5.04 Leaf Springs & Shackles GURU Level Tech!
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- Опубліковано 21 вер 2024
- I learned so much from making this episode. I go DEEP into the tech behind leaf springs, shackle lengths and shackle angles using my homemade Bored o' Leafs. I hope you get something out of it!
Here is the formula I used
H = Sin(A) * L
Or, where SpL = spring length (dead flat), and MH = the distance between spring mount and shackle hanger:
MH = SpL - Sin(A) * ShL
No one could explain my question but you did .
Thanks for that paractical example. With out it i couldn't decide what to do.
Matt...one of the best videos ever put out on suspension. It's been such a mind boggle to understand this. This makes it totally comprehensible. thank you.
Matthew Mugar wow what a compliment! Thanks Matthew!
Good presentation ...Matt
I have query about shackle length design.
Spring span length 480 and spring height 145 mm,no of leaves 6
May I know what length required for shackle and installed angle minimum.
Don't apologize for the color! That pale yellow is rad!
Excellent demonstration on how leaf springs and shackles work!
You cracked the real puzzle of leaf spring stiffness relationship wrt shackle angle.
Wow!!! Why didn't I find this video before!!! This is gold to me!!! My old F350 rides like an old wild west chuck wagon. Thanks so much for this video!!! 👍👍👍
Happy to help.
Appreciated! Only improvement (suggestion) would be to have used a scale to measure the change in resistance (spring rate) between each of the mounting locations. Expressed as a percentage (rather than in pounds for the sake of the model). Great demonstration and the bloopers were cool too!
Thank you. you really illustrated how the leafs and shackles interact on a leaf suspension. learned a lot
Finally getting around to trying to order new leafs. One thing I'm finding frustrating is that few mfg's list the same specs. For example Doorman tells you : pack thickness, capacity, and arch height. (example: 4 leafs, 1 overload, 1.75" thick, 1150lbs cap.) while many other aftermarket mfg's only say "3-4in lift springs" and don't have any arch thickness or capacity rating... It's hard to compare springs from Rough Country, BJ's offroad, Skyjacker or BDS without any actual specifications.
I’m not a leaf spring guy at all, but now I feel prepared to become one of the day comes! Thanks professor.
Hi Matt,
Enjoyed the info, one thing to help test spring compression and angles
Is to disassemble the both spring packs, using only the main spring and make a small block to replace all the other springs that have been removed, so if it 3 inches of spring that have been remove add in a 3 inch block put your bolt back though the block and main spring mock both springs on the vehicle than with a jack you can compress and release and let hang and get your angles of the shakles and find your bottoming points with your tires on and off as well and side to side relaesd and compressed with out the resistance of all the srings as well as measurements for shocks and brakes line mods, drive line lengths and so on
Thanks for the video!
Outstanding video Matt! I have been building leaf spring Jeeps for years and only 'educatedly guess'ed' the shackle length and location. But now I have some good reliable math to use to take out the guesswork! (Yes, I can do math!) Loved the part "but wait!" I have watched this video about 5 times to make sure I understood and laughed every time!!
Kevin DeGroff thanks Kevin. You forced me to rewatch because I forgot about that part. I appreciate the compliment!
I have all my parts together to do a leaf spring swap on my CJ and wanted info on shackle angle. Best I could find so far was avoid inverting. This helps a lot. Thanks.
Thanks. Good luck with the build.
Great video bud. i have always eye balled the shackle angle and run flatter springs. Usually works really well.
Thank you for to the point and no off topic ramblings! Logic was telling me that diagram was wrong.
As long as the information is correct then this is a great video. Gave me a expanded understanding and reinforcement for my spring suspicions. There are still a lot of questions I have about how various leaf pack mods and setup alterations will achieve different application goals. I think the main scenario that comes to mind is how a longer shackle will affect perceived on-road ride comfort when installed on the same leaf pack and using the same mounting points. This would be ideal for a DIY mechanic with basic tools and a limited budget that wants a more comfortable on-road experience with zero to little (driver+personal items/tools in cab=200-300lbs) additional payload. The problem I've been having is trying to get a smoother on-road ride quality out of a 2003 PreRunner TRD Double Cab. It has thick 3/1 two stage over-spring leaf packs. I'm unsure of the spring rates. Every aftermarket suspension component available for this truck is for lift, load, and/or off-roading/overlanding which all seem to equal a harsh on-road experience unless you're willing to drop $3k+ on 2- or 3-way adjustable reservoir coil overs and shocks and another $1k+ on progressive leaf packs, but even then you'll end up with a 3"+ lift with a 500-1klb payload increase which will then require new control arms, brake lines, diff drop kit, panhard correction kit, new ball joints, an alignment...the list goes on and on. You can do all that to this truck, but so far I haven't found one stitch of information about how to improve the ride quality for a daily driver aside from the snarky comment of "leave it factory". I refuse to accept this.
That's the ideal color for a urine sample. Good job staying hydrated!
Excellent presentation and superb demonstration Señor! Thank you for taking out your frustration on camera and sharing your learning journey with us 💪
You did so amazing on this video. I Will save this video to watch multiple times. Lot of work went into this and I appreciate it so much
Parker Wilstead thanks Parker! Sorry it took so long for my reply. Been swamped lately.
Matt's Garage no worries, keep up the good work!
Thanks for the leaf spring demonstration, I just checked the 55 truck rear leaf spring shackle I put on 10 years ago, it's straight up & down, there's another hole on the bracket that will change the angle to more movement. Now I know why I hit my head on the ceiling when I drive over a dip too fast. Thanks
When you order Dever lift springs for a stock vehicle do they automatically make the leaves longer to compensate for shackle angle?
Great video, not a lot of people running leaf springs in off-road anymore. Ive got some custom made national springs in my chevy 4wd super long and super soft . I love them.
Great video, I watched it a few times to realize I can change leaves to fix that shackle angle! Great job, thanks! :)
whole video went over my head. I'll come back to it when I can give it my full attention...
For sure. You need to grab a coffee and squint real hard, but there’s good information in there.
Very good clear explanation. Thank you so much
Thanks Caesar!
Thanks for the informative leaf spring & shackle video. I dig the color of your scout.
Thanks, I changed the color and I hate it now. I’m gonna change it back.
Very helpful! My truck has a front axle swap. And the ride is awful, while the spring may just be too big. The shackle is 90° at ride height. Time to go make some new mounts and shackles!
This is very interesting. I am in the process of doing a 63" spring swap on my Tacoma so this information is very useful. Thank You!
mike diltz cool, let me know how it turns out. Good luck!
How did it go? I am in the process of doing that on my 1st gen 4runner. What angle did you end up going with? And how do you like them so far?
@@jesusakadice sorry but I never ended up doing it. I sold the truck when I saw how bad the frame was rotted.
Thank you. This is the only precise video on this subject in the entire internet.
Wow thanks! Isn’t it crazy? That’s why I made the video. I actually reached out to some TV personalities and asked them to make but heard nothing so I just decided to figure it out myself.
Thank you! I learned so much about my favorite kind of spring. Gives me a good idea on what to look for when working on my 73' C10
Dillon Opossozoku happy to help!
Hi Matt,
1986 Isuzu Trooper 10 bolt rear end/drum brakes/ leafs with non pressed eye bushings/ 70mm shackles.
Upgraded to 89 Trooper RS leafs/pressed front eye/ 2” longer leafs than ‘86/90mm shackles/ about 150lbs greater load capacity.
So I noticed my shackles were at a steeper angle due to using the stock 86 mounting points on frame. A bolt on upgrade. So I got a smoother ride and can load up the trooper with an equal weight loaded without bottoming out over rough stuff.
Thanks for the video! Now I know exactly what my instincts were telling me why to do the mod in the first place!
Eric Jette awesome. It goes both ways. It’s good to hear field confirmation on a rig other than my own.
I watched this working on a truck. Came back to it while contemplating lifting a firebird for slicks. Im seeing a longer shackle will change my angle
Great video thanks for adding the bloopers at the end. It shows how much work goes into making such a good video.
Thanks Ben! Yes it was a lot of work but it’s also one of my most watched videos so totally worth it considering how many guys have gotten something from it.
If ride quality & performance of your vehicle is important to you, then you should NEVER have to deal with Removing a Leaf from your Leaf Pack to Decrease your spring rate for a softer ride. That's the Beauty of buying Custom Leaf Springs from DEAVER SPRING INC. They make sure that the springs they make are absolutly perfect for each vehicle before they leave the front door. Obviously they are not perfect and stuff happens from time to time, but everyone I have spoken too about Deaver says that their Customer Service is next level... ( like your at Grandma's house waiting for the 2nd batch of cookies in the oven because the 1st batch was cold. ) And the awesome part is that Deaver Springs are 100% USA Made, so they will rework and remove a leaf from the leaf pack themselves all Free of Charge if you weren't happier than a kid with fresh baked cookies from Grandma's house. The things I have heard about Deaver and what they do to help a customer are things you don't her about companies doing anymore. Good Values I guess. I just know that the guys at Deaver Spring would have plenty of better ideas than simply removing a leaf & done..... that was my point. I Definitely enjoyed the Video Matt & I love the Bronco! Thank you!
This has been the most educational video I've ever seen about leaf spring tuning and shackle angles effecting the ride. Im running pro comp springs and there isn't enough desired flex i need. Might be i just need to adjust or buy shackles before changing out springs. Thanks again
ae86mia happy to help! I made this video because I couldn’t believe it hadn’t been made before. It’s now one of my most popular videos. Crazy.
This is the best video on UA-cam
For the win!! A couple years of searching for how to figure shackle angle and I’ve found it!! I moved my springs inboard the frame on my Ranchero for more tire clearance. Doing so with a kit. A kit for a Falcon car not a Falcon Ranchero. The Ranchero wheel base is longer. Think station wagon with no rear top. Anyways had to fab my own mounts for shackles and they are wrong. To steep under the weight of the car. No hardly and action at all. Not good for hooking up on the track. I have traction bars still no action for a launch. Stiff as a board. I’m so glad I’ve found this. Now I can cut that old shit off and do it up right!
Aaron Gammel awesome! Happy to help!
Totally well explained, my shackle angle will be fixed now thx...
Andrew James thanks Andrew. Good luck! I had a guy pull up in a lifted Scout yesterday to bus some parts I was selling. As soon as he got out I’m like “does that thing ride really rough?” And he’s like “yes, how’d you know?” :-)
@@MattsGarage yep cheers I already have it on CAD and worked out, after your lecture ready to make it... Thx again
Lol. My buddy had a Scout the same color. Excellent info.
Thanks! I should have kept it that color. I might change it back.
The equation is awesomely helpful, thanks for the video!
Thank you for making this video. Very informative and helpful!
“Wait wait, you can do this” xD legend thank you for the informational and emotional support
Amazing demo , I concept of shackles is a lot clearer now👍👍
Thanks for helping me understand effective spring rate as it relates to leaf type suspension. Subbed.
Phenomenal explanation! Thank you. 👏
Great lesson on shackles. I've searched the whole internet to know how exactly these things works.
Thanks! Yeah that’s why I made the video. It’s shocking how little information there is out there. I was kind of hoping it would spark others to make better videos.
Aesome explanation.
Ppl thought i was stupid for having a 30°angle shackles. I told them its ok, not everyone is good at math.
haha!
The internet is a spooky place
Just before Christmas I ordered new rear leaf springs for my Jeep XJ
I watch this video 3 years ago
This morning I wake up and it's back up on my feed so I'm watching it again
I did not look for it I did not look for other leaf spring videos
Spooky indeed. I don’t pay for promotion or anything. That’s the algorithm
Since you gotta a IH, I subscribed.
AWSOME VIDEO! Thanks so much for making this. I love seeing stuff like this. I’m currently planning out a front a rear axle swap on my Jeep. I’m also putting in a new sua rubicon express lift. This information was hugely useful and encouraging for me. I can give myself an improved shackle angle and stretch my wheel base a little at the same time! Thanks again!
William Burch happy to help. Just keep it at 90 or a little sharper and you’ll be good. Once you get over 90 the ride quality starts nosediving.
I know this is an old video but thanks. I have argued with people many times about this. I changed the angle on my yj with waggys and the springs got softer. Had people saying that doesn't change the rate. At least now I can point them to real world calculations. It's a leverage arm people!
joshua Atkins exactly. You can’t talk rate without considering EFFECTIVE rate!
@@MattsGarage Can you do a video on calculating effective rate?
Thankyou for all your effort to help others mate. Cheers. Great vid
Awesome video great demonstration and great to learn off of, I think when thinking about travel and "bounce" of a leaf what you said is dead accurate. My theory why the diagram is different is in a drag application the "s" in the spring is what drives the axle down to hook up, so shifting the shackle obtuse of 90 would cause the S bend sooner therefore driving the axle down harder causing a "stiffer" feel.
That is a solid tehory. It would have never occured to me since I know next to nothing about drag racing.
Perfect video. Im new to leaf springs. And this was very helpful. Got a thumbs up from me
Thanks so much!!! I'm doing a solid axle swap and it was very nice to see the angles.
Great video, I am mounting leave springs from scratch and this video gives me a lot to think about! Also I love the practical use of trigonometry!
Very informative. Great video. Great explanation.
Great info I've been looking for an explanation before lifting my rig. I really want to get it right the first time.
The video I was looking for. Thanks 👍.
Awesome analysis.
What a great video . Thank u so much for making sense of things most can't wrap their minds around
4am and you just blew my mind
I just did this with a 12 inch lift leafs on my square body suburban up front moved my shackle eye hanger forward up on frame and longer shackles definitely true in facts .and the 12 inch leaf springs actually work by doing that . instead of just bolting them to the factory location.i got video up on here under my name
I watched any video on youtube and couldn’t find a more elucidative one.
But I have a question in my mind🤔 ıf we replace the leaf springs to a closer point towards to fixed point ,Will it raise the cars rear because of curve on the leafs. I don’t wanna raise the rear of my car I just want more flexible rear leaf springs.
There's another variable - the more leafs you have, the more friction between each leaf in the pack creating resistance on compression to make a smoother ride.
Jay R yes but it’s pretty negligible. most of those leaf springs have plastic pads between them
Solid prep on this bad boy, love it
Thanks matt, really learned a lot from your thorough explanation! Planning to build my Jeep Roadster here in the Philippines, your lecture would be a great help for its proper leaf spring mounting
I have owner type Cj2a with corvette 327 and 4 speed.
Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge.
Very, very helpful video Matt. Very easy to follow and you did a great jog. I am one of your slow learners, and I would appreciate it if you could list the steps for calculating shackle mount location.
Great video. I bought my truck with a lift already on it. Monster lift kicks like a mule. No shackles. That math is going to be handy to solve my mystery.
Thanks Ken. When you say “no shackles” do you mean that both ends of the spring are literally bolted to a fixed mount!?! That would be lunacy.
@@MattsGarage yep. Rough ride.
Thanks buddy, cause I got a Ute/ pickup and the suspension is so hard the only thing giving is my back , needless to say that the seats are not padded very well also, but I’m thinking of taking out a leaf out of the flat pack spring, it’s akin to having a thick solid steel rod / bar where the spring pac is, or you would not be silly for thinking that the springs have been replaced with a block of wood, no give at all, good when I have a heavy load only but crap otherwise. Thanks for your input 😊😊 God bless
I think you are asking if you can take a spring out mate, and the answer is yes. Usually you take out the second or third longest spring.
@@MattsGarage yeah thanks, I see in the spring set one leaf that is thicker than all the others and I’m thinking that’s the one I will take out, also like you mentioned too that shocks play the part as well, I wanted to purchase oil shocks, to no avail, only gas shocks are available for this vehicle, but I know if I replace the gas with oil that helps also
@@MattsGarage ok thanks buddy
Thank you for this excellent video :)
Awesome explanation! Thank You!!!!
You are welcome!
Excellent video this was just what I was looking for
Finally !!! Great vid on leaf spring & shackle angles. 👍
Great visual Matt. Thanks
Great video!
Please post the formula under the video title.
Done, but here it is. Sorry I'm late responding. It's been a crazy couple of months.
H = Sin(A) * L
Or, where SpL = spring length (dead flat), and MH = the distance between spring mount and shackle hanger:
MH = SpL - Sin(A) * ShL
Thank you, very informative 👏👏👏
Great subject and good job on the tec talk!
Thanks for the hard work on this video.
THEE best vid for understanding that is out there!!!
Thanks Adam. Very kind of you.
This is what UA-cam was made for! Thanks man
Thank you!
This is awesome. Thanks for making this video. Confirmed a lot of what I was thinking and also learned a lot.
Good Video! Go in on the effects on castor angle and steering (old jeeps etc) in the next one!
Thank you for this!
Awesome video !!! Very helpful
Awsome job, you can almost feel the spring rates as you move the springs. Question everything! Just don't get paralysis from analysis - get out and wheel, when it brakes, fix it and get back out 😉
In a 4x4 I like my springs almost flat. That way it rides best and your suspension can equally travel both directions. Big ark springs have no droop travel.
Flat at ride height?
Thanks Bro, great presentation, easy to understand
Much needed info this video is just what the doctor ordered
Great video
Great info
Great video, thanks . 👍🏿👍🏿
Great video. You are 💯% correct.... There are not many/any videos on this subject. What parts are supposed be able to move? Besides the leafs themselves, is the shackle supposed to swing? Is the bolt supposed to spin in the bushing? To they get tightened down? My through bolts are rusted in place. I've replaced springs, but I tightened the new ones down and nothing swings/swivels... only my spring leafs move-flex.
What else should move? That's my basic question
Hi Ed. The springs flex and the shackle moves. The bolts should tighen the inner bushing sleeve to the shackle such that nothing spins on the bolt. Only the bushing material (rubber or poly) should move. If you have rubber, it will not spin on the bushing sleeve. Poly will. Are you sure your shackles aren't moving at all? That would be bad. The shackles need to move otherwise your springs are binding or they are way too stiff. Make sure you don't have a driveshaft or shock limiting the travel also. Theoretically if your springs are super flat, the shackle wouldn't move that much but it should still move.
@@MattsGarage I've got to take them apart, clean and grease them then. Shackles definitely not moving. Thanks Matt. I'd call but don't know if you take calls or have a shop etc... I work sewer and water and live in Wisconsin. We're laid off during winter and I've been wanting to address the issue with the springs... Just started looking for info and it's slim pickings
I like the colour.
Thumbs UP. Well explained. Just the information I needed for my old jeep.
I have nearly vertical front shackles and stiff ride and hardly any droop. Rears have a little angle and ride good. I want to soften the ride slightly without reducing load capacity.
Years ago I tried some really long shackles and they had a mushy feel. Overly soft and would even hold a lean after coming around a corner. I have considered removing a leaf or having special built pack made. But I keep eyeing that shackle angle suspiciously. Now I have the answer. Time to fabricate!
I have seen that diagram you showed and remember thinking wtf.
"I go to the google" lol.
Thanks for sharing the knowledge, that is what youtube is really for.
Hi, I saw your last few comments. Welcome to the channel! I’m happy to have helped. I couldn’t believe nobody has put something like this out before. Let me know how the Jeep rides after you change the angle. It’d be great to get some independent confirmation. Mattsgarageshow@gmail.com
Great video! Could you tell us a little more about shackle location as far as above the spring vs. Under the spring? You touched on this briefly. Are the characteristics the same? Is one way better than the other? My application would be for a muscle car. (With truck springs) I was going to mount them under the spring. That is how GM mounts them on their trucks. I'm just not sure why. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks.
Excellent video. Good job
Thanks for your nice explain. I appreciate that points you viewed. I would you post the formula which is on the board you wrote below the second suspension ASAP it will be favour. Man i need it necessarily 😂 im not sure which is the correct formula to follow after i saw the video and your explanation of correcting the mistakes. VERY EXCELLENT. You understand same as me of what i focus at of factory mistakes which need corrections.
Thanks 👍 . Thanks alot.
Hanger eye Distance = flat spring length - SIN of the desired angle x shackle length. Thanks for watching!
Here’s my 0.02 on it, take or leave it.
If you take into consideration only the vertical movement of the axle pad and the shackle-to-spring eye, that can give a good impression of how the spring will move. If the eye moves in the same vertical direction as the axle pad (up/down) it will have the greatest amount of travel for a given amount of load. If the eye moves opposite of the spring pad, it will counteract the flex of the spring to an extent, theoretically providing a slightly “stiffer” spring rate, increasing the “dampening” effect of the spring and decreasing the ratio of spring-flex-to-overall-travel.
As for tension and compression shackles, tension shackles are naturally more stable at speed due to the flexible nature of springs and bushings. This is why most pickup trucks and cargo vehicles have tension shackles in the rear. Considering that the vast majority of vehicles will be driven only on pavement , the engineer’s design choice leans to the side of stability versus dexterity, for costs being the same. Basically the Dollar-to-Stability ratio is better for tension shackles.
Easily one of the beet comments I’ve received in 3 years of having this channel. Well written and great knowledge.
Sub'd just cause the blooper reel... lol... great info man! Thanks!!!
The most most knowledgeable video. 😊
I agree with Matt, very educational indeed, salamat po -from Philippines here.
Love the info. Just subscribed. OUTTAKES!