[Outback]

The PO of my truck took the long overload leaf out of the OME leaf packs. I sitll have them. He pulled them to get rid of some of the "stink bug" effect and said that the ride was better with them out.

I feel like I am getting some axle wrap starting off from a complete stop. Should I put the long overload leafs back in or will it make any diiffeence in my perceived axle wrap??

The ride is pretty good now. I may need them back in when I begin towing this spring though.... Maybe. What is the opinion on them?

Jody.

 

[wvtaco]

newbie question- what is axle wrap? sorry, trying to learn.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I never took mine out. If you are going to be towing go ahead and put it back in.. it will effect the ride height by the thickness of the OL leaf.

The only way to completely get rid of spring wrap is with a traction bar, spring under of link it up. It is in the nature of spring over axle leaf set ups to wrap.
We are asking alot of a primitive design, piosition the axle, support the truck and transmit torque from the wheels to the frame.
I don't know if the OL spring will help you with your wrap issues. Unloaded it will not do much to stiffen the suspension. But when you start towing that extra OL will do alot of supporting.


To the second poster. Axle wrap is torque induced twisting of the leaf springs displacing the axles position. Commonly this is felt in automatics at stops and starts as the tranny shifts into 1st at a stop the increased torque will compress one leaf spring. This will cused the slip yoke to compress and will be felt as a bump when the brakes are released as the axle springs backinto position.

Severe axle wrap and cause the springs to permanently deform or become "S" shaped. This is usually from High trorque applications such as rock crawling with a severe gear reduction or simply a heavy foot on hill climbs. Wheel hop is another method of inducing this spring killing event.

 

[rojodiablo]

newbie question- what is axle wrap? sorry, trying to learn.

The motor turns the shaft, which turns the gears in the rear, which turn the tire. The shaft, differential, and leaf springs all "give" a little, and flex from the torque being pushed through them. This flex rebounds quickly, and sends a shockwave through the whole assembly, or most commonly, the back end "HOPS". Especially if you spin 'em around a corner or something. Some awesome threads in the previous pages related to this, and some ugly pics of what it can do in the worst case. Look through the old threads from the last 2 weeks.