J.C. Whitney waggy Springs Suck!!!!

[Timbuddha]

This weekend was my first real hardcore run to test out the new SAS. Our local club, the Inland Empire Four Wheelrs took a bunch of Hammers Newbies (myself included :newbie: ) up Aftershock. Holy freaking cow , this was some awesome wheeling! This trail was a lot harder than anything I have ever run before with several breakages (mostly Jeeps), but I did have some problems as well, with my powersteering pump either taking a dump or there is a leaky hose, my freaking t-case is leaking again, but the most frustrating was my front leaf springs. Now I run 7 leaf waggy springs no bump stops with 12 inch bilstein 5100s and the Hammers ate them up and spit them out for breakfast. My passenger side spring is all S shaped :flipoff1: and on the driver's side, I landed on rock near the shackle and it bent the freaking spring! :flipoff2: For those of you contemplatng the J.C Whitney waggy springs, don't do it :banghead: . They are not military wrapped which probably makes them flex pretty well, but they can't take the hits. For $216 shipped, I probably should have invested in some Marlin or All-Pro springs. Oh well, just thought I would share my experience.

[joe_mauma]

I've wheeled mine atleast 20+ times, and no problems yet...

[Timbuddha]

I will agree that up to this point they have been great but most of the trails I have done until now with the SAS have been like Big Bear trails, not exactly places where they are going to get a work-out. The reason I didn't go with the 44044s is because I didn't need the extra height. Guess its back to the drawing board.

[YUNADERIS]

try the all pro springs... Mil wrapped and a good price for a quality spring

i think Bigbadbob is running the 5 inch lift ones..... he is lower than me with my ranchos and body lift.....

[joe_mauma]

Thats weird, might be the weight of your engine causing them to S-shape. Seems like the driver side would s-shape first cause of the weight. I've ran mine on some twisty ass trails with tires fully stuffed with the others leaving the ground and they're still arched. I've also had mine parked on forklifts and RTI ramps for a good hour.

I'll keep an eye on mine, hopefully they hold up. If you find a good solution that gives about the same amount of lift, please share!

[Timbuddha]

I'm going to talk to Jon Bunderant, owner of All-Pro. He was out with us yesterday and I know he can help me out with a set of springs. I believe they are the same price as the J.C. springs. I really like the ride of the J.C. springs, but if they are just going to bend and crap, they are gone. I think we need a TTORA Hammers Jamboree. Aftershock was sweet!!! If that was the mildest of the Hammers trails, I can't wait to someday wheel the rest of them!

[Timbuddha]

I need to drop my body lift as well. I am like Todd, waggy springs with a 3 inch body. I need to lower my COG.

[YUNADERIS]

then you are a bit higher than me.....i would ditch my 2 inch body lift, but then i would need to address the following :bumpers, sliders, shock towers.. all of which were built for the truck with a 2 inch body lift

[joe_mauma]

I wouldn't mind hitting up the hammers, I'm only a couple hours away so wouldn't be too bad of a drive. Maybe it's something we can plan for in the spring.

Wish I could chop my bodylift as well, but at this point it would be a pain in the ass since I have front and rear bumpers and sliders welded on.

[Timbuddha]

That is why you and I need a plasma cutter. I know I need to get lower, but you are right, it is a lot of freaking work.

[PappaF2]

ya my jc whitney waggy springs are shot as well. They were fine until I came off a rock and put a rock into one. It is now S shapped. I made a hybrid pack with some more waggy springs, problem was no goo spring clamps and they fan out. ALso they have gone S shapped already. I think military wrap with good clamps is the key to leaf spring survival. I would suggest the Marlin springs as most people I have heard of have had problems with the allpro springs now that they are made south of the border. But I think with either of those springs you should be fine. The problem with those nice new springs is that they will give us body lifted folk too mich lift. So there is a dilema of that. One thought is to rework the front shackle hanger to be sunk up into the frame more but that would take a lot of work and ingenuity. They other thing is to maybee get a nice set of springs made custom so that they are millitary wrapped and sit level but are burly enough not to go S.
I have still not taken care of my spring dilema yet, I had to go and give myself some more important priorities... :rolleyes:
Glad you had fun at the hammers, got pix??
I am itchen for a hammers trip sometime this upcoming year! :D

[Timbuddha]

I hear you about priorities. I was stupid and decided that I needed to go back to school to get my masters. Not a real wise decision when I had just finished the SAS and wanted to wheel. Each week seems to bring a new problems with this rig, but I am sure that once the bugs get worked out it will be all good. Thanks for the tip on Marlin. That is a hard decision for me since All-Pro is like 45 minutes from my house, so I wouldn't have to pay shipping.

[BigBadBob0]

I've run AP 5", Waggy custom and now AP 4". I've bent the 5" and the waggy. The 4" has only been on one trip (takeover+rubicon). Bottom line is: All leaf springs bend, twist and turn into esses. I think a heavy right foot greatly exaggerates the bottom line.

The AP 4" is significantly shorter than the Waggy pack. You'll have to redo your shackle hangar (move it forward) or suffer a "negative" shackle angle. The 5" is a tall spring. On the order of 44044. The 4", once you redo your shackle hangar, yields just about the same lift as a severely beaten waggy pack.

I replaced my waggy pack not because it had an S in it, but because the whole thing was a big wave. I figured failure was imminent and replaced ASAP after I noticed.

[joe_mauma]

Here is a recent thread from the pirate board on all pro springs...

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=310774

After reading post #2, sounds like Marlin is the way to go.

[awsumdc]

You of all people should have known better than to purchase J.C. wit stuff. Need to wheel with you again soon.

Wyatt

[Oppositeboy]

pics please Tim. :D

[Timbuddha]

You of all people should have known better than to purchase J.C. wit stuff. Need to wheel with you again soon.

Wyatt


Sorry Wyatt. From the info that I was given, they appeared to be some good springs that didn't give a lot of lift. If I had the bling bling that you do, I would have deaver make me a custom set, but for that price I can freaking have coilovers. I miss my So-Cal brothers. I need to make it to a run one of these days. I think the next run I am heading out on is the one hosted by the San Diego 4 Wheelers. I have always wanted to head down to the Superstition Mountain area as I have never been. If you aren't doing anything, the run is January 14-16. :o

[Timbuddha]

pics please Tim. :D


I will try to sent some tonight when I get out of class. :xdevil:

[Timbuddha]

pics please Tim. :D

Here are your pics my friendhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/Tacomatim16/s-shapedpassangerleaf.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/Tacomatim16/Bentdriversleaf.jpg
I have a set of Marlin springs on the way to replace these, but right now the truck drives like crap!

[Brain]

Looks like that first pic is fine. Here is a pic of my 44044's
http://www.norcalttora.com/~reynolds/random%20pics/Picture%20795.jpg

[Timbuddha]

What that pic doesn't show is the rest of the spring pack looks like a big "S". The driver's side main leaf is done. There is noting I can really do about that big freaking kink in the leaf and it is throwing off my allignment. Oh well, Marlin's are on their way.

[LunarTaco]

Now I run 7 leaf waggy springs no bump stops

Any spring is going to do this without bumpstops

[Timbuddha]

I think that was my point. I didn't run bumpstops, flexed the crap out of them and then pound them into oblivion by landing them on rocks while flexing the crap out of them. IMO they are too soft of a spring, they give no protection to the main leaf, and they are made in Mexico. Enough said.

[LunarTaco]

they are made in Mexico. Enough said.


so are all-pro's ;)

[Oppositeboy]

Here are your pics my friend
I have a set of Marlin springs on the way to replace these, but right now the truck drives like crap!

wicked! hehe That sucks. makes me glad my main leaf is super burly... unfortunately, I get no flex...

[Timbuddha]

That is why I went with Marlins. I send enough of my money overseas and if I have a clear choice, I will keep my money here. Besides, All-Pro didn't have any springs that I could use.