OneTonXJ said:
Max, you've completely lost me. How are you supposed to keep the axle from flip flopping about?
A well thought out and designed 4 link isn't going to work the same with leaves as opposed to every other mode of suspending the vehicle...
I think the main key is getting that o so elusive flat roll axis. That's why double triangulation mounted above the axle is soooooo nice. I can't decide if I want a rear sway bar or not. I think they are just a band aid for poor geometry.
Sean
Dumb? Why are on the computer at 4 in the morning?
Picture a normal 4-link with straight lower arms and triangulated uppers. The uppers locate the axle laterally and upper and lower links locate the axle through the suspension cylce in the side view. Now extend the lower arms past the axle and attach to shackles at the rear of the chassis. Instead of the lowers being built from tubular stock, make them out of flat spring steel. There you have leafs serving as lower links and tubular, triangulated uppers. The only potential problem I can see with this design is if the roll axis defined by the leafs would fight the axis normally defined by 4-link geometry. Other than that, it holds to the K.I.S.S. principle.
The behavior of a well thought out 4-link(not my example) would be independent of the type of spring used. The 4-link design would define the geometry. The spring, whether it's coil, leaf, torsion bar, 1/4 eliptic or what-ever, would only suspend the weight of the chassis and doesn't dictate axle location. The exception to this would be a case where the spring (leafs, as mentioned in my previous post) serve as two of the four links.
Your flat roll axis is good for reducing axle steer, but part of the stability comes from the
higher roll axis provided by mounting the arms above the axle. This shortens the distance between the roll axis and sprung CG, reducing the level arm which results in less body roll. With any design, springs resist body roll. A sway bar in nothing more than additional spring rate to resist body roll withouth adding to ride-rate.
Won Ton, yer junk is looking mighty fine. Maybe it's time to represent the XJ community in the TTC.