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A quick rear spring question....

seanR

seanR

Want to puff on my pipe?
NAXJA Member
Location
29°58'28.9"N 99°15'15.5"W
I wanted to take the spring clips off of my springs, they limit the flex so much.
I was told that if I did, the leaves would open up like a Japanese fan.
I see it done here
picture.JPG

Any horror stories?
I don't want a spring ruining a tire!
 
it faned out a little side to side on my 91 after putting the AAL in about 50,000 miles ago, but is still very far from the tire on stock rims (5.25" BS)
 
I put some parts store clips on the leaf packs in front of and behind the Ubolts on the axle. The packs will open a bit, but I have yet to get much twist on the leafs and they go back to normal once done.

No tire contact, and that's on stock 5.25" BS wheels and 31x10.5 mud tires.
 
i have seen clips that are very long so it will allow the spring to seperate but not fan out dont' know if there aftermarke or stock
 
well if ya shear a leaf spring bolt on the trail the only thing your gonna kep is the main and whatever leaf the clamps are rivited to.
 
seanR said:
I wanted to take the spring clips off of my springs, they limit the flex so much.
I was told that if I did, the leaves would open up like a Japanese fan.
I see it done here
picture.JPG

Any horror stories?
I don't want a spring ruining a tire!
Click to expand...
1. Flex is overrated
2. Your ubolts will limit how far sideways they will fan out.
3. Look into those funky clips that are like a big ubolt and open on top (similar to the clamps on an RE leaf spring but open on top)
 
I have one of those "funky" clips now.
It is so tall it hits the wheel well sometimes.
I can't make it any taller.
here it is at max droop...
site1123.jpg

See how much the clip limits the spring actoin?
What if I just took the top retainer pin out?
I think I will try that.
 
A friend of my first cousin, who's father talked to a guy, who knew this girl, that dated a guy told me that is a very bad Idea and that you should just add a lift block cause that is the ultimate way to go. And you can take a D35 put a locker in it and make it stronger so no need for that D44.......
 
ive been running my rear springs from rustys for a while without clips. the old ones twisted everywhich way so i removed. ive seen em start to fan but that was at max droop. i got a rebuilt set of waggy leafs im gonna run in the front with no clips so well so how it turns out.
 
on the rear half of rear leaves i see no reason to have a clip/clamp or what ever,
i've ran em both ways with the front half of the rear leaves clamped and clipped..
and with the Bolts removed from the Clips and then spread them a little wider at the top so as the spring re-compresses from its fanned out state during flex each leaf is brought down in the right location on top of the next..

it does improve flex
 
bj-666 said:
well if ya shear a leaf spring bolt on the trail the only thing your gonna kep is the main and whatever leaf the clamps are rivited to.
Click to expand...


are they gonna magically disappear??

unless your axle ubolts are super loosse you should never Shear a "leaf spring bolt" center-pin or tie-bolt as i've heard them called, and the leaves shouldn't really go anymwhere, yeah the rear axle will try to walk forward and back under the spring and you will quickly know something is F'd up,

(speakin from experience but my leaves where still there)
 
Just a question if you remove the clamps the other leafs don't support the main leaf as well as if they were banded or clamped together. I would think over time it would fatigue the main leaf. I don't know for sure it just makes sense to me.
 
black93xj said:
Just a question if you remove the clamps the other leafs don't support the main leaf as well as if they were banded or clamped together. I would think over time it would fatigue the main leaf. I don't know for sure it just makes sense to me.
Click to expand...

:) good thing you'e not paid to think

if the vehicle just sat still or was driven on road only then it never make any difference
but the difference is that all the other leaves do support the load cappacity of the main leave and due to them all being Flexed in off-road situations then they will all become fatigued eventually but them being unclamped really has nothing to do with it but yes does bc they have more travel which wears them out faster..

its just a leaf spring it can be replaced, who really cares, flex it till it croaks
 
I don't use clips on my rear springs and I've never had them fan out.
 
I've been running without the retainer pin in the clip on my springs, haven't noticed any bad effects. The U shaped clip still keeps the springs from fanning out to the side. I thought it might be unstable in off camber stuff only having the main leaf hold down but doesn't seem to be a problem, guess it would depend on your springs.
 
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