The Frankenstein Build! LT/Expo/Trail rig..and BS

Negative arch isn't necessarily a no-no. It is a fact that it can cause the springs to fatigue more quickly, but like Jason said, springs are consumables. Springs that have a lot of arch to begin with will not like going to negative arch. But springs like the Dakars that are essentially flat to begin with are designed to go negative (to a point) and won't fatigue as quickly. If you can bump the springs as close to nuetral as possible you'll use the full range of movement of the springs without causing premature fatigue. For me, I'm ok with my Dakars going negative. I understand the results and that I might have to buy springs a year earlier than otherwise but these springs are 5 years old now with no signs of fatigue.

 

I'm plenty happy with the Pelfrey relocation setup running expos, bumps out a scosche negative arch and drops out pretty well. My set of expos doesn't droop as well as tylers though, i've had everything disconnected too (shocks and even loosened bolts and pulled drive shaft to eliminate the slip yoke) trying to figure out why and came to the conclusion it's just the pack is a bit different.

 

Supposidly the expos are made by betts spring in fresno! There was a Betts sticker on the last set of expos I got.

 

Quite possible. Check back with them!

 

Yeah I'm really worried about all pro. It's just gotten to be way mass produced. Unfortunately I don't see a better alternative... Dakars with an AAL seems insanely stiff...

 

I got to say, I will never buy anything from All Pro unless it's through them as a supplier of another brand.

Everything that I've bought from them that has had their name on it was delayed and they continued to give me the run-around.

Every time I see BoxRocket's setup it has me considering switching over...

 

Adam you should never feel like you can't post in here. I don't mind anything being posted in here be it questions or info. Feel free at any time. That is a good post

Bingo haha

Could also opt for custom Alcan leafs. My dad and Mike did that with great results. Really..90% of my leafs are alcans too..



mine goes negative too. Not quiet as much as Adams, but close. Plenty of travel for me though at the moment. Can't wait for links at some point but this will hold me over.

Frankenstein-7.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

 

I would not purchase the all pro springs again either. I've had mine on for about a year and a half now and both packs look like this. Actually both packs have 2 broken leaves, and one of them is literally in the middle of the pack almost dead center on the leaf. This is after just one winter(taken this summer)



That is the standards with stock bump stops. I think they need to have longer bump stops with the leaves. They flex like crazy and get way into negative arch. To all pro's defense they did contact me after I posted a few pics of my leaves in another thread and they offered to work with me to.replace them. I bought them second hand off another member(with<5k mi on them) so I wasn't going to try to trick them into giving me new leaves. My next set will be Dakars. Don't need crazy flex of crazy droop, just a decent all around leaf pack.

 

My deavers look about like that after 1 year... though all of my dunes wheeling has sand blasted the paint off of everything and then the winter salt has rusted everything up... maybe they aren't quite that rusted though. No broken leafs though.

 

Ya I'm not too concerned about the rust, if you think about it I'm not sure what type of coating would be flexible enough to stay on a spring and durable enough at the same time. At least not up here in rustachussetts. Maybe powder coat, but even then it doesn't last long. The broken leaves is definitely from negative arch. I have scuff marks on my frame from my 31's hitting it near the top. With stock bumps I am real close to stuffing my 31's into my fender wells

 

So do you adjust shackle length to keep the pack from going into negative arch while getting the most up travel from the springs?

 

Interesting, i wonder if with the 5.5" shackles mine works out well with the shorter 95-97 leaf springs.

 

Mounts are different. Rear hanger is 1" shorter and front is 2" shorter.

 

Probably irrelevant to the situation, but my leafs are bumped when they are flat, and is nice and close to there the shock bottoms out with some wiggle room for bump compression. I think I set that one up well haha.

And flex always looks better when you are flexing the rear with the front tires flat than when the rear is flat and the front is off camber

 

*sigh* I know you're all first gen guys but you've been really helpful. Do any of you have any ideas as to what I should do if I don't go All-poos route?

Also, overextending shocks in really bad right? What happens if you continually do it?

 

You'll ruin the shock