various leaf spring lengths / spring rate

[Aries_Turbo]

ok, im going AWD with my kcar using the caravan stuff and im debating some different options.

anyone know of a chart or list of various leaf spring lengths? like small trucks and stuff? possibly their spring rates and such.

im debating using an off the shelf leaf spring and fabbing up a rear shackle on the k car as it would make swapping the caravan stuff in the rear really easy.

wouldnt need a panhard rod, wouldnt need spring mounts etc.

thanks

Brian

[turbovanman²]

All I can say right now is the van's have 2 different options, 4 leafs and 5 leafs. I can measure a set when I get home from hols.

[Aries_Turbo]

my goal is to find a leaf that will bolt into the stock trailing arm position and locate the axle centerline in the wheelwell at the same position as stock. i guess i need to measure a stock axle from the trailing arm bushing to the centerline of the axle and see how long that is. Im in PA so id have to wait to get home first.

Brian

[RoadWarrior222]

One thing though, 2nd gen caravan springs are meant to be an inch or two longer than 1st gen, so you might find 1st genners a better fit if you're looking at 2nd genners at the moment.

Might wanna look at Rampages and Pintos, truck and van stuff is probably going to be too stiff on an Aries.

[BadAssPerformance]

Find a local spring shop like these guys by me http://www.spring-align.com/

They specialize in modifying/adding leafs to trucks and should be able to find/make you anything you need.

Why leafs? I thought you liked 1980's technology?

Oh, and should we move this to the 'suspension' section?

[Aries_Turbo]

i put it here because the spring info obviously wasnt going to be from a turbo mopar. i suppose it could go in the suspension section. i dunno. organization isnt my forte lol. if you want to move it, its fine with me.

im having a hard time talking myself into using leafs anyway.

ill probably make custom ladder bars and a "tower" that bolts to the leaf spring mount on the caravan rear end and attaches to the ladder bars. the ladder bars will probably end up looking similar to carlos's. should be plenty strong and easy to fab up. i want to keep the spring and shock mounting the same on the cars body and use the "tower" to incorporate the attachment points for them to keep things simple and the custom parts to a minimum.

Brian

[BadAssPerformance]

Is it going to be a road car or a drag car? I would say coilovers if not a drag car...

[turbovanman²]

One thing though, 2nd gen caravan springs are meant to be an inch or two longer than 1st gen, so you might find 1st genners a better fit if you're looking at 2nd genners at the moment.

Might wanna look at Rampages and Pintos, truck and van stuff is probably going to be too stiff on an Aries.

1st and 2nd gen are the same spring front and rear.

[RoadWarrior222]

sorry, yes they are, that was believing the Haynes manual again.

[Aries_Turbo]

Is it going to be a road car or a drag car? I would say coilovers if not a drag car...

its a k car. there really isnt room in the back for coilovers to attach to the stock shock location. plus that spot isnt the strongest.

im just going to try to make provisions to use the konis i have on the car now and the eibachs. shouldnt be too hard. worst case, i have to shorten the eibachs a little if my mounting location is too high in relation to the axle location with regard to the stock height. if so, i can cut a few progressive coils off. no biggie. im going to have to get my daytonas windshield sealed up so i can push that thing back outside and begin some tinkering.

Brian