Leaf Spring Problems

[Jim_Phillips]

I recently fitted new springs and shocks to my 60 series. I didn't go for OME due to cost and the results from the cheaper replacements is very disappointing. The ride is now rock hard and very bouncy.

One thought is to remove a leaf from the springs to give them more flex. The worry is that I will then lose ride height. As it is, the ride height at the back is about an inch lower than the front. I still have the origional springs I removed, the fronts were OK so I'm thinking about putting them on the rear in place of the new ones. This will improve the ride for the back and solve the ride height problem. Maybe I could lose a leaf fron the front and maintain ride height...

Any thoughts?

JIM

NB. Next time go OME

 

[Rice]

Hi Jim,
Even having put on OME springs and shocks I was getting a ride too firm for my back and my teeth. I pulled one leaf from the rear and one frmo the front with a noticable improvement. You'll also notice the springs soften some over the miles and if you do some parking in a ditch diagonally that helps as well.

 

[Ralphy]

Just a quick note be sure you havent over tightened the bolts on the hangers , the PO of my veichle had done this on the front and rear of my 60 , Not only was the ride shocking but it allowed for very little movement of the hangers and destroyed the boshes in the process , i've just replaces all the bushes myself about 1 hr ago and the diffrence is amazing , wonders of what new bushes and greased shackle pins and hangers will do .

 

[Jim_Phillips]

[quote author=Ralphy link=board=1;threadid=15781;start=msg150182#msg150182 date=1083670480]
Just a quick note be sure you havent over tightened the bolts on the hangers , .
[/quote]

When you say hangers - are you talking about the shackles? - or are the hangers something different (showing my lack of expertise here)

Rice, Maybe taking one leaf out will do it. I thought about just getting the angle grinder onto the third one down and progressively shortening it until I notice the difference.. Have the OME springs sagged since you took out a leaf?

Thanks, Jim

 

[Rice]

Jim,

Had I really been thinking about it at the time I would have measured to see if there was some sag but did not. All I can say is I didn't have any visual sag. The bonus to just yanking a leaf is if you do get some sag later you can slip him back in.

Good luck,
Rice

 

[60wag]

The nice shackles have a shoulder on the pins so that they can't be overtightened. The cheap shackles have a bolt as a pin and can be overtightened. I'd worry about the nut loosening on the cheap kind. Do any of you add a lock nut, or a Nylock nut, or just check them often?

Jim - who made the springs? A long time ago I bought some cheap springs that were made locally in Denver. The were junk. The bottom leaf in both front spring packs cracked within 5k miles. I went with OME to replace them. I used medium rear and light fronts. The ride was nice but had a lot of body lean even with the front stabilizer. After several years I could see a noticeable bend in the front springs. The rears were unchanged. I think the light fronts are too light for the front of an FJ60. I haven't owned a med/med setup but I would rec' that to someone who is shopping for OME. My current ride has Ironman springs on it. Not as flexy/smooth as the OME but not jarring - and the body lean isn't noticeable. Good springs for the price - if you can find them.

 

[Jim_Phillips]

I've got the cheap shackles. I have loosened the bolts and will see on the way home if this makes a difference. I can see that the bushes are 'pinched' which makes me think I had them too tight. Would Loctite Threadlocker work to stop the nuts loosening any further? I'm hoping loosining the bolts will help a little and will then think of a way of keeping the nuts on.

What about if I run the tyres at a lower pressure. Might it help?

The springs I have are branded 'Milner' which is a 4x4 shop here in the UK. From what I hear they get them from India. Milner have offered to give me my money back but say thay have never had a complaint before and sold this set up to over 90 customers. To get OME in the UK takes 8 weeks as they have to be ordered from Oz which is one reason (in addition to the ££) that I went for another option.

How much are OME / Ironman springs in the US ? - with the current exchange rate it could be worth me buying from the other side of the pond... anyone suggest a good OME dealer I could call for prices?

Jim

 

[TonkaC]

with my shackles that I built myself I used grade 8 bolts and lock nuts. Instead of nylock on the nuts they are smashed slightly so that they are really wedged onto the bolt. I haven't had any problem with any of these nuts coming loose.

Chris

 

[sherwood]

>I pulled one leaf from the rear and one frmo the front with a noticable improvement. <

Which leaf do you pull ?

John

 

[Rice]

Pulled the bottom leaf. Sounds like a big job but only takes about 30 minutes to do them all ... here's the trick: jack up the rig and put on stands, remove u-bolt nuts (but you can leave the bolts in place), then jack the axle up about 3 inches above the perch ... this is so you can get to the top of the pin going through the spring with a vice grip. Most important step ... clamp together all the springs you plan to keep using a c-clamp or the like. That way when you take the bolt from the leaf pack they don't fall apart ... only the one you're removing will drop out ... now bolt it back, retorque u-bolts and you're done.

half a

 

[Jim_Phillips]

Rice

That's what I needed to hear. Sounds a lot easier than I thought it would be..