Rear leaf springs

Suspension Tuning, Troubleshooting, Design and Discussion

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JES
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Rear leaf springs

#1 Post by JES » Wed Apr 27, 2011 7:58 pm

If I remove a leaf to soften them, so as to have more upward travel will this help with body seperation ? I have cal-tracs and Travis says that I have them set up rite, but I have very little body sep. Shocks have plenty of travel, and the shocks them selves seperate very easy in the loose position, wich they are on. (Nova) w/383/t350/4100stal/4.11/275/60-15/MT-DR Thanks

P.S. springs now are 5 leaf repacement spings from Afco......I think? Can not do cal-trac springs now.

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Craig W.
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#2 Post by Craig W. » Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:16 pm

There's a good chance that softening the rear springs will help.
Craig Watson
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JES
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#3 Post by JES » Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:40 am

Thanks for the reply, Craig. I hope to hook like (Duke Calvert 321123) on youtube (do not know how to post vid) But his suspension moves very well, driving the tire into the ground. If I can get mine any where close to this I should be able to dip into the sixes in the 1/8. My front works great, thanks to help from this forum! Any other ideas with out spending money? Thanks John.

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Craig W.
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#4 Post by Craig W. » Thu Apr 28, 2011 8:01 am

I haven't seen the video but you don't want to really kill the tire. My car wants to go into tire shake if I go too loose on the extension of the rear shocks.
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JES
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#5 Post by JES » Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:49 pm

If you push down on the rear bumper, how much movement should you have? approx? I am 180lb and can only move back down about1/4 -3/8. Should it be softer?

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Craig W.
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#6 Post by Craig W. » Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:14 pm

Sounds pretty stiff. Mine is a lot softer than that. My springs are 180 lbs/in. Calvert split monos.
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JES
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#7 Post by JES » Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:47 pm

Thank you very much I will proceed then. Saturday is t/t. I will try and post what happens.

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Re: Rear leaf springs

#8 Post by clutchdude » Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:48 pm

I agree with craig that there is no need to kill the tire. My car with the stock mono leafs killed the tire with tons of seperation, now with split mono's there is very little seperation as well as i am .06 quicker in the 60' and running more tire presure.

What problems are you having with the suspension?

JES
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#9 Post by JES » Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:05 pm

It seems overly stif, and have always had traction problems. The front works great and in video of my car the body seperation is very limited. Springs are Afco#20228hd spring rate of 205lb. Car w/ me in it weighs 3250, do not know the front to rear, but is small block w/alu heads/intake. Tires are M/T DR 275/60-15, have tried dif press, from 15-17, 15 works better. I want to stay w/DR because of money and it is street driven regularly. If it hits the tire real hard, as you say is this a big problem? DR have stif side walls with min. distortion or so I'm told. Thought that softer spring would help suspension/Cal-tracs to work at lifting the body up? Maybe I am thinking wrong? Please help my thinking.

71Hellride
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#10 Post by 71Hellride » Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:29 pm

Our nova has very little seperation. You can hardly see it in a video. I have the stiffest spring calvert makes, I think its a 225?, i can push the rearend down about 3/4 to an inch. What kind of shocks do you have? If they are rancho shocks the valve also adjust compression at the same time. If they're loose on extension they will be soft on compression too. Too little compression will not keep the tire planted, which a drag radial needs. A slick you can black track but if you do that with the radial they'll just go up in smoke. Where does it break loose? The hit? Does it get out a little ways then do it?

JES
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#11 Post by JES » Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:06 pm

Had my wife mesure the suspension movement with me, 180lb on the bumper and only moved 5/16 of an inch very stiff. Shocks are Summit racing set on the loose setting. Spins on the take off. Yes if it spins I have to let out. Car 60s 1.6xx. Best 60 is 1.597. I am chasing the 60 right now and a 6.xxx in the 1/8. Thanks to all for helping me to sort this out.

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Re: Rear leaf springs

#12 Post by Craig W. » Fri Apr 29, 2011 6:41 am

Knowing the front/rear weight bias and going to a better shock would really help.
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#13 Post by JES » Fri Apr 29, 2011 10:34 am

I will drive it to a set of scales today, and check bias. Shocks will take a while. Thanks.

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Re: Rear leaf springs

#14 Post by clutchdude » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:54 pm

Does your car have cal tracs on it Jes?

JES
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Re: Rear leaf springs

#15 Post by JES » Fri Apr 29, 2011 3:34 pm

Yes. Set at top hole, and quarter turn preload with me in it.

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