Leaf Spring Install

[motorsports12]

I am putting this posting on the mods forum thinking maybe someone here will have some info as well (originally posted in the stocks)- what i have posted is in bold and what others have posted is italic

I am hearing of a lot of people installing the leaf spring in reverse flipping the front for the back putting the end with more segments towards the back of the car - my car has the leafs installed like this (been that way since i bought it) - i want to replace the leaf springs and was thinking of going with the afco leafs with the reinforced front segment springs - they claim they give better forward bite - if i reverse the leaf will it still give the same affect with the reinforcement to the back

sounds like your springs are left overs from the "fastboys" days,...you can get them new already mod'ed up from race mart or ask around on modified threads on here some of them still got some thay'd love to turn in to $$$$,...the new afco's with the reinforces fronts are a real good spring an shows great improvements....good luck!!


it appears they (previous owners) turned the main leaf around cut the bands and spun some of the other leafs or redrilled holes - havent actually taken them apart - but i do know the springs themselves have lost a lot of the arch in them and the pin is 24" from the slider in the back not the mount in the front - they are a camaro leaf supposed to be 54" and they measure 55"

so is that what i do with whatever spring i buy - cut the bands and flip the leafs around - i dont want to change the wheelbase - actually i cant - the left rear is already in my (not a nice word) - but by flipping leafs around will it change the rating on the spring and is the afco reinforced front segment the way to go

Just take them out of the box and throw them on ran them that way but it lessins the rate of the spring I wouldnt do it & the main leaf isnt turne its the other>>>>>>


i want to make sure what i am hearing - get the leafs (afco reinforced) and

1. just put them on the car - remember i have to have the shortest part of the spring towards the back of the car to get the locating spring in the correct spot - this will also put the reinforced part of the spring to the back

or

2. do i take the springs and cut the bands - spin the top (or the main) spring around to get the locating pin in the correct spot and then reband them and then put them on the car

i am a little leary of number 1 since all the support will be on the back part of the spring - but then i want to make sure number 2 doesnt lessen the spring rating - any help would be appreciated

[HEAVY DUTY]

The way leaf springs are designed to work is, the front half is basicly a traction bar, and controls the wrap of the pinion.The rear half is your spring rate. If you add leaves or slide the 2nd 3rd leaf forward closer to the front eye you are stiffening the wrap.If you shorten any of the leafs under the main leaf going towards the back then that makes the spring softer.Cutting the bands on the back of the leafs will allow the chassis to raise when the pinion wraps because the rear springs can spread apart rather than pull down on the back eye(only the main leaf is pulling down rather than the whole stack).On decelleration if the leafs spread alot the car will fall more violently and possibly wheel hop.This is all if the leafs are clamped to the axle on both sides.If they are floated on the axle, then there isnt any wrap up and they act completely different.A leaf will do everything that is needed to control a rearend without having liftbars, pullbars or damper shocks providing they are mounted at the right height and angles.Go to Landrum Springs website for details on how to mount them.Leafs dont last forever and must be replaced or rearched a couple times a season if ran alot, especially on rough tracks.More than likely if you have leafs that have been turned or redrilled you have a Fastboys setup on the car which would have a floated RR (rear end can rotate without wrapping the spring) which is a successful setup for a lot of people. Scooter May is the brains behind it, and has helped many guys on here with that setup. Seach Fastboys setup for ideas and answers.

[cavemod]

scooter has emailed me the whole fastboys info and i can email it to you if you pm me with your email address.

[Dirtrunner35]

http://www.4m.net/showthread.php?197707-FastBoys-Leaf-setup%28-Info-


Having the springs on backwards defeats the purpose of having the front reinforced , turn them around and make new mounts.