Leaf spring pack build for my 00 green Ranger project

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Didn’t get to testing spring packs today, too much other stuff going on. I’m thinking I’ll clamp the different configurations together flip them upside down on my piece of 3/4” ply that I use for a floor jack, stand on it, and measure deflection. Also give it a little bounce to see how springy. Somehow I seem to remember that’s how I did it in the past to gauge differences now that I’m thinking about it. My center pins and spring plates came today though, so I’m pretty much ready to do the bushings and put these packs together once I decide which to go with.

 

[Blmpkn]

No. I don’t have any more time to play with this, my F-150 is now leaking gas somewhere above the gas tank and along with all of its other issues, my time is better used getting this Ranger done instead of fighting a losing battle with the F-150. If I can get it out of DD duty and slap a couple band-aids on it, I can limp it long enough to get the dump truck fixed (I hope), then I can do a major overhaul to the F-150. Right now too many things are going bad too fast on the F-150 and between winter, no garage, health issues, and all, I need a better DD. That is the Ranger. I’m deleting a few “wants” from my list of what needs done on the Ranger in favor of getting it back up sooner. I don’t need to add more work back in right now. All of the “wants” though, I’m leaving provisions to do something about those in the future electric power steering (I’m leaving the adapters in position and using -6AN so all I’ll have to do is make up the correct lines and mount the pump where I found room), electric fan (again, not a problem, I was planning it from the start), mirrors with puddle lights (yup, again, not a problem), some other electrical stuff…

No garage is the worst in winter some people don't realize how good they have it lol. Health problems too are no fun... hopefully you find some good luck soon and can finish some shit up and take a break.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

No garage is the worst in winter some people don't realize how good they have it lol. Health problems too are no fun... hopefully you find some good luck soon and can finish some shit up and take a break.

I could use some good luck and having the Ranger done and back on DD detail, my stress level of the Ranger project dragging and the F-150 dissolving from rust and age is through the roof which doesn’t help at all. I’m going to dive right into the next project, but the stress level will be much, much lower at that point. That’s key.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, seems we got a discrepancy… not sure I want to share my hurried chicken scratch but I don’t feel like trying to type it out in some sort of order. Think it’s kinda self explanatory, numbers on the left are the left leaf pack and on the right is the right leaf pack. Normal (top number) is relaxed/static. Compressed is with about 200# applied. Leaf packs were flipped upside-down on a 1/4” steel plate and the measurements were taken at the center pin. Clamped the packs together with a big C-clamp for testing.

Original pack had a long and short leaf. Since I used that long leaf in all configurations, I’m ignoring that it’s a long leaf and the “long“ leaf mentioned below refers to the old spare main that has been cut to an extra long leaf. The medium leaf came out of the old spare packs. + is used to designate what leafs were added to the original pack and - used to designate when I removed the original short leaf. All but the mains only I used the factory overload leaf as well.

Once I’m set on which pack layout, I’ll see if I can swap leafs between the packs and try to get a more even rate. Too many variables right now to try that.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

The more I think about it and the more I look at the numbers, I’m becoming convinced that 200# is not enough weight to get any meaningful flex numbers since deflection is roughly the same with all configurations. So far I haven’t been able to come up with a better testing method short of ending up with something pretty sketchy or trying to clamp packs together under the truck and weight them. While that is possible, I’m not sure how practical it is. Sounds like a good way to spend a lot of time screwing around.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, now I have a new problem. Haven’t settled yet on the pack composition, but I did burn out the old bushings today. Both front bushings, the sleeves were not salvageable. I tried, there was nothing left to them. Which leaves me the problem that I wanted to go poly and the poly bushings the tech archives says to use requires the sleeves. They fit too loose without the sleeves. Not sure how to overcome that, nothing is mentioned in the tech archives about what to do if the sleeves aren’t salvageable.

I also ran into the problem that the kit I thought was for the rear bushing and shackle seems to be for a 3” wide spring. I forgot to bring it up to the house or make a note of the part number, but I’ll check tomorrow. Might have to order the correct one, I made a note of the part numbers that will work for what I need. So that might have to be ordered.

Leafs are all prepped for new end pads and assembly though.

 

[Vindictus]

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMkz83sXR7vPCUPj7w-TDCw

I‘ll see about maybe some pics today, see how things go