Well? Am I missing something here?


I see lots of 1/4 eliptical rear suspensions, but nobody is doing it up front... why?

I think it is a space issue.
Easier to fit coils or coil-overs in that area.

there is... one of the tin bender's buggy is 1/4 front and rear.. at least the last time i saw it.. memorial day 2001

desertoys buggy is 1/4 elip in the front.

I am considering the same for mine.
space is probably the biggest issue.

ok - so how is space such an issue? Links getting in the way of the driveshaft up front?

Springs would go the same place normal springs would - so if leaves would work, so should 1/4 eliptical.

Originally posted by DRM
ok - so how is space such an issue? Links getting in the way of the driveshaft up front?

Springs would go the same place normal springs would - so if leaves would work, so should 1/4 eliptical.

With normal leaves you don't need a link set-up. I'm guessing with a front driveshaft, 3 or 4 link, 1/4 elliptic leaves, all accompanied by limitting straps and shocks it can get a little tight

DRM, this is something that I've been wanting to tell you every time I see you flame one of those poor newbies . . . DO A SEARCH! :flipoff2: We had a heated debate about it in the Jeep forum a few months ago.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17977&highlight=1%2F4+elip+front

J. J.

Probably a lot of it has to do with oil pan clearance and the link bars.

That's why you see a lot of 5-link (parallel 4-link w/ panhard) and 3-link (radius arms w/ panhard) setups to keep bars from crossing under the oil pan.

Originally posted by patooyee
DRM, this is something that I've been wanting to tell you every time I see you flame one of those poor newbies . . . DO A SEARCH!


ahahaha ... get him JJ :D

- jack

Originally posted by zags
desertoys buggy is 1/4 elip in the front.

Nope :D:D:D.

One of the reasons is because on the front, the spring mounts are place so far inboard that side hills and body roll become extreme. If you mount the spring out further, you loose turning radius. With a coil spring in front, you can mount it closer to the end of the axle without sacrificing turning radius.

I'm planning on a transverse leaf set up on my project Jeep. The idea there is that the spring is mounted close to the end of the axle increasing stability without sacrificing turning radius. However because the spring is mounted in the center of the Jeep, the "effective center" of the spring is somewhere near where the frame rails are anyway. Which is why I plan on mounting it so that it only has about 1.5 - 2" travel up before the leaf spring hits the bump stop this will instantly change the "effective center" of the spring to about where a coil spring would be.
http://www.AzChatfield.net/MiscPics/Transverse_Front.jpg

Originally posted by AzWebMan
I'm planning on a transverse leaf set up on my project Jeep.

Don't you think that your bumpstops will interfere with your pumpkin on compression?

Originally posted by BornInAJeep
Don't you think that your bumpstops will interfere with your pumpkin on compression?
:rolleyes: Ok, so my lame ass drawing isn't to scale, sue me! :flipoff2:

Originally posted by AzWebMan

:rolleyes: Ok, so my lame ass drawing isn't to scale, sue me! :flipoff2:

For real though, I'd be concerned about the amount of arch you need to clear the pumpkin, and housing itself. If you used a spring that was to flat/soft it wouldn't work. Well now that i think about it, you could compensate to an extent by mounting the shackles solid to the axle, so they can't flatten out. I don't know, it's a good idea in theory, but not proven by any means.

Originally posted by AzWebMan
One of the reasons is because on the front, the spring mounts are place so far inboard that side hills and body roll become extreme. If you mount the spring out further, you loose turning radius. With a coil spring in front, you can mount it closer to the end of the axle without sacrificing turning radius.

That's the best explanation I've seen yet! THANK YOU!

J. J.

Originally posted by AzWebMan
One of the reasons is because on the front, the spring mounts are place so far inboard that side hills and body roll become extreme. If you mount the spring out further, you loose turning radius.

And this differs from leaf springs how?

Originally posted by BornInAJeep
For real though, I'd be concerned about the amount of arch you need to clear the pumpkin, and housing itself. If you used a spring that was to flat/soft it wouldn't work. Well now that i think about it, you could compensate to an extent by mounting the shackles solid to the axle, so they can't flatten out. I don't know, it's a good idea in theory, but not proven by any means.
Yea, I hear ya. The plan is to make the shackles long enough to clear the pun'kin and the UCA mounts. I figure I can play with spacers under the bump stops, spacers between the frame and leaf spring, leaf spring packs and shackle lengths until I get it the way I want it. If all else fails, I can always go coil over. :D

Originally posted by zags
And this differs from leaf springs how?
1/4 elliptical springs Droop a hell of alot faster/easier than standard leaf springs. The uphill spring won't help keep the vehicle stable on a 1/4 elliptical the way a full leaf will.

its hard to tell.. but i believe the one i am referring to is the red buggy behind camo's rig on the opening page

IIRC some scorpions are 1/4 elip front.:confused:

Originally posted by ImKuNfusED
its hard to tell.. but i believe the one i am referring to is the red buggy behind camo's rig on the opening page That's Mike from Central Coast Motorsports, "Airbag" on the board.

Hey on that buggy spring setup, won't you also need some kind of 4 bar to keep the axle located ft to back??

1/4 elliptical springs Droop a hell of alot faster/easier than standard leaf springs. The uphill spring won't help keep the vehicle stable on a 1/4 elliptical the way a full leaf will.

you could put leaves to slow that droop, or clamp the leaves like a stock 1/2 elip spring, so i dont buy that reasoning as to why it isnt done.

Troy Meyers Sniper was 1/4 ellip front. And the transverse leaf front is proven. There's a yellow "GMC" out there that has done quite well with it. Look for the article about Mr. Ed's B-day bash from a couple years ago. I sure thought the collective mind of the dark side worked better than this.


Easy

I forget which event it was, but Lance took something like 150 pictures and he got a good closeup of the 1/4 front on a sniper. HTH

Here you go:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/trailreports/rrca_farmington02/thursday/Image063.jpg
http://www.pirate4x4.com/trailreports/rrca_farmington02/thursday/Image064.jpg

putting the parallel links on top and v-links on the bottom is a cool way to workaround the oil pan interference issues. looks like it made the task of fitting all the junk in a lot easier than setting it up the common way

big question is what was *that* important that he had to talk to someone on the phone with while sitting in line. some people need to take a break sometimes..