locating leaf spring sliders

[clementine]

Hey FABO!
I am getting near final welding in of leaf springs sliders and looking for advice. I have gas tank and exhaust mocked in with everything loose still. They are tacked into place now where i thunk they go. I read somewhere on this forum about having the rear hanger/ slider slightly splayed out. Can't remember why but my plan is to check to make sure they are close to being in same spot generally, put in drive line with a couple cinder blocks in back to make up for the absent rear glass and interior weight/gasoline, set my pinion angle, and when pulling diff for final welding (the leaf pads are not welded yet) make sure the leafs are not binding on the forward mounting holes/receptor/ cups. Is there anything im missing?

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

They want to be center/toward the rear of the slider so that they slide forward upon launch.
Mopar suspension pushes on the tires and the seemingly lifts..but its just rebounding from loading the tires/rear end.
You'll have to do trial and error to find the sweet spot, full weight.

 

[72bluNblu]

You don't want them splayed out unless you move the front hangers to match. You want the sliders to be inline with the springs so there's no binding. You also don't want them all the way at the front like they are now, the eye should be about 2/3 of the way back in the slot. Per the info below, they say " 1/2" rearward of the center of the slot".

The graphic does show the springs splayed out, BUT, you can't force that with just the sliders. You have to set the springs up at that angle, which means the fronts have to match. E-body and '71+ B body springs are splayed like that. Like everything with suspension, there are pros and cons to doing it that way. But on an A-body unless you change the fronts keep everything parallel.

Here are mine. They ended up a little further back than ideal when the springs finished settling out, but you can see they move forward more than they move back. Part of that is the zero arch springs on my car though.

 

[yellow rose]

You don't want them splayed out unless you move the front hangers to match. You want the sliders to be inline with the springs so there's no binding. You also don't want them all the way at the front like they are now, the eye should be about 2/3 of the way back in the slot. Per the info below, they say " 1/2" rearward of the center of the slot".

View attachment 1715653663

The graphic does show the springs splayed out, BUT, you can't force that with just the sliders. You have to set the springs up at that angle, which means the fronts have to match. E-body and '71+ B body springs are splayed like that. Like everything with suspension, there are pros and cons to doing it that way. But on an A-body unless you change the fronts keep everything parallel.

Here are mine. They ended up a little further back than ideal when the springs finished settling out, but you can see they move forward more than they move back. Part of that is the zero arch springs on my car though.
View attachment 1715653664

Hmmmmm...been thinking about sliders for a long time, but didn’t want to weld them to the frame. The bracket you made solves that issue. Wish I’d have thought of it.

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

This is with caltracs, good video for the same idea.

 

[72bluNblu]

Hmmmmm...been thinking about sliders for a long time, but didn’t want to weld them to the frame. The bracket you made solves that issue. Wish I’d have thought of it.

Yeah the bracket just bolts to the original shackle mount. With the slider even with the bottom of the frame horn the car ended up about 3/8” lower than with the stock shackles.

The bracket itself is just a 3”x3" x.125" tube cut at an angle with an 3/16” plate welded to the bottom. If I had it to do over again I'd make the bottom plate 4.25" long and cut a little different angle on the tubing, the slider ended up a little further forward than I'd planned. It is also offset a 1/2" to match my 1/2" offset DoctorDiff front hangers.

Calvert also makes springs sliders with a built in angle. Best practice would be to have the slot in-line with the angle of the leaf spring. The AFCO sliders I used have a flat slot, so ideally I would have built a bracket with a little angle. Or used the Calvert's, although the angle they use is generic.

 

[clementine]

great stuff here fellas. Thanks! Ill check everything before final weld. That is the diagram i remember seeing. The video is very informative although i am running a stacked spring at this time, but that may change so good info to have in the noggin and a lesson on the forces that affect the rear of the car. I'm just trying to get this thing up and running knowing there are changes in my future, of course, fewer changes would be good.

Thanks again!

 

[NCmtnDWELLER]

You don't want them splayed out unless you move the front hangers to match. You want the sliders to be inline with the springs so there's no binding. You also don't want them all the way at the front like they are now, the eye should be about 2/3 of the way back in the slot. Per the info below, they say " 1/2" rearward of the center of the slot".

View attachment 1715653663

The graphic does show the springs splayed out, BUT, you can't force that with just the sliders. You have to set the springs up at that angle, which means the fronts have to match. E-body and '71+ B body springs are splayed like that. Like everything with suspension, there are pros and cons to doing it that way. But on an A-body unless you change the fronts keep everything parallel.

Here are mine. They ended up a little further back than ideal when the springs finished settling out, but you can see they move forward more than they move back. Part of that is the zero arch springs on my car though.
View attachment 1715653664

Thank you

 

[NCmtnDWELLER]

Yeah the bracket just bolts to the original shackle mount. With the slider even with the bottom of the frame horn the car ended up about 3/8” lower than with the stock shackles.

The bracket itself is just a 3”x3" x.125" tube cut at an angle with an 3/16” plate welded to the bottom. If I had it to do over again I'd make the bottom plate 4.25" long and cut a little different angle on the tubing, the slider ended up a little further forward than I'd planned. It is also offset a 1/2" to match my 1/2" offset DoctorDiff front hangers.
View attachment 1715653669

Calvert also makes springs sliders with a built in angle. Best practice would be to have the slot in-line with the angle of the leaf spring. The AFCO sliders I used have a flat slot, so ideally I would have built a bracket with a little angle. Or used the Calvert's, although the angle they use is generic.

What is main benefit of slider over stock hanger with SS springs ?

 

[NCmtnDWELLER]

You don't want them splayed out unless you move the front hangers to match. You want the sliders to be inline with the springs so there's no binding. You also don't want them all the way at the front like they are now, the eye should be about 2/3 of the way back in the slot. Per the info below, they say " 1/2" rearward of the center of the slot".

View attachment 1715653663

The graphic does show the springs splayed out, BUT, you can't force that with just the sliders. You have to set the springs up at that angle, which means the fronts have to match. E-body and '71+ B body springs are splayed like that. Like everything with suspension, there are pros and cons to doing it that way. But on an A-body unless you change the fronts keep everything parallel.

Here are mine. They ended up a little further back than ideal when the springs finished settling out, but you can see they move forward more than they move back. Part of that is the zero arch springs on my car though.
View attachment 1715653664

Very nice fabrication

 

[72bluNblu]

What is main benefit of slider over stock hanger with SS springs ?

The stock shackles force the spring eye to travel in an arc when the springs compress and extend, which changes the suspension geometry as the height of rear eye changes relative to the front. The shackles also allow for more side to side movement because of the bushings and the lever arm. And the bushings have more resistance to movement.

The sliders keep everything moving in-line, reduce side to side flex and roll with much less friction. It’s not a night and day kind of change, but they’re more efficient and tighten things up at the same time.

Very nice fabrication

Thanks, I appreciate the compliment but I dunno how nice they are. They’re definitely not pretty. They do get the job done and are plenty strong enough. I’d do it a little differently if I was gonna do it again.

 

[Rat Bastid]

Yeah the bracket just bolts to the original shackle mount. With the slider even with the bottom of the frame horn the car ended up about 3/8” lower than with the stock shackles.

The bracket itself is just a 3”x3" x.125" tube cut at an angle with an 3/16” plate welded to the bottom. If I had it to do over again I'd make the bottom plate 4.25" long and cut a little different angle on the tubing, the slider ended up a little further forward than I'd planned. It is also offset a 1/2" to match my 1/2" offset DoctorDiff front hangers.
View attachment 1715653669

Calvert also makes springs sliders with a built in angle. Best practice would be to have the slot in-line with the angle of the leaf spring. The AFCO sliders I used have a flat slot, so ideally I would have built a bracket with a little angle. Or used the Calvert's, although the angle they use is generic.

Did the bracket you made change the ride height?

 

[NCmtnDWELLER]

The stock shackles force the spring eye to travel in an arc when the springs compress and extend, which changes the suspension geometry as the height of rear eye changes relative to the front. The shackles also allow for more side to side movement because of the bushings and the lever arm. And the bushings have more resistance to movement.

The sliders keep everything moving in-line, reduce side to side flex and roll with much less friction. It’s not a night and day kind of change, but they’re more efficient and tighten things up at the same time.



Thanks, I appreciate the compliment but I dunno how nice they are. They’re definitely not pretty. They do get the job done and are plenty strong enough. I’d do it a little differently if I was gonna do it again.

Thank you - I had sliders on a Fab 9 housing on Cal track bars in a 64 American but just wanted to make sure the Magical SS springs still function as designed.
My 66 Plymouth A body will be using the SS springs again thanks for input.

 

[72bluNblu]

Did the bracket you made change the ride height?

Yes. Because of the length of the shackles the slider brackets lowered the car about 3/8” to a 1/2”. Not a huge amount but it was noticeable.

Thank you - I had sliders on a Fab 9 housing on Cal track bars in a 64 American but just wanted to make sure the Magical SS springs still function as designed.
My 66 Plymouth A body will be using the SS springs again thanks for input.

The SS springs should work great with sliders, they should make the spring reaction a bit faster because of the reduced friction.

 

[Rat Bastid]

Yes. Because of the length of the shackles the slider brackets lowered the car about 3/8” to a 1/2”. Not a huge amount but it was noticeable.



The SS springs should work great with sliders, they should make the spring reaction a bit faster because of the reduced friction.

Lower is better for me. That bracket makes me consider sliders.

 

[Ottmundr]

You don't want them splayed out unless you move the front hangers to match. You want the sliders to be inline with the springs so there's no binding. You also don't want them all the way at the front like they are now, the eye should be about 2/3 of the way back in the slot. Per the info below, they say " 1/2" rearward of the center of the slot".

View attachment 1715653663

The graphic does show the springs splayed out, BUT, you can't force that with just the sliders. You have to set the springs up at that angle, which means the fronts have to match. E-body and '71+ B body springs are splayed like that. Like everything with suspension, there are pros and cons to doing it that way. But on an A-body unless you change the fronts keep everything parallel.

Here are mine. They ended up a little further back than ideal when the springs finished settling out, but you can see they move forward more than they move back. Part of that is the zero arch springs on my car though.
View attachment 1715653664

Do you have any drawings or notes on the fabrication for the slider mounts you made up? I have the materials (1/4" steel plate) sitting at work ready to be cut and welded. Never mind, I found your photo with dimensions. Thanks! I'll be looking to get these fabbed up in the near future!
Have you considered some shims to get that angle for the slider?

 

[72bluNblu]

Do you have any drawings or notes on the fabrication for the slider mounts you made up? I have the materials (1/4" steel plate) sitting at work ready to be cut and welded. Never mind, I found your photo with dimensions. Thanks! I'll be looking to get these fabbed up in the near future!
Have you considered some shims to get that angle for the slider?

Yeah, all I did was those dimensions, I really didn’t draw them up first I just got to cutting and welding.

I probably won’t shim them, I actually bought a set of the Calvert sliders that already have the angle built in so I’ll either use those at some point or weld up a set of brackets that have a built in angle. But they work fine as is, and they’re not exactly real high on my list of projects so I’ll probably be running them as is for quite awhile

 

[Rat Bastid]

Yeah the bracket just bolts to the original shackle mount. With the slider even with the bottom of the frame horn the car ended up about 3/8” lower than with the stock shackles.

The bracket itself is just a 3”x3" x.125" tube cut at an angle with an 3/16” plate welded to the bottom. If I had it to do over again I'd make the bottom plate 4.25" long and cut a little different angle on the tubing, the slider ended up a little further forward than I'd planned. It is also offset a 1/2" to match my 1/2" offset DoctorDiff front hangers.
View attachment 1715653669

Calvert also makes springs sliders with a built in angle. Best practice would be to have the slot in-line with the angle of the leaf spring. The AFCO sliders I used have a flat slot, so ideally I would have built a bracket with a little angle. Or used the Calvert's, although the angle they use is generic.

Looking at this picture, it looks like you have the slider 4 inches from the rear mount to the front of the end of the roller stop. Is that correct or am I looking at it wrong?

I‘m trying to get the slider located properly with no weight on the springs.

If I have your numbers wrong, how far forward should the end of the front of the slider slot be from the vertical mount??

TIA

 

[72bluNblu]

Looking at this picture, it looks like you have the slider 4 inches from the rear mount to the front of the end of the roller stop. Is that correct or am I looking at it wrong?

I‘m trying to get the slider located properly with no weight on the springs.

If I have your numbers wrong, how far forward should the end of the front of the slider slot be from the vertical mount??

TIA

The measurements are just on the bracket. The bottom plate of the bracket is 4" long. The front mounting holes for the slider are about a 1/4" from the end of the plate. The rear mounts of the slider are inside the rear outrigger of the frame. And mine could probably be mounted a good 1/4" to 3/8" further back, based on where the spring eye ended up after my springs settled.

So, just by the math I would say on the AFCO's at least you'd want the front mounting holes of the slider about 3 1/2" forward of the front face of the spring outrigger. At least for the AFCO springs I'm running...