Goodbye Axle Wrap Mod

^ ive got mine about 6'' from the front of the OL leaf

 

thanks idigtulsa and buddywh1...interesting stuff! idig, i went with a budbuilt traction bar a couple years ago (waaaaay more than $15; see my photo gallery for pics), and was surprised by your clever and affordable fix. +1 to you, man! good work.

-747

 

Are you on the front or rear of the axle?

Speed guys say to clamp towards end of an intermediate leaf. But then, they are trying to control axle-wrap induced wheel hop for power take-offs.

 

Front of the axle. That's right? right?
Would it help to do front and rear? what would this essentially do?

 

clamping in front of the axle prevents wrap on braking.
clamping behind the axle prevents wrap on take off.

you get axle wrap when braking and at take off. . ..you just don't hear/feel the "clunk" on take off. ..it's still happening though.

 

That's funny. I felt it more on take off and the ubolt in front has negated that.

So ideally should I do another clampo in back?

 

So im slightly confused as to why the helper spring is being put on beneath the leaf pack? Wouldnt it work better if it where to be put on top of the leaf pack as it was originally intended. That way you wouldnt have the problem of the helper spring clunking into the leaf pack when the leaf compresses.
An example is the Hellwig EZ-1000 and if you didnt want the additional load capacity couldnt you just not use the rear helper spring?

 

I hope this helps sum your question up: When installed in their intended fashion they are designed to increase the load capacity of our leaf springs by adding to their strength and reducing load flex. This is more so apparent in the pictures of the Hellwig setups that you and I have posted in the last few days due to their additional U-Bolt on the opposite end, and not the bracket and bolt setup of the DynaChrome kit.

As Taco.Tim pointed out, and buddywh1 stated, mounting them in a reverse fashion is like a "poor mans Slapper Bar", a "Traction Bar", or an "Anti-Tramp Bar" as sometimes referred too. These were used extensively on old muscle cars to solve many of the same problems we are dealing with, only they had several hundred more HP, and spent several times more than the budget of this project. I have attached a photo of an installed "Anti-Tramp Bar" so that you can see it's design and intended purpose.

Anti-Tramp Bar


In regards to the "helper springs clunking into the leaf pack", that is going to happen on a case by case basis, depending on the condition of the original leaf pack, the condition of your rear shocks, and the location of installation. If that happens to be the case there is always the alternative method of installing only the U-Bolt's and the mounting plate, which will still increase the rigidity of the springs themselves.

 

OK, so to summarize and also to ask a few questions: mounting just a u-bolt in front of the axle will do the same as the helper-spring, mounting a ubolt in front and behind the axle will help with both braking and take-off, right?

So....I want to buy 4 U-bolts?
2nd - what size u-bolts are you using?
3rd - are you putting the u-bolts over all the springs including the overload, or are you putting it on just the main leafs, in between them and the overload?

Sorry, I'm a little slow and need help with the visualizing.

 

Well...it's a little more complicated than that ...

The helper spring, mounted on the front traction bar style as shown in OP's how-to, will help control wrap both braking and take-off and make the suspension stiffer. As well, it adds a few hundred pounds load capacity (the packaging claims 1500 lbs, but that's just shite IMHO.)

Using two clamp, set 3-5" afore the axle perch, will help control wrap on braking, where we hear/feel the thumps from the sticky spline shafts as Space Wrangler said. It also makes the suspension a bit stiffer.

Using four clamps, each set 3-5" fore and aft of the axle perch, will control wrap - both braking and take-off. The suspension will now be much stiffer: it is no longer so much of a progressive-rate spring because the spring pack has been tightly coupled to the overload spring across much of it's length with the clamps and axle perch.

I have clamps in the rear AND the helper in front...it's pretty firm but not that bad and it's very well controlled with TSB Bilsteins. Much nimbler in corners now...enough so I put the Hellwig sway bar on hold for a while. Throttle response is (by comparison to the mush before) simply amazing. It's actually fun driving the same twisty roads I used to slice and dice in the VW Rabbit I traded for this truck and I don't think it's rides any harsher. That says a lot, IMO.

Now for the downside: in theory, the clamps hurt rear suspension articulation as they don't let the leafs 'fan' open on extension. But I really don't think it's that bad...especially if you clamp them closer to the axle perch. Of course, if you don't off-road obstacle courses you'll never have need for such articulation anyway and besides, if you wanted full articulation of the existing pack you'd have to open up the military straps anyways.

You can buy the u-bolt kits at PepBoys for about $10 a pair. They have steel plates and the U is 1/2-13 threaded so walk to the back and buy some jam nuts for another $2 for 4 and don't worry about them coming loose in service.

And oh yeah, the U bolt that comes with the helper spring at Autozone is metric! ...looks just like a 1/2-13 but none of the nuts fit it until I tried the metric! I also found out: a 3/4 wrench works perfect on 19mm nuts, and vice versa!

And FINALLY: this is not novel or original, by any means! As iDigTulsa observed: these are solutions dug up from the bygone days of muscle car street racers when big iron was putting down 450hp on 2-ft wide slicks through the same leaf spring and life axle set ups we have. They invented these solutions...that's why PepBoys has them on the rack for dirt cheap, sitting right beside the chrome plated rat motor valve covers, Holly carbs and Edlebrock manifolds!

 

are yall torquing these bolts to a specific load? or just until it is tight? I am really thinking about doing this to my truck because I think my leaf springs are starting to look like the OP's (the negative arch)..

 

I torqued down to 50lbs... if it's a lot less than that, then the nut will get loose over time.. A lock nut would also work.

 

I tightened each side of the U two-three 'pulls' of the wrench at a time 'till I felt the take up of the springs was complete (the force to turn it suddenly became very much greater) then about 1/2 turn more. The plates looked like they were beginning to deform (bend). Then I backed it with a jam nut which really doesn't need to be so very tight.

I went out twice more in the next 100 miles and re-tightened the main nut, after loosening the jam of course; actually checked it since it really hadn't loosened; I expect the jam did it's job very well.

 

do you have any pics of yours???? Put them up I'd like to see them

 

thank for all the info ywen... now I have just two more questions
" do I need two for each rear side or one per?????"""
Oh and just incase I forgot to say this way a great post and wright up.....

 

I installed just the U-bolts immediately in front of my OME clamps and can tell a huge difference instantly. I have had mechanic after mechanic tell me anything from it's my CSB, bad shocks, faulty master cylinder, etc... It's absolutely wonderful that this sight and posts like these can offer a way for Toyota owners to communicate about similar issues. Thanks for the website and to all those who help maintain it. Great post guys!

 

So attaching the helper springs on top of the leaf pack, in front of the axle will have the same desired affect as attaching them as you described underneath the leaf pack? I guess the reason i am asking is because I am looking to add some load capacity with helper springs that I posted above, but my only concern is that with two helper springs per leaf pack, (one in front and one behind the axle). that the ride will be too stiff. so I am wondering if it turns out to be too stiff could i just put on the helper spring in front of the axle on top of the leaf pack?

 

There are 2 basic types of 'helper' springs, the ones you have in the picture here and the one's that are made to mount below the OEM springs. The ones above the spring 'pull' up on the spring pack while the ones that mount below push on the pack. You can't mount the "push' ones above or the pull ones below. I had the push ones from autozone on before I installed my AAL's and they worked reallly well, but I never knew the u-bolt only mod so I'm going to be trying this soon. For either type, or at least for the autozone under-mount ones, the directions tell you to mount them behind the axle for load increase. For the traction enhancement mod you put it on in front of the axle.

I'm still wondering though, do you mount the u-bolt OVER or BETWEEN the rest of the leaf pack?

 

If you're just looking to add load capacity, I'd look at putting in an add-a-leaf, or AAL as the call them here. I think they are really cheap although putting them in is a bit difficult: you have to jack it up and remove the axle from the leaf pack then reassemble it with the new leaf in the pack.

It's a little more complicated and involves big C clamps, but you get the idea.

The clamp on helpers probably work OK but I'm sure the AAL's are far more durable over time. I'd also be REAL leery of the ones that go on top since it reduces the clearance in the frame axle hump. It also means the bump stops are kinda useless...if not in the way!

 

The u-bolts go over the entire pack...including the overload spring.

I see no reason you couldn't pick an alternate spot further up the arch and only clamp intermediate leafs together. How that would affect ride (firmness of suspension) or wrap I'm not sure though.