FancyManche Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 looking for those who have done a leaf spring swap in the front and what they used and how much of a hassle it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 what are your end goals? how skilled are you with a welder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longview Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Why?Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasbulliwagen Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 I agree, WHY? Leafs are a step backwards for front suspension purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Look at the TOTM on Pirate for XJ leaf fronts. It's been done a lot of work for little gain though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 The one i put together is on 3/4 ton Ford axles, it has YJ leaf packs set up SOA up front, we used liquid iron slider boxes instead of shackles. I wouldn't recommend the swap, the one i did drives very well for what it is but can't be compared to the performance of a link set up, wasn't really any cheaper than links either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 nowadays you can buy a truss for the big axles that already has the XJ/MJ/TJ link locations in it. weld it and go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yxmj Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Did you all ever think that maybe he is building something for different reasons.... Leafs on a jeep when done properly will be stronger and more stable than any coil. Can carry more weight....NEVER have death wobble....very stable......I guess it is what you want.....if you feel the need for that pic of your front wheel lifted up 3 feet in the air on the fork lift..... Maybe no.....scratching my head now cuz I have lots of hard off road miles.....never come across a fork lift on the trail.......... Like said above look on Pirate ......also keep the fixed attachment on the front... on that site or others look at "box sliders" ....you build a strong truck that drives like it's on rails.....IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 1 hour ago, yxmj said: Did you all ever think that maybe he is building something for different reasons. that's why we asked. but the OP hasn't responded so... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 20 hours ago, mnkyboy said: . Did it kill your approach angle? Out of curiosity did you run the sliders front and rear? Always interested to hear more abut the sliders... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 18 hours ago, yxmj said: ..NEVER have death wobble....very stable......I pretty sure they can still have the wobble, they are just far less prone to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yxmj Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 No.....Death wobble as we call it is a coil spring front end problem.....a Leaf spring front axle does not "Float" under the front of the truck like a coil spring axle held by the control arms .....centered by the track bar....So many guys look under the truck and can't see anything wrong because there are so many things factored in With a leaf spring front end you essentially have front and back track bars with the axle u-bolted directly to them and only one pivot point per side... If you get a wobble on a leaf spring front end 2 causes ....Tires out of balance.....or somethings seriously Broke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yxmj Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 1 hour ago, Smokeyyank said: Did it kill your approach angle? Out of curiosity did you run the sliders front and rear? Always interested to hear more abut the sliders... From the set up you have in the picture your approach angle would be the same as the sliders would be installed on the rear of all 4 leafs replacing the shackles.....And yes I would run them front and rear (I do not have front leafs on an MJ or XJ chassis......Though I do own and actively drive both)......all my experience with sliders originally came out of dirt track racing and I used that on one of my first jeeps...A YJ.....that had, like all do, front leafs that have the shackle in the front....the slider greatly smoothed out the ride. That truck is gone ......but there is a frame (again a YJ) in the shop now that will have sliders mounted in the conventional rear position on all 4 corners .... And Before I have to answer ....I fab my own and the blocks are made of a relative of Nylon called Delrin. This is not mine......But this guy was nice enough to post this pic years ago and I used a bit of my knowledge mixed with this pic in my recipe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 21 hours ago, yxmj said: Did you all ever think that maybe he is building something for different reasons.... Leafs on a jeep when done properly will be stronger and more stable than any coil. Can carry more weight....NEVER have death wobble....very stable......I guess it is what you want.....if you feel the need for that pic of your front wheel lifted up 3 feet in the air on the fork lift..... Maybe no.....scratching my head now cuz I have lots of hard off road miles.....never come across a fork lift on the trail.......... Like said above look on Pirate ......also keep the fixed attachment on the front... on that site or others look at "box sliders" ....you build a strong truck that drives like it's on rails.....IMHO How do you figure "NEVER have death wobble"? It's still a solid axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 3 hours ago, Smokeyyank said: Did it kill your approach angle? Out of curiosity did you run the sliders front and rear? Always interested to hear more abut the sliders... Originally it had shackles out front which really killed the approach angle, the shackles were removed and the sliders were added to the rear of the front springs, the sliders tightened up the front end and made a night & day difference in handling over the shackle set up, the approach angle was better but still much worse than a linked rig would be. The rear axle was still running shackles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yxmj Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Eagle said: How do you figure "NEVER have death wobble"? It's still a solid axle. YES......I stand by what I wrote above......maybe you should elaborate on you statement......all solid axle suspensions have death wobble....is that the jist and FYI......I do not consider unbalanced tires as death wobble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yxmj Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 1 hour ago, mnkyboy said: Originally it had shackles out front which really killed the approach angle, the shackles were removed and the sliders were added to the rear of the front springs, the sliders tightened up the front end and made a night & day difference in handling over the shackle set up, the approach angle was better but still much worse than a linked rig would be. The rear axle was still running shackles. Do not want to push the edge here......but I bagged the one I sold as well....and already have bags bought and on the bench for this next YJ and......for the Rear of the MJ....I do not do it for lift....but more to be able to control the load carrying ability and you can make a lifted truck drive and ride like a sports car..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 1 hour ago, yxmj said: YES......I stand by what I wrote above......maybe you should elaborate on you statement......all solid axle suspensions have death wobble....is that the jist and FYI......I do not consider unbalanced tires as death wobble I'm just repeating what I've read. From a Fourwheeler article on deathwobble: Quote Loose Leaf Spring Bushings and Bolts Generally speaking Jeeps with leaf spring suspensions don’t get death wobble as frequently as the newer linked-style Jeeps, but that is not to say that it does not happen. Death wobble can come from loose leaf spring mounting bolts, worn out bushings, bent shackles, bent main leafs, worn ball joints or kingpin bearings, and broken or bent leaf spring centering pins. http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/154-1307-do-the-harlem-shake-death-wobble/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 1 hour ago, yxmj said: YES......I stand by what I wrote above......maybe you should elaborate on you statement......all solid axle suspensions have death wobble....is that the jist and FYI......I do not consider unbalanced tires as death wobble Then you don't understand what death wobble is. Death wobble is any time a shimmy, wobble, or whatever you want to call it in one wheel on an axle is transmitted through the axle/suspension to the opposing wheel on that axle and the opposing wheel then begins to wobble in a harmonic frequency that cause the wobble to escalate as each cycle on one side reinforces the amplitude on the opposing side. I have posted innumerable times that there is a difference between simple tire imbalance and death wobble, but the fact remains that if one imbalanced tire starts the opposite tire vibrating in a harmonic ... you've got death wobble. Abd death wobble is far more common in vehicles with solid front axles than it is in vehicles with independent front suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 Just now, Eagle said: Then you don't understand what death wobble is. Death wobble is any time a shimmy, wobble, or whatever you want to call it in one wheel on an axle is transmitted through the axle/suspension to the opposing wheel on that axle and the opposing wheel then begins to wobble in a harmonic frequency that cause the wobble to escalate as each cycle on one side reinforces the amplitude on the opposing side. I have posted innumerable times that there is a difference between simple tire imbalance and death wobble, but the fact remains that if one imbalanced tire starts the opposite tire vibrating in a harmonic ... you've got death wobble. And death wobble is far more common in vehicles with solid front axles than it is in vehicles with independent front suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Our 48 Ford has leafs and a solid beam up front. It has death wobble. My CJ5 had leafs and had DW. My old Chevy 2500 had leafs and DW. The 48s is so bad it was driven once before I decided that swapping in a new suspension was easier than dealing with the DW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 i ran leafs in the front with a 44 swapped in. used yj 3.5" lift springs and hung with 5" shackles on front. did it for budget simplicity. it performed as i wanted, i ran 40" hawgs and went any where i wanted. i did not have good shocks ever so made the ride rough. but for the few years i ran the set up i was happy with it. on road as well as offroad. but as i progressed and had the funds to link it i did so put it all back to coil setup which i run now and have been very happy with since. i wouldnt be opposed to doing the set up again on another rig. leafs are very reliable and simple by design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kryptronic Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 On 11/1/2018 at 9:13 PM, yxmj said: Leafs on a jeep when done properly....NEVER have death wobble.... On 11/2/2018 at 4:12 PM, yxmj said: No.....Death wobble as we call it is a coil spring front end problem.....a Leaf spring front axle does not "Float" under the front of the truck like a coil spring axle held by the control arms .....centered by the track bar.... The above statements are completely wrong. Further, the track bars on leaf sprung Jeeps like YJs were put there solely to satisy the government due to CJ rollover issues. They do nothing to make the suspendion work better - they bind the suspension under movement and cause issues. On 11/2/2018 at 10:12 PM, Eagle said: Death wobble is any time a shimmy, wobble, or whatever you want to call it in one wheel on an axle is transmitted through the axle/suspension to the opposing wheel on that axle and the opposing wheel then begins to wobble in a harmonic frequency that cause the wobble to escalate as each cycle on one side reinforces the amplitude on the opposing side. This is a very accurate, concise definition of death wobble for anyone that doesn't know what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse J Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 8 hours ago, MiNi Beast said: i ran leafs in the front with a 44 swapped in. used yj 3.5" lift springs and hung with 5" shackles on front. did it for budget simplicity. it performed as i wanted, i ran 40" hawgs and went any where i wanted. i did not have good shocks ever so made the ride rough. but for the few years i ran the set up i was happy with it. on road as well as offroad. but as i progressed and had the funds to link it i did so put it all back to coil setup which i run now and have been very happy with since. i wouldnt be opposed to doing the set up again on another rig. leafs are very reliable and simple by design. I've always loved your rig mini. so baddass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schardein Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Interesting thread. I had death wobble on a 79 K5 Blazer before, so it can happen on a front leaf spring/solid axle setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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