Fiberglass Leaf Spring WTF?

[RARECJ8]

Teraflex offers a fiberglass YJ replacement leaf spring-- claimed stronger and lighter than OEM application. here is some info. www.teraflex.biz

fact or bull crap?

mb
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FiberFlex Suspension System.
This is the ultimate YJ spring-over system available today. It is centered on Fiberglass mono leaf springs with TeraFlex spherical Flex joints. The FiberFlex kit offers unparalleled road & highway handling for the trip to the trail. Off road the FiberFlex kit offers the offroad articulation to get you through the toughest trails, while maintaining superior axle-wrap control even under the steepest of climbs or high torque situations.
The sytem is designed to provide 5" of total lift, and will allow up to a 35" x 12.50" tire to be used. For users with existing spring-over kits, a base lift kit is available to replace only the necessary components.

The FiberFlex system requires some modifications. The Soft Rate Complete system is designed for a light weight vehicle that doesn't carry a heavy load. This system moves the stock mounting brackets back 3" in order for the springs to fit. The Heavy Duty Rate Complete system is designed for a fully loaded vehicle with a rack, gas cans, tools, etc. and utilizes the stock location.

The FiberFlex suspension system comes with the TeraFlex lifetime warranty on defects.

Soft Rate Complete System Part# 001131446
Soft Rate Spring (sold individually) Part# 001815446
Heavy Duty Rate Complete System Part# 001131440
Heavy Duty Rate Spring (sold individually) Part# 001815400

[Dirty Harry]

I saw them at the SEMA show and Petersen's recently tested them. I asked about how they hold up and Teraflex seemed convinced that they would hold up in the rocks, but we shall see. The prototypes I saw had metal "sliders" to protect the fiberglass, but Tera said that these were not necessary and are not on the production units. I give them props for trying something different and continuing to develop products for the YJ.

[RARECJ8]

thanks DH for the reply. I'm in the market for some YJ springs for the CJ's rear-- need 'em bad-- the old junkers i have are about shot and are not even level... the dreaded CJ list to driver's side. The fiberglass spring seems like an original idea and just might work. if successful, just another cool product ahead of its times. Who would have thunk it? Fiberglass leaf springs... lighter, stronger...hummm, we'll see... Guess until all the bugs are worked out, i'm stuck looking for some stock YJ pax. Reno auto wreckers have a lot of jeep stuff and i recall several YJ pax lying here and there--- maybe thats the solution. Or maybe a short add-a-leaf on the sagging side...

ideas?

mb

[Dirty Harry]

I noticed that in the full meal deal kit from Teraflex they don't have a traction bar, which leads me to believe that the fiberglass springs *may* control axle wrap better than traditional leaf springs. I only say that because they addressed the steering and other components in the lift kit and think that they would have added a traction bar if one was necessary.

[dane]

thanks DH for the reply. I'm in the market for some YJ springs for the CJ's rear-- need 'em bad-- the old junkers i have are about shot and are not even level... the dreaded CJ list to driver's side. The fiberglass spring seems like an original idea and just might work. if successful, just another cool product ahead of its times. Who would have thunk it? Fiberglass leaf springs... lighter, stronger...hummm, we'll see... Guess until all the bugs are worked out, i'm stuck looking for some stock YJ pax. Reno auto wreckers have a lot of jeep stuff and i recall several YJ pax lying here and there--- maybe thats the solution. Or maybe a short add-a-leaf on the sagging side...

ideas?

mb

This is gonna be left field as hell, but you might as well get used to it from me. On the back of my CJ5 I ran a mix of Mazda B2000 2wd rear leaf springs with my cj lift pack. The mazda main leaf is longer and softer, but the cj "overloads" gave the pack the strength it needed. Also, I believe the packs are the same width so no changes in spring hangers or shackles. Im sure this sounds jackass as hell, but the rear of my jeep flexed like nobodys business. You will most likely need a trac bar with this setup, but it worked out well for me, and I would probably do it again in the back of another CJ.

Dane

[RARECJ8]

due to weight issues, custom shackles and axle perches, i am stuck w/ YJ pax out back. to confuse matters, i'm running double military warp rear CJ pax up front...

mb

[Sierra Valley]

Mark,

I got a line on some YJ leaf springs, let me know if you want em.

[Samco Fab]

Mono leaf has the advantage of no friction between leafs. No friction leads to a more responsive suspension that rides better in smaller choppy rough stuff such as washboard roads or rocky dirt roads that beat you up. The mono leaf would ride more like a coil spring rig, and if they hold up could be a really good setup. It would still ride like crap if you had the wrong shock valving.

I could see them breaking if you dropped the Jeep onto a rock, or gouged and nicked the surface on rocks.

[Dirty Harry]

The mono leaf would ride more like a coil spring rig, and if they hold up could be a really good setup. It would still ride like crap if you had the wrong shock valving.


It would ride like a coil spring with a linear rate too, since the literature I saw said that the fiberglass leaf springs do not have a progressive spring rate. That kind of surprised me since the thickness is not consistent throughout the leaf.

[Lumpy]

THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF IT WORKS OUT. IF THEY BROKE WOULD THEY SHREAD UP LIKE THE REGULAR STUFF???

[RARECJ8]

Mark,

I got a line on some YJ leaf springs, let me know if you want em.

hook me daddy and suds are in ur future!

mb

[NVScouter]

THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF IT WORKS OUT. IF THEY BROKE WOULD THEY SHREAD UP LIKE THE REGULAR STUFF???

Interesting, but I guess it depend on how the fibers are placed. When a leaf goes it either bends at the weak point or just snaps. These might shred if all the threads are in one dirrection, or they might split giving some sag but driveable to get you home. They might also just snap or shootsideways if the weak areas are the centers of the pack, especialy if they fail at full flex/stretch.

Should be something to watch. Anybody want to shave a couple pounds off thier rig :Big Grin:

[WillyJ]

Anybody want to shave a couple pounds off thier rig :Big Grin:


couple??? ......
couple thousand.

Now are these going to be strictly for jeeps due to the lighter weight or would a larger/longer fiberglass leaf give a full the size the same benefits?

Or is that too much area and weight for the design to handle?

[NVScouter]

Just like fiberglass bows you can make em stronger but they get bigger. I highly doubt they would make these anytime soon for a rig that "could possibly" have any hitch weight.

Hell in WI I saw a Tahoe with like 10-12" lift and 37-38s towing a trailer and the driver couldnt see over the hood. He was stinkbugged so bad he had to look out the door window to see the freeway. Very scarry, I hit the gas and left that disaster waiting to happen far behind.

A company cant rely on their customer's common sense no matter how many disclaimers they write.

[dane]

I wonder how these would react with full hydro?? The reason I mention it is that usually there is more side stress and if the fiberglass is "wrapped?" properly to prevent a shearing effect from the power of the hydro??

Dane

[NVScouter]

Good point. That would be funny to watch somebody else's main leaf explode into little fibers during a slushbox/sluice obsticle.