Conventionally, with a suicide front axle and a leaf spring, it looks like this (google image): with the leaf spring mounted transversely on top of the axle. Ride height is altered by the arch in the spring, the mount for the spring on the frame, and the amount of drop that's built into the axle. My current axle has no drop , so my axle center height will be about 7" above my crossmember. My mount would have to reach over a foot above my crossmember, and unless I use 1/2" thick steel, strength will be a major issue. I am wondering about putting my spring upside down, underneath the axle. The shackles would still bolt onto the axle side. It just seems like backwards stress on the spring. Instead of the spring compressing when a bump is hit, it would decompress, so it seems like the spring rate would get progressively lighter instead of progressively heavier like a standard leaf spring. Even if I put bags or coils in the front, I'd have to deal with that same situation. I also can't decide if arranging the leaves upside down would help at all. Instead of the longest leaf on top and then getting shorter on the way towards the mount, go the opposite way. Is it acceptable to run a spring upside down?
Dont stack the spring leaves under. Think about it. As the axle hits a bump, the leaves will pull away from each other rather than adding additional springing . Just the opposite of how they should work. The eyes can be reversed to gain a bit.
No, the springs/shackles/etc. were designed to operate in the original configuration. You can get lots of drop from mounting the spring behind the axle and using a reverse eye leaf spring. Depending on the car weight you might get away with taking out some of the leafs to gain more drop. Exactly how low are you wanting to go? Flatman
You can mount the spring through the bones behind the axle, that will give you a few inches, then add reversed eyes and lash out on a dropped axle. They dont cost that much.
Why not Start with a dropped axle ? With 500 guys here on the HAMB dropping axles its easy to get an Old style stretchy one and actually have a nice Early style front end. I think people go to Great Lengths to get there cars To Low & use all kinds of Kookie ways to get them there..... But are to Cheap to buy a Dropped axle. Spend some $$ and get an Axle & do this right.
Okay, I'll ask the "ignorance" question- What if you kept the leaves in their original order, but "flipped" each one (I can already see one issue, but thought I'd ask)?
Get a drop axle. Don't do any goofy shit to the leaves...your second Idea would still have the sam problem. You just need a drop axle and then if need be you can reverse the eyes on the spring to get it even lower.
Wouldnt that negate the spring effect of the arch in them? I think it would be like running a solid mount front end??
If you turn the spring "upside down",you have to restack the leaves on the other side of the arch. The spring will get shorter,eye to eye,under load. The main leaf needs to deflect towards the smaller leaves, if they are going to work. The small "spring clamps",are for alignment,and to stop rattles, they probably won't live as stressed members. Same "problem" as the guys have with Underslung suspensions. In reality,it is not a problem,once you understand how springs work. The easy answer is probably to hang the spring off the 'bones, and run the spring perch under the spring.Pinkee's Rod Shop has done a few cars like this.
Some people seem to forget that springs are just pieces of steel. Bend it this way,or that way,the steel doesn't really care. Leaf springs are typically an assembly of individual springs. Bend the main leaf away from the shorter leaves,it will be relatively weak. Bend it towards the shorter leaves,it will be much stiffer.
How low are you trying to have your ride height be? Having your perch 7" over your crossmember seems a bit much. Are you setting the car up at ride height allowing for all the extra weight the car will have once the motor and all the bull shit on the front of the car? Are you planning on driving 2" off the ground?
So this would be the stacking method. I'll drop into the garage in a little bit and evaluate if I can run the spring off of the bones but for the drop that I'm looking for, it's not looking good.
That looks liks SHIT! Do it the right way, the way it was done back in the day, reverse eyes, droped axle, hell even go back and z the rails.
What spring have you got ? Maybe you need a flatter spring,with reversed eyes. They are available in different arches,Posies has a list on their site.
Haven't acquired a spring as I'm still figuring my design. Putting the Z in the rails isn't a bad idea, but it's the same reason I don't want to retube an axle; I'm just not ready for it. With enough research, maybe. My options right now consist of an underslung set-up, a frame modification, spring mounted on what will have to be redesigned links, or a cantilever set-up on bags (heavily trying to avoid this for its bulk, weight, and cost). I will go down to the garage now and check the situation.
Don't forget, the spring doesn't have to be directly above the axle. On the later (36-40 or so) Fords the wishbones extended in front of the axle and the spring was mounted to the wishbones. I've also seen examples where the spring was mounted behind the axle and between the wishbones. This is often done on a suicide setup where the builder doesn't want to use a dropped axle. You haven't told us what kind of frame you are planning to use. Also what kind of car? Do you already have axle, wishbones, spring, other parts? Check out the attached photo for an example of a way to get it low without bending the axle. This car was on ebay a couple of weeks ago.
Like DeSoto said, spend the $$$. You live in the States and have a better accessibility on that kinda parts. Although I live in here over the pond, I ordered a dropped axle kit from speedway,because in Germany You do not need to search for those parts - There aren't any!!
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