Half Leaf Rear Suspension

[dereksehi]

Has anybody ever tried a half leaf rear suspension. Kinda like a 3 link but use the front part of the leaf as the lower trailing arms and cutting the rear half off and using a coil spring on top of the rearend on each side. Then putting the solid pullbar on top of the rearend with a panhard bar behind the rear. I believe it would pass tech for IMCA Northern Sportmod as long as all of the rearend links are within the specified length. How well would a setup like this work?

[powerslide]

If you win it will be illegal the next week. It gives option A: "3link w/ coils" or B: Leaf Springs. I dont believe you can combine the 2.

[dereksehi]

It wouldnt technically be a leaf suspension I would think it would be considered a 3 link it doesn't say that the lower links on the 3 link have to swedged tubes and it doesn't say that the lower link can't be the front of a leaf spring. I'm just saying they dont specify what the lower links have to be made out of.

[Duckhnter83]

Try it you can get leaf cars super cheap!

[powerslide]

It wouldnt technically be a leaf suspension I would think it would be considered a 3 link it doesn't say that the lower links on the 3 link have to swedged tubes and it doesn't say that the lower link can't be the front of a leaf spring. I'm just saying they dont specify what the lower links have to be made out of.

Please re-read my first sentence.

[72Dubya]

How would you solidly secure the chopped leaf spring to the rear end? The U-Bolts wouldn't be enough. If it comes loose you will most likely end up on your lid; cars that roll from a rear end link coming unhooked usually don't roll lightly either.

[dereksehi]

I would use a mount as if I was using a conventional leaf spring setup using a centering pin, 2 ubolts and a lower plate which is where the shock would still be mounted also.

[sirleafalot]

this has been done and can work well. The guru for this deal is WT Harris. Had one of his cars. There is a way you need to cut the leaf and mount it cant just saw off a leaf from front to back. These cars are still out there although WT does not build too many these days. gets good fwd bite as it wraps up the leaf.

[anissa5]

anyone have a photo

[sirleafalot]

anyone have a photo contact user modracr41 he still has one of these cars and could send photos of the setup. I can answer some questions as well if that helps, like how to cut leaf and how it was mounted on both ends.

[dereksehi]

How do you attach the leafs on each end? And go about cutting the leaf? Also what do you run for rear spring rates and how thick of leaf?

[JustAddDirt]

you have to have a panhard bar/ j-bar with this setup, rear end will move all over the place if u do-not use one.

[ez2bcheesy]

This set-up is not IMCA Northern SportMod legal. Even though the leafs are cut, they still "wrap" and are considered a spring.

[not clamped up]

Here is what we ran on a late model back in the late seventies,the R.R. was a 1/2 leaf (back half cut off with a chop saw) it also had a coilover mount on the backside of the leaf,we used a 225 if i remember correctly the leaf had 4 or 5 leafs attached together,I belive it was a 120 pd. chrysler spring,on the left side we ran a full leaf so we didn't need a j bar,but after every weekend we had to take everything loose and get it straight again what we had for a pullbar you couldnot use,don't know if that will help you but back in the day that was one fast hot rod.

[sirleafalot]

yes you cut from the rearend pin hole going backwards because this is the thickest part of the leaf. you drill holes in the leaf and make a metal plate with a heim welded to it. Make spacers and attach the leaf in the front with the heim. you need a j bar for sure. we ran coils on top rear but you can do coil overs. 175 LR and RR 150. For leafs you only need 50lb leaf to cut.