What Exactly Does An AAL Do?

[Robb]

Ok, AALs create lift and stiffen the pack. Do they do this by actually slightly re-arcing the pack? Or does the extra leaf just increase the spring rate, therefore the pack doesn't sag as much under load? Or something else?

If the second is true, what seperates an AAL from a leaf pulled from another pack with the same width, thickness, and approx. arc?

Just wondering...............

 

[SteveVB]

Originally posted by Robb
Ok, AALs create lift and stiffen the pack. Do they do this by actually slightly re-arcing the pack? Or does the extra leaf just increase the spring rate, therefore the pack doesn't sag as much under load?

Yes- AALs re-arch AND increase the spring rate. The AALs Ive seen are usually thicker than the springs in the pack.
Adding a leaf will always increase spring rate all else equal- I think the AALs have to be thicker so they can provide more arch to the existing pack.

The Ranchos that I installed were much more arched than the stock springs, some of that dissappears when everything is clamped and bolted together.

Hope that helps

 

[Robb]

Thanks Steve! That is kinda what I was thinking.

I thought my money situation was looking good enough for custom leaf packs, but now it isn't looking that way. So I am back to playing around with the packs I have.

 

[gavin]

I will say, they don't always affect the arch of the spring pack. When I installed the AALs on my Bronco2, the arch did not change at all (a bit of negative arch). Definately stiffened the ride and whatnot.
And yeah, they are quite a bit thicker than stock leaves

 

[Hokie]

Its pretty obvious that my 2 AAL's have a different radius than the other leaves in the pack. Also, they are pretty thick when compared to the other leaves. You get lift with a firmer ride and less flex/articulation being the drawbacks. I need to pull out one of the leaves b/c it rides too stiff with a double AAL + 4 door leaves in my light in the butt/short wheelbase Sport.

 

[Muskrat]

Namitey's were not very thinck, I don't think, Robb, why dont you hunt around a yard, and look for a set of overload springs out of a pick up, I would give you the ones I have, well, sortof, but I brok one in half. If you want, I'll give you that

 

[Robb]

Thanks for the replys guys!

I have an extra set of Waggy leafs sittin around that I meant to take a couple from and try in my YJ pack today, but time was lacking. Both are the same width and thickness, but the arch is completely different (Waggy is much flatter). So, my plan tommorrow, time permitting, is to take two leafs from the Waggy pack and put them in the YJ pack. This will create a 7 leaf pack, which from the spring rate calculators I have used, should work out. Since these two leafs have a flatter arch, they shouldn't make the arch of the total pack any higher (which is a good thing). Hopefully, they will increase the spring rate without increasing the arch or overall, eye to eye, length of the pack.

Well, this is how it will work in my mind, but of course, it is slack and a little bias.

 

[Muskrat]

Air bags

I have a set of those used in coach buses, still thinking of a use though

 

[Robb]

Originally posted by Muskrat
Air bags

Hmmmm........maybe if I got big enough bags, I could "lay frame"

 

[Muskrat]

well, these provide 12" or so on a greyhound bus, I wanted to use them in place of springs, thaan I figured it would have just been dumb, but that was back in my B2 days

 

[tomblin1]

I inspected a 2001 Chevy C1500 that was a recovered theft. It was recovered in Yuma, AZ near the Mexico border.

The thieves had actually added an ADDITIONAL 6 leafs in the rear to carry to increased load in the bed without the obvoius sagging. What do you think this was used for?

Smuggling illegals into the country. Left over tortillas and beans (not kidding) in the bed confirmed it. I can only imagine how stiff that ride was. We are truly lucky to live in the greatest country on the planet.