Leaf spring donor questions

[shelbyluvv]

Does anyone know of a donor vehicle that has the correct length (57") leaf packs that are center pinned or 1" off center? They will also need to fit in the MJ spring mounts, have close to stock spring rate (or MT), close to stock arch, and be the same width as our springs.

 

I am going to stretch my wheel base 6" so I can drop a SWB bed on my LWB truck when I do the cab stretch. This will keep me from hacking up the rear of the bed. I will only need to shorten the front. Saving me a lot of cutting and welding.

[akamcbird]

redrill the spring perches on your axle or flip the leaves for more (front to back)

http://comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14951 2/3 down the page

[shelbyluvv]

redrill the spring perches on your axle or flip the leaves for more (front to back)

http://comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14951 2/3 down the page

 

Thanks for the tip. Flipping the leaf packs will not work. If I did that would shift my axle back ten inches. I need to move it back only six inches. This will center the tire in the wheel well on a short bed box on a long bed frame.

 

I could re-drill the leaf packs but I do not trust that one bit. I would be afraid the a main leaf would snap while I was towing. That would be bad for all parties involved!

[Unglar]

IdahoEagle's MJ has chevy leafs I do not recall what specific vehicle they came off of.

[HellCreek]

IdahoEagle's MJ has chevy leafs I do not recall what specific vehicle they came off of.

 

3/4 Ton and 1 Ton Chevys used a 56 inch rear springs. The division on them was 26" on the front and 30" on the rear. Pretty close to our 57" rear springs, but not an exact match. 1976-91 FSJ (Full-Size Jeep) rear springs are an exact match, but they have a higher load rate to accommodate the heavier vehicles. Chevy S-10 rear springs measure 26" x 28". 1966-81 Scout II rear springs are 28 x 28, but they are only 2" wide. Some Dodge and GMC motor homes used 285 x 28 inch rear springs and were also 2-1/2" wide. Other than these, I wouldn't have the slightest idea where to find what you are looking for, shelbyluvv.

 

-Tom

[HOrnbrod]

1976-91 FSJ (Full-Size Jeep) rear springs are an exact match, but they have a higher load rate to accommodate the heavier vehicles. -Tom

 

Tom, do you happen to know the load rating of which FSJ vehicle spring is close to the MJ MT springs (1440-1700 lbs depending on the config)?

[HellCreek]

Hi, Don,

 

According to the prints that I have, standard MJ springs have a rate of 108. The Metric Tonnes have a rate of 130. Standard FSJ (Wagoneers and Cherokees) have a rate of 165, and the HD spring that we have a print of is 575. I'm sure there are FSJ springs with rates between 165 and 575, but we don't have the prints, so I don't know what those rates would be.

 

-Tom

[jimoshel]

Would taking a FSJ leaf pack and removing a leaf, or two, be feasible?

:dunno:

[shelbyluvv]

Thanks for the info Tom.

 

Would Hellcreek be able to make me a set of leaves that are 57" long, 2 1/2" wide, with a center pin location of 28", in MT MJ load rating?

 

If not is re-drilling a leaf a safe idea? I will be using this truck to tow a 1800 pound trailer with a 2200 pound car on it.

[HellCreek]

Thanks for the info Tom.

 

Would Hellcreek be able to make me a set of leaves that are 57" long, 2 1/2" wide, with a center pin location of 28", in MT MJ load rating?

 

If not is re-drilling a leaf a safe idea? I will be using this truck to tow a 1800 pound trailer with a 2200 pound car on it.

 

Re-drilling a main leaf within one (1) inch of the current center bolt hole is o.k., since it is still within the clamped axle seat area, but drilling close to the edge of that area or outside of that area is a very bad idea. Your main leaf would break at the old hole almost certainly.

 

We could and would be able to make you a set of MJ springs with a different center bolt location, if we were running the factory. Business has been so slow this past month because of this horrid economy, that we haven't been able to light the heat treating furnaces. It seems that people would rather buy cheap foreign products than quality American ones, but don't get me started. :headpop:

 

-Tom

[dakineJ]

I recently heard of some 4" lift springs for a Ranger that measured 57", I don't know the spec's though.

[jpnjim]

Business has been so slow this past month because of this horrid economy, that we haven't been able to light the heat treating furnaces. It seems that people would rather buy cheap foreign products than quality American ones, but don't get me started. :headpop:

 

-Tom

 

 

Biggest mistake America ever made was letting our manufacturing base dissolve.

 

Imagine WWII without the USA's manufacturing machine.

 

 

Now imagine if there was ever another big conventional war (how ever likely, or unlikely that would be).

China = the new USA.

 

I don't imagine that ending well.

 

 

Thanks for your efforts Tom,

hope those furnaces get fired up soon.