Dan Pitts
Body Lift
Posts:232
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| 08/04/2005 11:41 AM |
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| i have a 1987 toyota pickup truck and one thing that i have noticed is that the springs in the rear are really stiff. i was wondering if i would be able to swap in jeep yj springs. i know that they are really soft and i can get massive travel out of them i was wondering if they would fit or be able to fit with little modification. or would i be able to take a leaf off of the springs. i just need softer springs even if i have to go aftermarket for them. |
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Danny Pitts
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lift it, fat chicks can't jump |
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webby4x4
Forum Admin, Magazine Editor
Rock Star
Posts:2375
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| 08/04/2005 12:48 PM |
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Danny - I did some digging and it looks like Ford Ranger springs are descent swaps. Apparently they're 57" eye-to-eye and are very flexible. You can use a two-wheel drive rear leaf spring, but you'll likely be better off using a 4-wheel drive rear leaf spring because they have one more leaf in the pack. If the ride is too stiff, you can take out the over-load spring and see how well that works.
Get some good measurements on your current leaf spring, particularly the spring width, and the overall length. The thickness would be a good measurement to have, but you can overcome the difference with slightly longer u-bolts (if it is thicker).
Anyone else have suggestions?
Rick |
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Rick Webster
Editor, 4X4REVIEW.COM - A Tork Media, Inc. Publication
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'74 FJ40 Land Cruiser
"Measure once, cut twice" |
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SnoMan
Lift & Lockers
Posts:943
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| 08/05/2005 7:34 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by webby4x4
Danny - I did some digging and it looks like Ford Ranger springs are descent swaps. Apparently they're 57" eye-to-eye and are very flexible. You can use a two-wheel drive rear leaf spring, but you'll likely be better off using a 4-wheel drive rear leaf spring because they have one more leaf in the pack. If the ride is too stiff, you can take out the over-load spring and see how well that works.
Get some good measurements on your current leaf spring, particularly the spring width, and the overall length. The thickness would be a good measurement to have, but you can overcome the difference with slightly longer u-bolts (if it is thicker).
Anyone else have suggestions?
Rick
The down side of this though is more axle wrapup in springs with big tires which is not good either. You have to balance one against the other. (this is one reason 4 links are so popular because it can allow a lot of travel yet with good axle wrapup torque control. |
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webby4x4
Forum Admin, Magazine Editor
Rock Star
Posts:2375
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| 08/05/2005 8:41 AM |
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Good point, especially since it's already SOA. A simple anti-wrap bar can be put in place if it becomes a problem though too.
Rick |
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Rick Webster
Editor, 4X4REVIEW.COM - A Tork Media, Inc. Publication
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'74 FJ40 Land Cruiser
"Measure once, cut twice" |
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SnoMan
Lift & Lockers
Posts:943
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| 08/05/2005 9:24 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by webby4x4
Good point, especially since it's already SOA. A simple anti-wrap bar can be put in place if it becomes a problem though too.
Rick
I have mixed feelings about anti wrapup or traction bars on leaf springs on off road vehicals. If it is not done correctly, you can kinda "shoot yourself in the foot" doing it and loose more than you gain. If lots of wheel travel and torque/traction control is your game, a proper 4 link like coil over setup is the way to go, anything else will be a compromise at best. |
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webby4x4
Forum Admin, Magazine Editor
Rock Star
Posts:2375
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| 08/05/2005 11:07 AM |
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True - but a quality unit, like one from Sam's Off Road (http://www.4x4review.com/products/suspension/traction-bar.asp) is a good comprimise that won't break the bank like a 4-link setup will.
I'll completely concur that a 4-link or multi-link setup is the best way to go for maximum articulation, but it's expensive and requires solid welding, fabricating and mathmatical skills to ensure it's done right. That's a project just around the bend for 4X4REVIEW acutally (due out this winter if all goes well).
So if you're on the cheap or looking for a some-what temporary fix before you go to 4-link, flexy SOA leaf springs with a well-articulating anti-wrap bar should do the trick.
Here's a pic of what someone can do with flat SOA springs and a good traction bar. The yellow bar just in fron tof the rear wheel is the anti-wrap bar.
[img]http://www.4x4review.com/discussions2/uploaded/webby4x4/cj-sams-tracbar-flex.jpg[/img]
At least that's my thoughts... [)]
Rick |
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Rick Webster
Editor, 4X4REVIEW.COM - A Tork Media, Inc. Publication
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'74 FJ40 Land Cruiser
"Measure once, cut twice" |
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SnoMan
Lift & Lockers
Posts:943
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| 08/05/2005 12:11 PM |
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| I read the artical and it is interesting and with some merit but it does not fully address the need of the axle to "follow" the springs as they flex because the bar is on a fixed radius one one end and pretty much so on the other end except for a the "sloppy" Johnny joint. This means that force will biuld up betwenn axle and spring pack and traction bar as the system articulates with the bar on a fixed radius angle and the springs on another plane that they try to make up for with the Johnny Joint. Not a bad compromise but a better one could be made with a little work. What would be a slick compromise here would be a 3 link setup (one by frame and two on axle and both of the links fixed on the spring radius and each link is made out of heavy wall stock to resist twisting forces in two pieces the slide in side one another snugly and overlap about 18 inches or more and are greasable with a seal on end (like a slip yoke) and the would control wrapup while allowing unrestricted articulation with leaf springs and no binding and twist would be controled by arresting rotational forces in the levering of the bars rather than through a pull/pull arrangement with the setup reviewed. If I only owned a machine shop, I could design some neat stuff. BTW my setup would not require bushing on the axle with one of the bars fixes to axle on the spring center line. You could even make up a simple 4 link stabilizer that would let you keep springs too. Lots of possiblities here. |
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webby4x4
Forum Admin, Magazine Editor
Rock Star
Posts:2375
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| 08/05/2005 12:18 PM |
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AMEN Brutha! The slip-yolk idea I really dig! Maybe we should pull that idea off of here before someone starts making it (and a small fortune)! ;)
Rick |
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Rick Webster
Editor, 4X4REVIEW.COM - A Tork Media, Inc. Publication
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
'74 FJ40 Land Cruiser
"Measure once, cut twice" |
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SnoMan
Lift & Lockers
Posts:943
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| 08/05/2005 12:46 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by webby4x4
AMEN Brutha! The slip-yolk idea I really dig! Maybe we should pull that idea off of here before someone starts making it (and a small fortune)! ;)
Rick
Yeah maybe so... Problay not a bad idea. My "dreaming" gets the better of me sometimes. Right now I am pondering a new leach field for my house. I have to design and layout the property (laser scan it because it is not flat) and then install it myself (I used to work in construction in college and I am still very good with dozers, loaders and backhoes) I can save 5k to 10k doing it myself while still keeping the county happy. Another "challange" |
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Visit the SnoMan at
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Dan Pitts
Body Lift
Posts:232
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| 08/11/2005 10:20 AM |
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| Rick i have found some Ranger springs on ebay. i did some measuring and i don't know if they will fit. i measured my springs with a tape measure from the shackle to the mount and it was only 47". you said that ranger springs were 57" from eye to eye. either i am measuring wrong or they wont fit. are you suppose to measure the entire leaf spring or straight across from eye to eye. they are about the same width though. |
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Danny Pitts
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lift it, fat chicks can't jump |
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webby4x4
Forum Admin, Magazine Editor
Rock Star
Posts:2375
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| 08/11/2005 10:41 AM |
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measure eye-center to eye-center, uncompressed. That is, take one of your rear springs off and set it on the ground so it's not under load, then measure it.
Do the same with the Ranger spring.
RW |
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Rick Webster
Editor, 4X4REVIEW.COM - A Tork Media, Inc. Publication
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
'74 FJ40 Land Cruiser
"Measure once, cut twice" |
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Dan Pitts
Body Lift
Posts:232
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| 08/11/2005 2:04 PM |
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| hey rick, what do you usally use to jack the back of the truck up off the ground so that there is no pressure on the leaf springs. |
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Danny Pitts
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lift it, fat chicks can't jump |
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webby4x4
Forum Admin, Magazine Editor
Rock Star
Posts:2375
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| 08/11/2005 2:12 PM |
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I usually use a jack to jack up a truck.
just kidding. You need to get it up high enough to put jack stands under he frame, just in front of the leaf springs, to support the frame and let the axle dangle so that it's about an inch or two off the ground. Then you can use a floor jack to jack up the axle slightly to take the pressure off the springs.
Rick |
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Rick Webster
Editor, 4X4REVIEW.COM - A Tork Media, Inc. Publication
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
'74 FJ40 Land Cruiser
"Measure once, cut twice" |
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Dan Pitts
Body Lift
Posts:232
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| 08/12/2005 1:26 PM |
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| hey rick i neede to know if jeep spring shcackles will fit my toyota because i was trying to take the springs out and the nut on the shackle round off. i think my only way to get it off is to cut it off any ideas. |
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Danny Pitts
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lift it, fat chicks can't jump |
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Dan Pitts
Body Lift
Posts:232
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| 08/12/2005 1:44 PM |
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| hey also how would you go about taking off that overlaod spring you were talking about. |
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Danny Pitts
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lift it, fat chicks can't jump |
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4xguy
Street Queen
Posts:104
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| 08/12/2005 1:55 PM |
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Shackle bolt - you can cut it off and then get a replacement from your local hardware store. Make sure it's a grade 5 or higher though.
Overload spring - there's a centering pin in your leaf pack with a nut on it. With the entire spring on the floor, remove the pin and nut, then remove the smallest spring in the pack. Reinsert the centering pin and nut, you'll need it to line everything up for the installation.
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Jason Gorpman, Esq. |
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Dan Pitts
Body Lift
Posts:232
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| 08/13/2005 1:34 PM |
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| hey do i need the bump stops on my truck they are taking about 3 inches out of my travel on my truck. |
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Danny Pitts
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lift it, fat chicks can't jump |
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