anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

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anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

Postby stillsmokin » Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:28 am

One of the problems common to serious running first gen pullers is front axle wrap. I have been fighting it for some time as have others in the sport. If you haven't experienced it, the first shock is violent, it will turn you as white as a sheet in a heartbeat. What most pullers don't know about the destructive nature of axle wrap is that the tremendous torque it takes to make the axle wrap is stolen from the engines output and never makes it to the ground. This takes a little bit out of the trucks momentum, especially if you let off the loud pedal to calm things, and it shortens the pass laid down on the track.

The source of axle wrap is really the front leaf springs, which dodge totally fwaked up day one. They arent good enough for most stock trucks. GM and Ford did a much better job on thier front leaf 4x4 trucks of the era. Most pullers have to run a 2 to 4" lift spring for tire clearance which really just pours salt in the wound. Every front spring I have seen to date has been based on dodges original design (which sucks) and they cannot be modded enough to fully address spring wrap at the power levels the chassis is now experiencing. I have added a 73-87 chevrolet 4x4 front sway bar to the front suspension on my truck to limit the severity of the spring wrap on my modded 4'' skyjacker gasser leaf pack. The bar is indirectly doing a job it was never intended to do but has temporarily fixed my problem.

I've spent the last week or so working on a new anti-wrap front leaf pack that will hopefully eliminate most or all wrap on rediculous running trucks. It has been very frustrating to say the least. I am trying to address the use of a 33x12.5 wide tire, curb height with 2000# of iron hanging off of the nose (trying not to trim the front fenders), and as much modern supension tech I can put into these springs. I will put them in The Red Eye Ram for next season and hope to seriously advance the first gens. I anticipate some other supporting mods to go along with the springs. If they work, I am considering the design of a street puller version of the spring.
92 W250LE REG CAB, SLED PULLER, S400
93 W350LE EXT CAB, dually, 5 speed
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Re: anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

Postby Hansen01 » Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:43 pm

Sounds like youve done some thinking lately,lol Keep us posted on it!
did you pull this year?
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Re: anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

Postby stillsmokin » Sun Aug 26, 2012 10:03 pm

I have had lots of time to watch this year. I am working on selling parts and saving money to make the next big step.
92 W250LE REG CAB, SLED PULLER, S400
93 W350LE EXT CAB, dually, 5 speed
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Re: anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

Postby Hansen01 » Mon Aug 27, 2012 2:06 pm

Knew you were talking bout the next big step but didnt know if you ever got around to doin it yet 8)
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Re: anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

Postby Tacoclaw » Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:03 pm

I'm always interested to see some cool engineering on our trucks, hope it works out for you, man.
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Re: anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

Postby stillsmokin » Fri Sep 13, 2013 8:22 pm

I had a new set of springs made to my specs a few weeks back, and it appears they have part of my problem solved. I think the design will suppress the overall amount of twist the axle can have, which will make it easier to control whatever wrap is leftover. Overall the design would pass for stock to the untrained eye, but about the only thing they have in common with a stock pack is the number of leaves.

I won't know until next year how they actually work on the track. The nose of the truck is 2" lower than before with no weights. It drops 2" more with "the farm" hanging off the nose. It appears intially that it sits a little taller loaded than it used to. The tires might actually quit rubbing on the fenders in the pits. I now need to have some shocks made, and start adding alot of new metal to the front axle area.
92 W250LE REG CAB, SLED PULLER, S400
93 W350LE EXT CAB, dually, 5 speed
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fuel screw!!!!
 
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Re: anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

Postby RCCUMMINS89 » Fri Sep 13, 2013 8:37 pm

Thinking out loud here...........why can't someone take the factory style of front sway bar and add to it (triangle style setup) so it can connect to both the top and the bottom of the axle. If that makes sense?
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Re: anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

Postby BILTIT » Sat Sep 14, 2013 9:48 am

Not sure how the D60 up front holds up for pullers?

This maybe something to consider aswell? Looks like they don't have an actual dodge kit but i am sue it wouldn't be hard to make it work.

http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?route=p ... uct_id=170
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Re: anti wrap front leaf spring for first gen pullers

Postby 9312v » Mon Dec 09, 2013 6:35 pm

The knuckles shouldn't be a issue, the only weak link that I could see would be the 30 spline lock outs, and maybe stub shafts.
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