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school me on suspension wise men

avnsteve

avnsteve

NAXJA Forum User
Location
South Austin or North San Antone
I'm curious why I find threads that convert coil suspension to leaf suspension and not the other way around. I'd imagine that coils in the rear would be easier to swap parts and get lift...

what key point am i missing?
 
I'm no wise man but leaf springs are cheap, and do not take as much fab skills.
No one Converts a Dana30XJ to leaf, It comes along with a axle swap Usually. Leafs end up being a cheap affective swap with the axle. I wouldn't mind leaf springs up front. But I HATE leafs out back, without anysort of traction device. A lot of guys here go link out back
 
I don't really understand why people switch suspension setups. Millions of dollars went into R&D for each vehicle and suspension type. (Well, in theory). I think most people just do it to be different to tell you the truth. For most popular vehicles, the aftermarket has come up with a set of components that will work for your particular style or driving needs.

Some people with the skills to do this kind of thing do it because they don't like the way their current setup handles and they would rather build, tune and tweak it themselves than shell out a monstrous pile of dough for someone else's stuff. Especially when whomever is doing it just so happens to have a bunch of spare parts and a buddy who can a get a good price on (Insert esoteric equipment and/or material here).

On paper, a leaf sprung suspension is a lot easier to set-up and fabricate yourself. You have a spring hanger, a leaf spring and a shackle. Four points of attatchment to the body and three pivot points. So it looks like all you would have to do is throw it all on there and strap an axle to the leafs. In reality though it would be... a little trickier. I think that's why there are so many setups like this that don't work as well as they should have.

So, if you have the urge to build yourself a custom suspension I think a leaf spring looks easier. You don't have to mess around with control arms, or any really finicky angles. You have leaf springs, Voila! Your'e axle can't move sideways, and only forwards and backwards on compression and extension. Holy sheet, it DOES look easy.

the fact remains though, that all of the guys who do this stuff are usually crazy good at it. They tend to know a hell of a lot, and to have done a hell of a lot. This is just raising the bar.
 
avnsteve said:
I'm curious why I find threads that convert coil suspension to leaf suspension and not the other way around. I'd imagine that coils in the rear would be easier to swap parts and get lift...

what key point am i missing?
Click to expand...

Missing point = Low cost axle swap

If you are swaping in a larger axle it is much easier to do a leaf setup. No track bar, no upper or lower control arms. You don't have to buy a $400 axle bracket set and weld them all on correctly. Just two small leaf spring perches, one simple cross member, and two leaf springs.

Those willing to spend money and/or have good fabrication skills will do the oposite and convert the rear leafs to 4 link with coil springs, or better yet long travel coilovers.
 
I would guess that that kind of mod exceeds the average wheeler's skill level preventing people from attempting it. I know there is at least one kit to do ciolover in the rear but $$$. I think the advantages of coils in the rear are outweighed by the disadvantages for the average guy.
 
Low cost...I came from a TJ (coils all the way aronud) and I would never have that again. I love the ride/offroad capability of leafs in the back and coils up front.
 
Motorvated said:
Low cost...I came from a TJ (coils all the way aronud) and I would never have that again...
Click to expand...

Care to expand on that? I've always dreamt of a 4link out back. Make me feel better about never getting one...

Robert
 
he likes wrap and wheel hop.

I too dream of a link out back, not sure if 4 or what, but definately going coil/over soon.
 
Leaf spring suspension is alot heartier than coils. fewer moving parts, fewer brackets to break, fewer bushings, leafs are old school dependable and unbreakable (not really unbreakable but more so than link suspension). The drawbacks are less articulation and more weight.
 
Ray H said:
The drawbacks are less articulation and more weight.
Click to expand...

...and the aforementioned axle wrap and wheel hop.

I don't think I really need much more flex, and I can't see the weight savings being all that significant. But getting rid of the wrap n hop boogie would be nice.

Robert
 
Robert 771 said:
...and the aforementioned axle wrap and wheel hop.

I don't think I really need much more flex, and I can't see the weight savings being all that significant. But getting rid of the wrap n hop boogie would be nice.

Robert
Click to expand...

Wrap and hop are really only a problem until you address them. Theres really not much you can do about the weight (however insignificant it is) and theres not much you can do about the limited droop (except Revolver type shackles, then your still limited). Wrap and hop can be completely cured if you try hard enough.
I prefer coils on some vehicles and leafs on others. For a lightweight, nimble vehicle, coils. For a heavy firebreathing beast, leafs.
 
Some people like leafs in the front and a 4link in the rear.
They say its a better balanced rig for crawling.
90% of what you read is just personal preferance.
 
Robert 771 said:
Care to expand on that? I've always dreamt of a 4link out back. Make me feel better about never getting one...

Robert
Click to expand...

I have a friend with a TJ on 35's and an 8.8 rear.
He just got rid of his BDS adjustable arms and his coils out back for some XJ leafs.

Said that it was not stable without some sort of swaybar, it was cheaper for him to sell off his BDS stuff and put leaves in.

He showed me what would happen in a parking lot. Crank the wheel to full lock and goose the gas and it would lift the inside front tire everytime.

it was his personal preference to go with leaves, just said he was more comfrotable with that, but apparently with a short wheelbase and super flexy coils it can do some weird things if you have a panic stop/swerve situation on the road.
 
87manche said:
I have a friend with a TJ on 35's and an 8.8 rear.

He showed me what would happen in a parking lot. Crank the wheel to full lock and goose the gas and it would lift the inside front tire everytime.
QUOTE]

You can easily do that in an XJ if you set it up right.
Click to expand...
 
how many professional rock crawling rigs use leaves? very few....

if it were such a great idea the aftermarket would have stepped up by now and made bolt in leaf kits......
but instead theres tons of coil swap kits!


leafs are cheap and so is steel reserve and they have one they in common.....shittyness.
ya some people swear by leaves.........they also have had sex with one or more family members and have freinds name jasper, cooter, or jed.

links are where its at, coils, coilovers and air shocks are the future not horse and carraige leaf springs.

problem is throwing links in the rear requires a ton of fabrication that the average xj dude just doesnt know anything about and doesnt care to pay for.
 
xDUMPTRUCKx said:
how many professional rock crawling rigs use leaves? very few....

if it were such a great idea the aftermarket would have stepped up by now and made bolt in leaf kits......
but instead theres tons of coil swap kits!


leafs are cheap and so is steel reserve and they have one they in common.....shittyness.
ya some people swear by leaves.........they also have had sex with one or more family members and have freinds name jasper, cooter, or jed.

links are where its at, coils, coilovers and air shocks are the future not horse and carraige leaf springs.

problem is throwing links in the rear requires a ton of fabrication that the average xj dude just doesnt know anything about and doesnt care to pay for.
Click to expand...

From the man who brought you "hoodtastic doubler kit". Come on dude, what's it going to be? Competition style or ghetto fabulous?
 
hey man im not the one wearing a cowboy hat!

and i never was going to do that double like that.....sheeesh.

wait till jv in november.....youll see.

Phil said:
From the man who brought you "hoodtastic doubler kit". Come on dude, what's it going to be? Competition style or ghetto fabulous?
Click to expand...
 
xDUMPTRUCKx said:
hey man im not the one wearing a cowboy hat!

and i never was going to do that double like that.....sheeesh.

wait till jv in november.....youll see.
Click to expand...

I know you're probably not going to do anything new or innovative. And yes, I know you have a burned out 60 and some 40s and bought some tube.

There are lots of companies that have bolt in rear leaf kits. Rubicon Express, Full Traction, maybe even TNT. Leaves are just fine.
 
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