Opinion shopping re: front spring interchange (1 Viewer)

[Wile E Coyote]

I noticed a marked increase in steering column chatter while driving offroad on a week-long elk hunt. By chatter, I mean the darn steering wheel jumped 2" up and down on washboard sections of road. Back at camp, an inspection revealed all lower leaves cracked just fore of the perch on the left (driver's) side. The leaves not pinned together are now missing the fore section all together (just plum fell out). The truck is riding on just the left front main leaf right now. I secured a railroad spike over the top leaf in the stressed area by wrapping it with a length of chain and used a bolt to cinch it tight. It stiffened surprisingly well considering the field-fix and the rig made it home (100+ slow miles) this evening.

Now the questions finally; To avoid shipping just one used stock LC spring pack, does anyone have knowledge regarding building a custom pack from more commonly avail (from a few small local junkyards) vehicles? I of course would need to match the current ride height relatively closely and I would stack them under the main leaf to avoid fiddling w/ shackles.
Anyone feel the above will just have me chasing my tail, and I should just find a serviceable stock used fj62 spring pack?

The obvious best fix would be to just use this as the excuse to go OME, but the fundage is not there at the moment. Plus, I need the rig as a DD, so I need a quick but safe temp fix.

Constructive advice is appreciated, as always.

Edited for pics: Pic #1 is after the field fix #1 removed to better illustrate the problem. Pic #2 shows my second temp fix. Relax, this is just to be able to move it around until I can get a real fix in place.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

There are so many factors that play into a spring pack aside from the lengths of leaves that I'd say just find a good pack and swap the leaves in.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Agree. There have to be a bazillion stock packs around after swap outs. Just find a pair and swap them. Order some new bushings while you're at it. You need 12 and they are like $2 each from MAF.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Thanks for your opinions, and I agree it could be simpler to find a used 60 series front pack, but jy custom spring packs are far from voodoo. I know these waters have been sailed before, I just need a little help with the map

 

[wengejor]

I had a similar experience....I would just go OME and be done with it.

 

[dwrtoy]

Boy oh boy... mikey, go hit that awsome pull part yard and go find yourself a s10 or cherokee pack and rob the leafs you need to build a custom pack. leaf springs are far from any type of "science".

keep that OME money for something in .30 caliber if you know what im talkin'.

with that said, anyone want to post spring lengths and arc measurements from a static no load position? bush to bush and bush to pin..?

 

[D'Animal]

I have a set of stock FJ60 spring packs.

Pay the shipping and you can have them.

Im gonna tell you that they flattened out while on my SOA FJ 40.5 after my Cummins 4BT/NV4500 combo was installed with a Warn 8274 hanging off the front bumper.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Yup D, a custom fix will be in order. I've begun brewing up something tonight. So far, it will stay SUA, be SR'd (DIY likely), u-bolts flipped (DIY definitely), longer springs (JY sourced likely), same wheelbase, etc. I want to increase ride height by 3" roughly, and end up with good caster (using a shim if needed). I anticipate being very close to needing a longer front d-shaft, but we shall see.
The rear will see comparably increased height, but with what combo I don't know yet. If I wanted to go to 5" higher, I could squeeze in a low SOA in the rear, but that won't fly at the planned 3".

I'll have to drag my butt around the local pick and pull very soon. If I get lucky, it'll only be down twice as long and work half as well as I plan

 

[Wile E Coyote]

I have a set of stock FJ60 spring packs.

Pay the shipping and you can have them.

Im gonna tell you that they flattened out while on my SOA FJ 40.5 after my Cummins 4BT/NV4500 combo was installed with a Warn 8274 hanging off the front bumper.

Dan, darn you! Did you have to be soooo nice and throw a wrench in my excuse to royally screw up my ride?
I'll do some more head scratching and PM ya if I give in. Thanks in advance, pal.



Edit: Ya know Dan, you don't have to try and make amends for wringing my cousin Ernie and his family's necks that morning...We have a strict "no Beagles rule" when hunting for dinner and he knew it. You coulda spared dancing naked around a bonfire while wearing their pelts, but I guess I understand.

 

[D'Animal]

LOL

I just got back from Kingman. I could have dropped them off if you posted up sooner so I could have loaded them up and taken them with me.

You will be happy with your lift. I just bought a new front set of 3 - 4" CS004 OME from Cruiser Outfitters for around $125 each.

The Yotys are back to full strength in numbers but they are staying clear of my place.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Kingman huh? You musta stopped by True Value then. I know they carry Stihls, but seem quite small potatoes.

Anyway, I left for the JY this afternoon too late to do anything more than scrounge and take notes/measurements. Lots of choices as there were several nicer trucks due to C4C turn-ins, but I have a sneaky suspicion about something:
If I went reeeally long (stock was around 44" and I looked at lots of 52-53" replacements) I think the rear mount for the front ( in SR configuration) will get into the angling in part of the frame. I'm not so sure I am skilled enough to account for this angle and keep the new springs in a similar position as the current ones front to back.
I'll go back Monday am and pull 4 spring packs to build into two. I did see a set under a later Taco, (keepin it Toy, perhaps) but it was only 2 leaves with a 3rd stubby O/L leaf.

 

[D'Animal]

One thing to keep in mind when building your front springs is axle wrap when going down hill.

I found out the hard way after I put my Cummins in my rig. The stock springs in the SOA configuration allowed the axle to wrap like crazy. It may ahve been due to my shackle reversal though.

I would personally put a bunch of thinner springs in a pack before I went with just a couple thick ones.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

I'd prefer the same, Dan. Even if for the finer tunability of many thins vs a few thicks alone.

Anyone know of a source for Delrin interleaf inserts?

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Update 11-24-09:

I went ahead with this project, using 53" Chevy springs from the rears of an S-10 and a Blazer. I combined 4 spring packs to end up with the 2 I used. Today it's back on it's own feet, but still needs a longer frame-to-axle brake hose which will arrive tomorrow (Wednesday).

This is the monstrous front spring hanger I first made. I copied MAF's 4-plus SR kit, obviously. After mocking it up, and listening to advice from Mudders that had been down that road before, I changed my plan.
Holy hell is this a biggun:

 

[Wile E Coyote]

The hanger I actually used is to follow.
These pics are of the JY springs being prepped, and compared to the stockers I wrestled off.
Pic 1 shows how I mocked up the 5 leaf pack. It's staggered 5, 4, and 3" on each arch, then the ends tapered. I used the anti-friction pads from the broken stock springs. This 5 leaf pack nets a 257 lb-in spring rate.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

1.Another comparison view of the springs.
2. The actual hanger I used. As you see, it's still tall, but much better than version 1.
3.Slippin in a shot of my 62 looking dejected nose-to-nose with his bigger cousin.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Up on blocks, and old springs came out. Damn those pins and bushings were rusted solid.
Pic 3 is a mock up with the individual main leaves for setting it up.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

More pics with the axle out, and getting cleaned up for paint and welding of small tabs to widen the sides of the perches about 3/8" to better fit the u-bolts I used.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

I used u-bolts and 3" bushed sleeves from Ruff Stuff. I drilled and tapped the sleeves for grease zerts. His narrower sleeves come this way already, but I had to do mine.
As you can see, I drilled the inner sleeves to let a little grease hopefully migrate onto the bolts, as well.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

I drilled the frame to french the bushed sleeve a bit.
Pic 1. I drilled at 50.5", which is the free-arched length of the spring pack, minus 1/2" for any forced droop. I'm using the stock Chevy shackles as just a trial. They are 4" long, and are likely too short.
Pic 2 Is of setting the side-to-side spread of the bushed sleeves in the frame to match the axle center pin to center pin distance.