Rear spring design parameters

Hoghead

Gold forum user
Messages
570
My rear springs have gone through several mods over the decades ranging from reverse arch to buckboard stiffl. I toned down the stiff version by removing a leaf last mod and now time for another revision

Searching indicates a rate of 190 lbs/in for street use??

An extra half leaf on the front and ditch the traction bars??

What to use between the leaves - teflon?

Anything special about the leaf clamps?

Shot peen each leaf and paint?

Any better bushings available?

Will inspect the frame bushings when I take the springs out today for another disc brake mod.
 

spmdr

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CAT Member
Messages
359
Just a suggestion....

...In the world of Tiger rear suspension.....

MORE rear suspension firmness FEELS Great until the time the rear breaks loose.

It's WAY easy to make the rear TOO stiff.

A bit tougher to keep it soft and the desired height....

...AND keep wheel hop at bay.....:rolleyes:

Good luck.

DW
 

Hoghead

Gold forum user
Messages
570
...In the world of Tiger rear suspension.....

MORE rear suspension firmness FEELS Great until the time the rear breaks loose.

It's WAY easy to make the rear TOO stiff.

A bit tougher to keep it soft and the desired height....

...AND keep wheel hop at bay.....:rolleyes:

Good luck.

DW

Hence my questions
 

sandy

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CAT Member
Messages
292
Struggled with the rears a lot as well. My car had some old CatClub springs or something like that. Someone might have the specs but I couldn't get them from the Manufacturer since they were privately making them for the club. They were a bit stiffer I'm told and used different (smaller) bushings. Where the hope was to remove more compliance and hop potential. Don't know if they helped as I never had the stock ones on it.

I ended up taking them to a leaf spring shop and had them rebuilt, which was clean paint, add leaf clamps, and re-grease/pads. Nothing really magical.

One thing I do not like is having to use a lowering block on them to get the ride height down as it really makes me think that it's a contributor to wheel hop.

I am going to try to make a couple of brackets (really fix) the traction master mounts that are on the car (cracked then badly welded) and fit a spring rod. The It will fix the axle wrap in one direction only but still allow free travel unlike the binding up traction masters. Ways to go before that gets done...

Sandy
 

Too Tech

Bronze forum user
Messages
40
To Sandy
Of course Dan makes a nice traction arrangement that bolts to the rear diff and attaches through a bushing to the X in the frame which solves all of your wheel hop issues.
Another route is to take your existing traction master bars, cut to length, weld a nut on the end and connect to a Caltracs Delta Link. The beauty of the Caltracs design is that under acceleration it locks up and acts as a traction bar, and when you go back to cruise or braking, it decouples and you are left with only your leaf spring rate for better ride and less harshness.

Rick
(Too Tech)
 

michael-king

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CAT Member
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4,132
Rick,

Have you got a photo? I was told once proper caltracs would hang to low for a street sunbeam.. You seem to have a hybrid caltrac/ traction bar solution.

The bolt on traction bars are a lot better than the weld ons as they dont tear the body. If you keep the front mount of the bolt ons loose enough to slide they dont overstiffen the spring rate.. Also proper bushes rather than rubber on the rear mounts stop them binding.

Dans torque arm seems a great option ( i have one but yet to install) though there is conjecture if it causes rear to lift under heavy braking.

Of course there are always slapper bars...

Or we could be less powerful or more gentle... But what fun is that? :D
 

sandy

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
292
To Sandy
Of course Dan makes a nice traction arrangement that bolts to the rear diff and attaches through a bushing to the X in the frame which solves all of your wheel hop issues.
Another route is to take your existing traction master bars, cut to length, weld a nut on the end and connect to a Caltracs Delta Link. The beauty of the Caltracs design is that under acceleration it locks up and acts as a traction bar, and when you go back to cruise or braking, it decouples and you are left with only your leaf spring rate for better ride and less harshness.

Rick
(Too Tech)
I have a 9" in my Tiger so the DW torque arm won't work. I think it's solvable problem in a few different ways. I'm not sure how the Delta links would work, don't really like that it looks like it allows the axle to rotate but not sure how they actually work so have to reserve judgment. The spring are similar to the old traction bars but are free in one direction and sprung in the other. They will stop hop in one direction, which I think is braking but I have to think about all the mechanics again. All stuff to do...

Sandy
 

Too Tech

Bronze forum user
Messages
40
Caltracs offers a Low Profile version !
This is the version that I used on our green autocrosser / track car with good results. Almost zero wheel hop and decouples when off the gas (like a slapper bar but so much more refined). I'm also putting it on my show car because axle windup is a big problem when using softer springs for ride comfort.
This system was designed years ago and is still a great piece today. Everything is adjustable through initial application setting. And the overall intensity of the leaf spring locking can be adjusted by the length of the strut mount at the rear axle. When using the Low Profile Version, the shortened strut mount is theoretically correct.
I plan on writing a technical article about this system for Tiger tales soon.
 

sandy

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
292
Interesting, will await the article to see more how it all works.

Sandy
 

canbeam

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
153
Best handling Tiger I have ever owned.

• Torque Arm made by Dan Walters
• 450 # Front Springs from Dales Restorations
• 190 PPI Torque Rear Leaf Springs from Dales Restorations
• 15’ Panasport Wheels with Toyo R888 performance tires
• KONI Shocks with 12" Wilwood Disc Brakes front and rear


I'm putting on Dale's complete front end in the coming weeks, as I've heard nothing but good things about it, and looking forward to a Tiger that turns properly. The Wildwood brakes stop the car nicely as well.....
 

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