Have we/anyone established the best rear leaf spring replacement option to compliment the Donahoe C/O Lift in the front with regards to lift, and best load capacity. I know so many of you guys have gone this route, and eventually I plan to. I wasn't sure though, who made decent springs that could lift the rear, but either save or even up my load capacity.
Best Rear Springs for lift and Load?
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They're all good, it just depends what your focus is. If you're keen on keeping your load capacity near stock the Deaver 12's, Custom Alcan's whch I believe have 7 or 8 leaves, or the OME will all do the trick. The Deavers would most likely be the softest with the most flex and the least amount of carrying capacity, followed by the Alcans, and then the OME. For my next set of leaves I'm going to give the Alcans a try.
I've heard people say pretty good things about the OME as far as load goes. Now when you say "depends on what your focus is", what are factors I should consider? Other than 2" or so of lift, and load range, what is there?
I occasionally throw 80lb bags of concrete, or shingles in the bed, so load is a major factor.
I occasionally throw 80lb bags of concrete, or shingles in the bed, so load is a major factor.
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You want a lot of flex in your springs if you go off-roading or trail riding. Flex describes the abillity of the leaf springs to twist and contort under off-camber situations. More flex means more tire contact on uneven ground and therefore, more traction. It can also equate to better vehicle stability in the same situations.
I'm sure AN will have a much more descriptive and eloquent response.
BTW- it's not so much about a higher load rating that limits flex as much as it is about the number of leaves, the thickness of the leaves and the design of the springs.
I'm sure AN will have a much more descriptive and eloquent response.
BTW- it's not so much about a higher load rating that limits flex as much as it is about the number of leaves, the thickness of the leaves and the design of the springs.
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Oh boy, getting into spring science is like opening pandora's box, there are just so many variables.
Without getting too heavy though just let me say that a lot of it all boils down to spring rate. The higher the spring rate the more weight a spring will be able to hold. The lower the spring rate the less weight the spring can hold. Spring rate of course is the amount of weight it takes to compress a spring to a given height. If you have a high spring rate then the ride will be stiff and bumpy and traction and axle compression/articulation will be compromised. You will be able to carry a lot of weight however. On the other hand a low spring rate will result in smoother transitions over obstacles allowing for full axle articulation and superior traction, of course that is at a cost to load carrying capacity.
I'll expand on the issue of flex and twist BB was talking about. Generally a leaf that is thin will be easier to twist which again means a smoother transition while the spring is being cycled, it also translates to better traction especially off-road where tire contact is key to controlled movement. Problem with a thin leaf however is they are more susceptible to fatigue which means a greater chance for breakage and sag. Thick leaves on the other hand don't twist as easy which means the transition during the cycling of the spring is not as smooth. Thick leaves resist fatigue better though, and will not break or sag over time as easily.
See why leaf springs are so complicated. There is no one perfect solution. If you opt in favour of one characteristic you ultimately sacrifice another. It's about finding a spring that best suits your needs.
Without getting too heavy though just let me say that a lot of it all boils down to spring rate. The higher the spring rate the more weight a spring will be able to hold. The lower the spring rate the less weight the spring can hold. Spring rate of course is the amount of weight it takes to compress a spring to a given height. If you have a high spring rate then the ride will be stiff and bumpy and traction and axle compression/articulation will be compromised. You will be able to carry a lot of weight however. On the other hand a low spring rate will result in smoother transitions over obstacles allowing for full axle articulation and superior traction, of course that is at a cost to load carrying capacity.
I'll expand on the issue of flex and twist BB was talking about. Generally a leaf that is thin will be easier to twist which again means a smoother transition while the spring is being cycled, it also translates to better traction especially off-road where tire contact is key to controlled movement. Problem with a thin leaf however is they are more susceptible to fatigue which means a greater chance for breakage and sag. Thick leaves on the other hand don't twist as easy which means the transition during the cycling of the spring is not as smooth. Thick leaves resist fatigue better though, and will not break or sag over time as easily.
See why leaf springs are so complicated. There is no one perfect solution. If you opt in favour of one characteristic you ultimately sacrifice another. It's about finding a spring that best suits your needs.
Ok, that all makes perfect sense. Thanks. Basically to get the best of both worlds, you need a leaf spring somewhere in the middle as far as spring rate goes. When dealing with leaf springs, is there commonly a value given that you can compare from brand to brand? I appreciate the help guys... AN, BB
Soon as I find out my tax situation, Im afraid sam gets lots this time.
For my app, snugtop cap and I load it to the gills with camping stuff and
a kayak on top, I need load.
front HOE's factory setup at 2"
and back 2.5" lift
CS047R OME Leaf's shocks B 5150
Keep reading and searching you will find your setup.
For my app, snugtop cap and I load it to the gills with camping stuff and
a kayak on top, I need load.
front HOE's factory setup at 2"
and back 2.5" lift
CS047R OME Leaf's shocks B 5150
Keep reading and searching you will find your setup.
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Yes but that's the problem whats the middle? Is the middle something like that from a little car or springs from something like a dump truck. Springs are so complicated.jedi said:
Honestly the best thing to do would be to call a company like Deaver or Alcan, and tell them exactly what you want, that way they can build it right for you. They will ask you a ton of questions but they will be able to fine tune a pack to precisely fit what would best suit your needs.
As for comparable values unfortunately when it comes to leaf springs you will get a million opinions as to what's best for this that and the other but you won't find much in terms of actual usable specifics. Reason being again there are too many variables that go into leaf spring design and listing some type of specs would just be way to complex for people to decyfer. Most likely you would have to call the company that makes the springs to find out any specific data, but even then unless you know what you're looking at in terms of leaf thickness, number of leafs in a packs, final spring rate etc., there's not really much sense.
My OME Dakars have a nice ride and pretty good flex, but probably not as much as Deavers. The real load carrying capacity kicks in once the leaf packs are compressed a few inches with weight of the load. Then the overload springs kick in. The Dakars actually have 2 overload springs in each pack.
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And I think that's my only issue with the Dakars now that I've thought about it. Once those overloads come into play they will stop the spring from compressing to its full potential which would have a negative impact on traction over heavily corrugated terrain. For a DD that wants a nice ride with the ability to carry some weight they are a fantastic option but for maximum traction and performance off-road I think I'll be leaning towards a leaf set with a consistent spring rate.
How about a DD that needs to carry weight, that also sees "occasional" offroading. Pull off the pavement into the woods type stuff, nothing epic. Will the OME's be decent for that? I fish, I hunt... snowboard, camp. Nothing like the Rubicon.
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Yep they'd probably be great for that.
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