Coils or leafs on front axle for drag racing?

JoeDaddy · Oct 17, 2012

I have the option for either, which is better?

Ecswb solid axle 6000#

SouthFlstrokin' · Oct 17, 2012

I would say a 4 link coil system

09stroker · Oct 17, 2012

I'm pretty sure coils would be lighter.

JoeDaddy · Oct 17, 2012

Sorry, it would be a simple 2 link but what Im looking for is pros or cons of one v the other. Weight aside.

JoeDaddy · Oct 23, 2012

Bump.....

Spatel23 · Oct 23, 2012

assuming its 4wd I would guess coils because the front leafs would want to wrap at launch.

Im no expert, just what I would assume.

Dzchey21 · Oct 23, 2012

Weight is a big deal and leafs would not help that plus like Shone mentioned wrap would also need to be controlled so you would need too add some more weight to control it.

JoeDaddy · Oct 23, 2012

That's seems logical. It is 4wd and will be solid mount with little travel, maybe 6-8" with very little ramp flex, 4-6".

SouthFlstrokin' · Oct 24, 2012

Pros of coil system.

Weight

Different spring rates

Lower ride height

More adjustability

Need I go on?

Layson · Oct 24, 2012

Leaf springs are real simple to and hard to mess up. Still ride good with a good set of shocks. It is very simple to just twist some adjustment screws on a set of shocks to change overall driving characteristics.

Coil springs you have to either change out your old axle for a newer one or make some mounts on the axle and some buckets for the springs, probably a newer steering box. Then you have to fabricate your setup whatever you are going to run, 4-link 3-link. If it is a dedicated dragster than you don't really have to worry about how the the truck behaves out in the real world. If you do than it will be alot more challenging than a leaf spring setup and far more expensive.

It is real hard to mess up a leaf spring setup, just my opinion.

JoeDaddy · Oct 24, 2012

What about handling at the big end. I'm aiming for 120+ trap speeds. When the nose goes down how badly will the truck react to the track bar shift? I'm planning on lengthening the bar for less shift but "gas on" to " brake on" is a bad time to get a sideways hift at 120 mph.... No?

Have any of you noticed this on your trucks?

JoeDaddy · Oct 24, 2012

Layson said:
Leaf springs are real simple to and hard to mess up. Still ride good with a good set of shocks. It is very simple to just twist some adjustment screws on a set of shocks to change overall driving characteristics.

Coil springs you have to either change out your old axle for a newer one or make some mounts on the axle and some buckets for the springs, probably a newer steering box. Then you have to fabricate your setup whatever you are going to run, 4-link 3-link. If it is a dedicated dragster than you don't really have to worry about how the the truck behaves out in the real world. If you do than it will be alot more challenging than a leaf spring setup and far more expensive.

It is real hard to mess up a leaf spring setup, just my opinion.

Its going to be a DD and work/hauling truck. And possibly compete in pulls, drags and dyno.
The fab is a clean canvas, the truck is currently 2wd and the donor is a KP D60 so I have most of what I need to do either. I've pretty much settled on the coils and have already drawn a couple mock-ups for retaining the radius arm and coils. Now I'm just looking for a reason why it might be a bad Idea.

09stroker · Oct 24, 2012

JoeDaddy said:
Now I'm just looking for a reason why it might be a bad Idea.

If you don't do geometry, don't do coils. LOL

JoeDaddy · Oct 24, 2012

?????

Layson · Oct 24, 2012

Death wobble? or bump steer? That would be the biggest problem if you messed up the geometry.

If you can swing it I would roll the coil front end.

Dzchey21 · Oct 24, 2012

JoeDaddy said:
What about handling at the big end. I'm aiming for 120+ trap speeds. When the nose goes down how badly will the truck react to the track bar shift? I'm planning on lengthening the bar for less shift but "gas on" to " brake on" is a bad time to get a sideways hift at 120 mph.... No?

Have any of you noticed this on your trucks?

My truck drives nice and straight even at the big end and my truck was wrecked before hand

co04cobra · Oct 24, 2012

I havent dealt with the coils on the competition side of things, but it seems like they have a harder time controlling hop when pullin.

Anybody else noticed this?

Hotrodtractor · Oct 25, 2012

co04cobra said:
I havent dealt with the coils on the competition side of things, but it seems like they have a harder time controlling hop when pullin.

Anybody else noticed this?

I believe that hop to not be an issue with the coils themselves, but more of an issue with the entire setup. Hop when pulling is generated by something in the system that allows energy to build up to the point where the system can no longer contain it and it is suddenly released - you control that hop by reducing the amount of energy that can be stored, by increasing the release point of that energy, by controlling the release rate of that energy, or a combination of all of the above. Energy in this system is stored in the coils, the radius arm bushings, the tire sidewalls, and even a little in component flex. The release point is determined by how much the tires can grip the track to maintain the stored energy. The release rate is controlled mostly by the shocks and the bite of the tires to the track.

Joe - the track of the vehicle won't change under the small amount of movement you suggest if you maintain good geometry on your track bar and your drag link. A good rule of them is to make them both the same length and parallel to each other - then they will follow the same basic path throughout the motion of the front end and keep you going in the same direction as you intended no matter how much or how little your front end suspension is compressed.

Layson · Oct 25, 2012

How do you make them the same length on a stock height or lowered truck and be parallel?

JoeDaddy · Oct 27, 2012

Hotrodtractor said:
Joe - the track of the vehicle won't change under the small amount of movement you suggest if you maintain good geometry on your track bar and your drag link. A good rule of them is to make them both the same length and parallel to each other - then they will follow the same basic path throughout the motion of the front end and keep you going in the same direction as you intended no matter how much or how little your front end suspension is compressed.

Unfortunately they are different lengths. I'll see what I can do to change that. I looked at some top 3pt links today at tractor supply and I'll prolly go that route. Thanks Jason!