What are these springs?

I was looking at this ad on ebay for frames and saw these leafsprings. Are these trailer leafsprings? Will they hold up under a car?

 

pic

 

Trailer springs



http://www.stengelbros.com/UtilitySprings.htm

 

2000-2200 lb. per pair trailer springs.---------------Don

 

Will they hold up in this use, are they safe? Sure looks like an easy way to mount a rear in an A. Would you trust them?

 

Never seen it done before but its interesting.

 

I believe that HAMBer Lakesmod uses these to make quarter elliptics out of.

I'm contemplating a little bit of borrowing on that idea for my son's Model T.

 

Hell no!

 

Any other opinions? I am just thinking that leaf springs would be the cheapest and easiest way to set up my rear.

 

Trailer springs are trailer springs and car springs are car springs.

Try a pair of model A front springs or the springs Posey's uses in their double spring kit for 32-34.

 

Is there a cheap alternative (junkyard pull) to buying new springs? How about vega, pinto, etc.

 

I take it your objection is aesthetics, or perhaps "purity"?

...just trying to understand...

 

Trailer springs are designed to support weight.
Usually narrower and shorter.

Car springs are designed to support weight AND RESIST AXLE WRAP.
Wider and longer.

 

Pete and Jakes sells a complete parallel leaf kit (posies) that has shorter leafs like that for 33-34 ford that i used on my truck and have taken alot of abuse. but I dont think I would use those trailer springs for anything but a trailer

 

Thanx.

...but wider doesn't resist axle wrap better than narrow (thicker *would*).

...and longer doesn't resist axle wrap better either...

.

 

I've used them before. They ride stiff due to them being as short as they are, but they work fine.

 

I was talking about appearence, not attributes.

I'm not a leaf spring metalurgist and I didnt sleep at a holiday inn either, but,,,,,,

Wider is not stronger??? So a 2" wide 1/4" thick piece of strap will support the same weight as a 3" wide 1/4" strap? My math says it has 50% more material in it, its gotta be stronger.

and a longer spring means less fatigue at the axle mount due to the fact the spring has a longer area to work, before it gets to the spring pads and axle clamps. Shorter springs wear out much faster than long ones.

Also in the pic it seems to me that rear shackle is mounted to far foward, and will "top out" pretty fast.

but then again,, I could be wrong, have been before, will be again.

 

I would bet money the car or truck would ride like a trailer .Some things are not worth doing It is a lot of work to fab all this up when the spring load will be wrong .My 2 cents

 

Looks like the red-framed car above has the front spring mount too far back for the proper amount of shackle swing at the rear.
Probably due to the shortness of the frame at the back.

Prices are nice on trailer springs, but not much tunability.

I believe Chassis Engineering uses Dodge half ton pickup leafs in their parallel leaf kit.
My pal's got a pair of these in his 46 Ford sedan although on home-made mounts which have the front mount too low, but it's on the schedule to get changed.

We've looked at a lot of springs and 1/2 ton Dodge pickup and van springs look like good candidates.
Pic A Part prices aren't bad either.

As far as axle wrap goes, a home-made copy of the era correct - for the mid-50's anyway - Traction Master (TM) takes care of that.

Traction Masters are identical to the lower bar of a rear 4-bar setup.
Duplicate the distance between spring center bolt and front hanger eye on the chassis on the TM eyes.

Although a little longer or shorter won't hurt.

 

I used them in the fire truck project, we are only guessing, we think it weighs in around 4000# pounds. They do ride stiff, as mentioned before. The one thing I would like to point out, in the pic you show they are using the 2 leaf spring. I would suggest the 4 leaf setup. Some of these guys also kinda jumped to a conclusion, how do you plan to drive it? If your just gonna tool around in it, these springs should be fine. If your gonna be smokin' tires and trying to pull 6 grand holeshots, these springs might not be the best choice. I think being shorter, they may actually resist spring wrap a little, but might not have the durability. Bottom line, Springs are springs as long as you do not exceed their limitations.

 

The longer the leaf spring, the better the ride, assuming spring rates are equal between the springs compared.

The more spring material you expose to movement, the more consistent the spring's response to shock loads (bumps).

I'd expect the hot rod in question to ride like, well, a trailer.

 

i used a set of trailer springs to build a quarter elliptical setup on the front of the ha/gr rail i'm building... but i wouldnt use trailer springs in a parallel semi-elliptical setup like that, its gonna ride like a lumber wagon.