Semi-elliptic leafs

[petepecas]

Hey Guys,

Wondering if any one remembers the way the old class 8's did the rear suspension with half packs? of leaf springs, is it a semi-elliptical design or?

any way, looking for information, pictures of them things.

Thanx!:confused:

[roach]

they are 1/4 elliptic. National Spring (http://www.nationalsprings.com/)used to make them for the factory ford team "rough riders". i hear many good things and bad things about them. depends who you talk to. Deaver can probably also make you a set. but either way you go, i assume not too many orders for those are coming in and they might be a little expensive.

[petepecas]

Thanx cucaracha:

What are the pros and cons, what about on a class 3?:eek:

[retroblazer]

The quarter elliptics will work fine on the rear of a class 3. One or two of the early broncos have them. The full size class 3's currently racing haven't needed them because we can run long rear springs and get the travel without having to resort to the more expensive elliptics.

[Blanco]

Check out this guys.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/433757/fullsize/img_8221.jpg

We've gotta get this guy over here to C3R too.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/433819/fullsize/img_8228.jpg

Is this what your talking about?
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/433760/fullsize/img_8224.jpg
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/433817/fullsize/img_8225.jpg

[petepecas]

Great pictures Blanco, I keep wondering retroblazer, cost-benefit from each set up, am I understanding correctly in that, they both give you the same (ride quality, control, maintenance...) but full leafs are cheaper, Has anybody ridden in or driven one of such (1/4 elliptic) preppared trucks?

[3amigo]

Helped with a crawler that was set up with them. Basically you build a 3/4 link and then spring it with the leaves. Benefits are that it handles like a 3/4 link. Down sides are all the normal leaf spring issues.
It might be worth it to try and fit a 3/4 link rear into the rules, but a coil over would be a far better way to do it otherwise.

[petepecas]

Yeah, but then I wold not be legal for SCORE, I'm shooting for the 1000 on my old K-5, plus I like bouncing like a MF::rolleyes:

[roach]

Great pictures Blanco, I keep wondering retroblazer, cost-benefit from each set up, am I understanding correctly in that, they both give you the same (ride quality, control, maintenance...) but full leafs are cheaper, Has anybody ridden in or driven one of such (1/4 elliptic) preppared trucks?

full leafs are WAY cheaper. will your truck handle different with 1/4 elliptics, YES!! but only becouse you will have to build a 3 or 4 link to support it. the linked set up will eliminate axle wrap and lateral movement of the rear end. not only that, picture this in your head...........

leafs push the axle straight down. if you could make your truck weight less instantly, it would shoot up with the leafs forcing the rear end down. this action can cause the front to dive. not much, but it does.

1/4 elliptic mounted in the rear, these will put the force down, but at the same time wanting to raise the front of your truck becouse the leafs are only mounted in one spot. (somewhat in a circular force motion). now get this truck in the dirt, go into a whoop section and get on the gas...........the front end lifts and skips. the rear end droops into the whoops and handles that much better.

why dont more people do it???? how about a set of 1/4 elliptics will set you back over a grand in cash. not to mention having to build a 3 or 4 linnk that will also set you back hundreds if not another grand.

so leafs for $400, or 1/4's for $2000+????:rolleyes:

[petepecas]

I get it, sounds like you do get what you pay for....you know, down here we get labor done a lot cheaper than up in your world, and there's a couple of decent fabricators who can get it done... I would just get them springs from national.... anything to get that $5.00 dollar trophy:rolleyes:

THANX A BUNCH YOU ALL.

Pete...

[retroblazer]

Check out this guys.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/433757/fullsize/img_8221.jpg

We've gotta get this guy over here to C3R too.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/433819/fullsize/img_8228.jpg

Is this what your talking about?
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/433760/fullsize/img_8224.jpg
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/433817/fullsize/img_8225.jpg

Kirk Kovel Nice guy We should be able to get a hold of him though some of the eb guys.

[roach]

I get it, sounds like you do get what you pay for....you know, down here we get labor done a lot cheaper than up in your world, and there's a couple of decent fabricators who can get it done... I would just get them springs from national.... anything to get that $5.00 dollar trophy:rolleyes:

THANX A BUNCH YOU ALL.

Pete...


labor is cheap down there, but what about quality in the form of cycling the suspension and geometry?? how are they on that when you spend your pesos??;)

i think too many kids today build their own 4-link systems on thier "wide front end" rangers without giving any thought to all the geometry involved, and there is quite a bit. axle plunge, u-joint angles, output shaft and rear end yoke angles, the degree change from droop to bump, dive, anti-dive, the length of the lower link in relation to the upper link, etc. etc. etc. at work, all this is done on a computer. our bronco front end is being done on solid works to give us radius arm and steering location points. the solid works program cycles the suspension and gives us the best locatoins to best eliminate bump steer and try to locate the best camber and caster set up for the ride hight, as well as throught the cycle of the suspension.

i think a 1/4 elliptic with a 3-link set up would be bitchen, but i am sure it would be more of a disaster if done wrong.

[petepecas]

You definetly have a point, I have seen butchered trucks that LOOK great but PERFORM poorly here and there, but I know that there are capable people that have been fabricating and racing for many years down here.... now, finding somebody who wold engineer something for a straight axle w/ quarter ellies should not be rocket science, we have come a long way through trial and error and piracy:eek: any how, I woul be willing to pay for the engineering in Dolares, and have it fabricated in pesos, I've done it before with good results....

[toddz69]

Kirk Kovel Nice guy We should be able to get a hold of him though some of the eb guys.

Other than seeing him at races many times through the years, Kirk has never been easy to get a hold of. I believe he lives in Colorado Springs now - used to come down from Washington.

Todd Z.

[kkspeedracer]

hey man, a friend of mine found this site and noticed some pics of my bronco. i just signed up. i've been running quarter elliptics since the early 90's. i would say not as good of a set-up as coils but score won't allow broncos to run coils in the rear. they do however save the task of changing main leafs every race. they can be changed out at a race in about 20 minutes with a good impact driver. i believe bitd allows open rear suspension along with full width axles. i haven't found a class to run in with bitd. as far as i can tell you have to run a full top and if you run a v8 you have to run with the pickups in 4100. wheel base has always been a problem with the old broncs....they are as tall as they are long. i've had it on it's lid more than i would care to mention.

[Blanco]

hey man, a friend of mine found this site and noticed some pics of my bronco. i just signed up.

I think that was me that took your Pics.?

Is this you?
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/433819/fullsize/img_8228.jpg

[RelentlessPursuitRacing]

hey man, a friend of mine found this site and noticed some pics of my bronco. i just signed up. .

Welcome to the site, Speedracer...er, uh, I mean, Kurt! Great group here exchanging lots of info and pumping up class 3....gaining more intrest all the time. I think by next hear you will start to see at least 10 racers showing up for class 3 races!!! WooHooo! Nice EB racer! You've been racing for a long time. We would love here some stories from back in the day. You gonna come back out and SCORE class3?

Sorry for pirating the thread. Kurt, maybe you can Introduce yourself and respond here:
http://www.class3racing.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20

...and maybe start a thread here about your racer/team:
http://www.class3racing.com/forumdisplay.php?f=8

Welcome to Class3Racing.com Jerry