The great spring debate

[CruisinFJ60]

Ok, so I not have my cruiser on tons front and rear and the front 60 is built with chromo 35 spline inner and outters with slugs. All of this I love, and when I feel it bind up I am more confident in my ability to be able to drive it out and continue on down the trail with my friends.

My issue is I have destroyed two front springs and 4 spring pins in 2 runs...

We did a shackle reversal on the rig and are running longer shackles at a little more angle than anticipated (but it made it flex amazing) and we stretched the wheelbase as far forward as possible and I am now sitting right at 104" WB. Again, this is all great and I love it.

My issue comes when the truck gets in a bind and one of the front wheels droops way out, part of the issue is the springs will separate with all of the droop and that part is easy enough to solve by adding a strap. However I dont think it will 100% fix my issues. When the axle drops down and the springs separate and the tire in droop grabs traction it literally pulls its self forward out from under the truck! meaning th spring gets bent at a 90* and grantees the the life of the spring has been compromised.

As you can see in the pic the axle is forward about 6-8 inches of where it should be. This has happened to this same leaf twice now on 2 trips, and the same for the other leaf. The other issue is I keep breaking spring pins that hold the leafs together. I have tightened the u-bolts and then still broke one, the other I found the bolts loose again and think that is how it broke on that side, the other side they were still tight but it was still broken.



So my question and area I am seeking help in is...

How long are the stock front FJ60 springs
How far offset is the center pin from end to end
what other springs have similar dimensions
and what are other running?

I dont want to loose any wheelbase and I dont really want to go about cutting off the shackle hangers and having to do that all over again if at all possible. If anything I would like to push the axle forward 1 more inch.

I found a guy local that can roll the spring eyes to a SAE size (which is fine and easy to do to make work since everything is pretty much already set up that way already) but I would be much MUCH happier with finding a spring from some other vehicle that will work. I have a friend running 3/4 ton springs on his jeep but he has nearly no flex or travel up front at all, but his 4 link makes up for some of that out back. I know I can (and I will if needed / wanted) modify the spring packs to still keep flex. I know a thicker spring will increase spring rate some and the addition of clamps can hinder droop as well, I am ok with a little loss as long as the main and second leaf are stronger and stop doing this every time I take my toy out.

 

[Pacer]

When did the shackle reversal happen, is that new?
It is the cause of your problem i believe. If the spring mount/pin was still in the rear it would create tension on the spring as your tire reaches traction and starts to pull. As it sits now, the shackle is enabling the axle to shift forward and trash your spring.

What has changed, you've been running this rig for years?

Really, its time to link the front!

 

[CruisinFJ60]

When did the shackle reversal happen, is that new?
It is the cause of your problem i believe. If the spring mount/pin was still in the rear it would create tension on the spring as your tire reaches traction and starts to pull. As it sits now, the shackle is enabling the axle to shift forward and trash your spring.

What has changed, you've been running this rig for years?

Really, its time to link the front!

I did the 14B a year ago, then about a month ago we did the built D60 up front and added full hydro and stretched the wheelbase.

I do agree that the SR is part of the issue when moving forward, however, if the shackle was still in the factory location it could still try this when backing up and bound. Wouldn't be as likely to happen, but still could. I also think part of it has to do with the added weight of the D60 and the extra stresses of the full spool up front and the very powerful PSC 8x2.5" ram up front. (full hydro is amazing! I cant turn very sharp being welded out back and spool up front, but I can steer!)

 

[Pacer]

So my question and area I am seeking help in is...

How long are the stock front FJ60 springs
How far offset is the center pin from end to end
what other springs have similar dimensions
and what are other running?

.... but I would be much MUCH happier with finding a spring from some other vehicle that will work.

Cruiser springs are short. I'll measure my spares for you tomorrow. I'm sure someone here knows off hand.

The hot set up I've read here recently was a set of 53" ford springs...

 

[CruisinFJ60]

Cruiser springs are short. I'll measure my spares for you tomorrow. I'm sure someone here knows off hand.

The hot set up I've read here recently was a set of 53" ford springs...

I think rear ranger springs are somewhere near that 53" number... If you dont mind, could you measure from center of spring eye to center of spring eye in a straight line and also the same center to center following the arch (for true length) that way I can have both numbers should I find something that may or may not have weight on it I can have an idea if it will be worth pulling and bringing home.

I would really appreciate it!

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

I would look at some domestic 3/4 ton springs.
They are thicker than the yota springs and are readily available.
I am running some 52" dodge hybrid springs which are still pretty flexy.

Or take a look at Boots4's setup I think he's running 58" ford ranger mains and he's got some nasty flex on his truck.

I would also suggest putting a clamp up closer to the spring eye as well.

 

[Fossil]

It might help to have the military wrap at the front too.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

It might help to have the military wrap at the front too.

That would help some yes, but i will also loose some valuable wheelbase. I was also breaking about 1 main leaf a year. The stock stuff just isnt up to par for a long time. And when it breaks they can be tough to source. So that is another reason i am looking for something off of a common vehicle.

I currently get 14 inches of travel out of my front stock springs. And i did talk to a few spring shops and one can punch my springs for straps no problem, but i still want thicker springs to help with wrap, tho i haven't had a problem yet, I could with the V8 and bigger rubber that is coming.

 

[mookie]

It might help to have the military wrap at the front too.

tHIS would solve your problem i believe, redrill your springpacks to put the centering pin wherever you want it at,

Also, when i had leafs (fj60 rears with a add-a-leaf) i took a peice of flat bar, welded it to the bottom leaf then hammered it around the springpack and then welded it to itself at the top for straps. Worked good for me, it's not super tight but enough to keep your springs from seperating at full droop

 

[Sam Stewart]

05+ Tacoma springs are 53". That's what I'm putting on the back of my mini. I don't know how much stronger they would be but you could always add leafs if needed.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

tHIS would solve your problem i believe, redrill your springpacks to put the centering pin wherever you want it at,

Also, when i had leafs (fj60 rears with a add-a-leaf) i took a peice of flat bar, welded it to the bottom leaf then hammered it around the springpack and then welded it to itself at the top for straps. Worked good for me, it's not super tight but enough to keep your springs from seperating at full droop

I really hate the idea of moving and re drilling a new hole for the centering pin.
1.) I have already had issues with breaking springs when it was all in a stock configuration. It will put a lot of stress around the area of the old hole as nothing is there to keep it from flexing and will likely be the area of breakage.
2.) my current springs are total junk up front.
3.) spring steel sucks to drill.
4.) I need something that is available if do still break another spring.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

1.) Driver spring taken just now with full weight of truck on it

2.) Passenger spring taken just now with full weight of truck on it.

 

[mookie]

I have redrilled at least 8 sets of stock leafs and never had a single one break at the old or new holes, the last set of leafs i had in the rear flexed so awesomely i couldnt stop breaking diff end u- joints, and my traction bar was bent on three different planes when i finally took it out for a 4-link, but i never had a bent or broke leaf, i was constantly replacing bent or broke leaf spring pins though, even 1 ton sized ones from napa

 

[mookie]

Your spring clamps suck btw lol, need to overlap on top and be welded

 

[Pacer]

So my question and area I am seeking help in is...

How long are the stock front FJ60 springs
How far offset is the center pin from end to end
what other springs have similar dimensions
and what are other running?

Looks to me like the fj62 front springs are 44" eye to eye around the ark.
22" to the spring pin
And 42" eye to eye as the crow flys.

The 22" is interesting to me as I've always read they were offset...

Any who, I'll edit and add pics when my neighbor pays his inter-tube bill, can't seem to upload via my phone.

 

[climber8483]

If I remember when I get home I have a front and rear 60s series leafs sitting in the garage, I'll take pics with measurements included.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

Looks to me like the fj62 front springs are 44" eye to eye around the ark.
22" to the spring pin
And 42" eye to eye as the crow flys.

The 22" is interesting to me as I've always read they were offset...

Any who, I'll edit and add pics when my neighbor pays his inter-tube bill, can't seem to upload via my phone.

Interesting, so they were 22" from each eye to center?

If I remember when I get home I have a front and rear 60s series leafs sitting in the garage, I'll take pics with measurements included.

awesome thank you!

 

[Tapage]

how it's your front track bar setup .?

 

[hotkarl]

I'm a big fan of the reverse rap springs from Rubicon express

 

[Pacer]

Numbers were approximated in my previous post.
These springs were stock and whooped!

First and second pics show 41" eye to eye

Third pic shows 44"ish eye to eye over the arch.