SOA too high; is it possible to flip leafs to lower some?

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on your rear "floating leaves...

Do you have a shackel on both ends??

Get some TJ front coils and make some bucketts. super cheap and about the correct spring rate.
 
No, just in rear. The leafs are really not required to move in the arc of the link sys. The floater kit allows for ~ 1 inch forward and back for axle to slide on leafs.
 
another pic
 
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Troy, ya' should have came here prior to building, what exactly is your intentions for the Cruiser?

With the 4 links, you can take as many leafs out as you want and get the ride height wanted. On the front a flush mount shackle reversal with the shackle thru the frame will drop you around 2"
Butch
 
I would love to see a pic of the frame side mounting points of those links..
 
Good thing you have the leaf springs in there to take most of the force off those link mounts. They look scary thin in the pictures, but it just may be the pictures.

YOu have enough triangulation there with your 4 link to keep the axle centered.

Your cheapest, easiest fix right now is a set of Fox or Sway-a-Way air (nitrogen) shocks. Look up Shaffer's Off Road and they will hook you up with what you need.

I would suggest finding the length you will need and ordering up a set. $200 or so a corner. Full coilovers will run you $500 a corner and if you are not rockcrawling they are overkill.

Take those damn leaf springs out and toss that s***. Find out who sold you the "leaf float kit" and kick their ass.
 
Texican said:
Troy, ya' should have came here prior to building, what exactly is your intentions for the Cruiser?

With the 4 links, you can take as many leafs out as you want and get the ride height wanted. On the front a flush mount shackle reversal with the shackle thru the frame will drop you around 2"
Butch
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My intensions for the cruiser is mostly street/strip.
thanks for the advice Butch.

Yes, I know. I'm getting hammered from every angle (a really bad choice for a strip rod). This wasn't my original intentions. It was just a street / mud cruiser, but after visiting this site, and Pirate's I was intrigued to build something.
 
Mace said:
I would love to see a pic of the frame side mounting points of those links..
Click to expand...
Pics to hound me, or pics for curiosity(Ha)? I'm going out there now to get some more photos. I'll post more in a little while. I'll also show you a close up of my NP205 bracing to get your feedback.
 
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wngrog said:
Good thing you have the leaf springs in there to take most of the force off those link mounts. They look scary thin in the pictures, but it just may be the pictures.

YOu have enough triangulation there with your 4 link to keep the axle centered.

Your cheapest, easiest fix right now is a set of Fox or Sway-a-Way air (nitrogen) shocks. Look up Shaffer's Off Road and they will hook you up with what you need.

I would suggest finding the length you will need and ordering up a set. $200 or so a corner. Full coilovers will run you $500 a corner and if you are not rockcrawling they are overkill.

Take those damn leaf springs out and toss that s***. Find out who sold you the "leaf float kit" and kick their ass.
Click to expand...
The link attachments are just 1/4" thick, but are 80,000lb tensil strength brackets from Competition Engineering. I originally ordered a 4-link kit for a 9" Ford. When it came in, it was nothing close to what I needed, so I chopped it up and used pieces.
So you think the nitrogen Foxes will suffice eh? I think I'll take it down, (hang it) and test the triangulation to see if it infact will keep it centered. I was looking at that just this evening. It's hard to say just where the breakover point will be if any with the triangulation. I can't take a chance in the strip environment at high speeds and high torque.

thanks for the insight
 
rem_7mmSTW said:
My intensions for the cruiser is mostly street/strip.
thanks for the advice Butch.

Yes, I know. I'm getting hammered from every angle (a really bad choice for a strip rod). This wasn't my original intentions. It was just a street / mud cruiser, but after visiting this site, and Pirate's I was intrigued to build something.
Click to expand...

You are on a primarily Rock Crawling sight, I certainly admire the quality of the work and the effort you have put into the rig, and understand the rush a big high horsepower motor.........now, you can post the pix, endure what these guys throw at ya'..... hang in there and find some of the best guys on this planet, or leave,
Tell what will silence most, a couple of pix of a smoky burnout, with only the front end visible thru the tire smoke........
Offer to race Nolen for pink slips, my daughter smoked him with a 2 bbl Cruiser once. :flipoff2:
Butch
 
Have you driven the rig yet. It does take a bit for the suspention to settle into place.

Take the shock off just to see if the spring on them do anything. Drive it around the block to let it settle in before you decide. Carefull it will be bouncy.

Then get new center pins for the springs and start with the short leaves. Leaves are tuned to work together. You should take them apart in order. That way the flex stays as close to even on the main leaf. If you take say 2 before the main leave it will force the flex to the main leaf befor the rest start to flx. This is not good for the springs.

This is my opinion, not an engineer. I'm sure someone may be abl to correct me
 
Don't know if I fully understand you Paul, but this evening, I took two off of front (two shortest/beefiest). The results were to my satisfaction (lowered ~1.5 inches and much softer), but don't know how it'll hold up. The rig actually has suspension now, instead of feeling like the axle was welded to the frame as before. One thing I should also mention, that these springs may not be original. I saw a Mitibitshi stamp on one of them. Maybe these are replacements from the previous owner that replace with stiffer set...
I cannot move front shackles up into frame because of custom headers are hugging inside of frame.
Take a look at the front after I removed the two this evening.
I know what everyone is thinking..why don't take off the extended shackles. Well, I really didn't want to part with the anti-inversion shackles, not to mention that they are really beefy. If it comes down to it, I just may remove to gain another inch or so lower... I may just make my own short as possible and sell these.
Anyone know just how short shackles can be center to center?

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. I now have a lot of good information, and need to make some decisions.
For the rear, I'm leaning towards ditching the leafs and installing the Fox type shocks if the triangulation test results are satisfactory and I feel it will be safe. I may even implement a fifth link for safety. For the front, I just may hunt the treasure yard for a TJ setup.
 
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Here you go Mace.
Go easy on me. Keep in mind, the rig will be street/strip. That's why I didn't concentrate too much on beefing link brackets perpendicularly. Articulation should not be much of a factor for my application unless I launch the 545 ponies while mudding in tractor ruts or the like.
Also a pic of the NP205 bracing. I haven't done the blasting and painting of all the fab work yet...
I had more pics, but it appears that I'm limited out on my file management for this thread???
 
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Well, I hope not! The link brackets as I stated before are high tensil strength from Competition Engineering, and are welded to 3/8 plate which was beveled and seal selded fron and back...
What point are you referencing a break point, at the 3/8 angled ear, or at the link bracket?
I may weld caps on tops and bottoms and tie into 3/8 saddle plate to beef up a little. I may also fab some gussets for lower brackets.
 
rem_7mmSTW said:
Well, I hope not! The link brackets as I stated before are high tensil strength from Competition Engineering, and are welded to 3/8 plate which was beveled and seal selded fron and back...
What point are you referencing a break point, at the 3/8 angled ear, or at the link bracket?
I may weld caps on tops and bottoms and tie into 3/8 saddle plate to beef up a little. I may also fab some gussets for lower brackets.
Click to expand...

I am no expert, but I am refering to the bracket where the red arrow is pointing. It looks like the only thing holing that bracket is a single weld (blue arrow) I would suggest gusseting it like shown with the red triangle. Because no matter how "strong" the steel is, it is still just that thin weld holding it there. IMHO it is always better to go over beefy and not ever break then go weak and break on the first outting.
 
The picture really doesn't justify. The 3/8 angled ear is mig welded on both sides and was corner fit. Nevertheless, good point, good idea.

thanks,
 
a handful of triangles on both of those brackets will do wonders....

and you state it's for strip/street and there will be little side loads...well, you get that baby sideways with 500 horses and 100mph and you WILL side load it hard.....

I would also put a bracket across the entire bottom side of the upper mount and tie it into the frame, and then make a large triangle to tie the side of the lower into the upper somewhat. Little weight, lots of help.

2" out of the front shackle will drop you 1". There is no "magic" for how short you go, and a shorter shackle can actually soften the ride since it will lay over the spring more.
 
Thanks woody. You're a straight shooter with good points and advice.
 
rem_7mmSTW said:
Thanks woody. You're a straight shooter with good points and advice.
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the result of making many many many mistakes, and learning from most of them.... :doh:

That, and I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night....

keep us posted on the updates....for the guys who do mud drags and obstacle type stuff, this is awesome :D (I own a minitruck that's an obstacle racer...my buddies stole it, caged it, gutted the front axle, dropped in a 400 SBC and an auto, custom shafted it, raced it, and rolled it 5 times....not sure I want it back or not.....)
 
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