riders do not complain.
Motor is totally stock, but uses no oil due to its pampered life (I guess). I have Switched to Delo LE 15W40 and I sure like the oil pressure now. Slightly above the shop manual pressure at 2k (50@2k hot) and it idles around 10 or so when hot. No more 'no pressure' indication from the stock switch gauge.
PaulW

[PaulW]

My engine has the Gibson headers that Chris discarded and both cats are gone. SIngle 3" / Flowmaster exhaust. Seemed to help the lack of power. Sounds good and loud. Ha.
PaulW

[philofab]

I have yet to install my 2 link and my F64s are still alive (got them used from nick).

Maybe they will break this weekend in Mexico... Then I'll be able to put Giant spring unders on.

[BDKW1]

The old Barge had some 2.5" Nationals from a class 8 truck. Not sure how fresh they were when I got them, but I put them through 5 years of hell. They believe the were originally spring under units. They had way to much arc to use the regular mounts. I moved the front hanger up a few inch's to get the proper ride height. They were pretty flat at full bump, but I don't think they went negative.


Now for the way back machine........ Hey Kris, those progressive wound coils I got off you all those years ago sucked. Dropped about 2" of ride height the first pre-run...........

[AussieRod]

Leaf springs are NOT designed to go to negative arch. This will destroy them very quickly. The shackle length/position needs to be altered to make sure the main leaf is JUST shy of flat at full bump. It is better not to re-position the front mount to alter the spring position to correct for negative arch. Any spring over axle setup is very hard on leaf springs due to the increased leverage causing axle wrap. A 2 link kit will drastically increase the life of leaf springs in SO, but the best way to run leaves is SU, so the leverage is much lower. A well set-up SU installation will work better and probably wont need a 2 link, but with the 2 link in SO, comparable life can be had. It all depends on the usage, set up, leaf spring design and load the vehicle will see. Just my $0.02.

[shockseals.com]

Now for the way back machine........ Hey Kris, those progressive wound coils I got off you all those years ago sucked. Dropped about 2" of ride height the first pre-run...........

I dont even recall...possibily off fat honkys ranger?

[baja-chris]

I have progressive wound Eibachs on my 3" Kusters on the front of the bronco and they are still holding up fine. Before they were on my bronco they were on my 8 truck and they came with the 8 truck when I got it so who knows how many race miles were on them before that. They have not sagged a bit in years.

Back to leafs. I do believe that eliminating reverse arch is the key to longevity. I might drop my bumps stops an inch or two.