RCCrawler Forums

Double J · 08-30-2006, 01:55 PM

I'm going to be making some leaf springs on a project I've been planning for a while. Well I've looked for straps from places like Lowes, Homedepot and things like that but they rarely use them any more (they now use nylon). I also Tried at the lawnmower repair type of places for coils although I found one about a month and a half ago it was difficult to get. since it was so difficult I continued to look for material to make my own leafs with..

Well to make a long story longer. I found a place that has just what we need.

Harbor Frieght

I was there today to pick up some JB weld and other items and came across this; kinda hidden within everything else hanging up.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=92515
They are light weight and should allow for some good flex and there is enough to double them up if you need more support.

At $4.99 not a bad deal.

xjman · 08-30-2006, 06:45 PM

Do you think those will hold their shape well enough?

Double J · 08-30-2006, 07:14 PM

I will try them out soon enough and let everyone see. +

Gula · 08-30-2006, 07:15 PM

X2

Yeah mine bend very easily and they are the juggy's

Only one way to find out Try and let us know and maybe i'll buy some too

scalecrawler · 08-30-2006, 07:21 PM

i cant wait to see how they turn out,cant wait to see how they turn out!

i just pulled some coils from an old engine, still not sure if i want to make some springs up yet, i think i will for another chassis i have.

RustyCrawler · 08-30-2006, 07:24 PM

i might have go to harbor freight

CPE MT · 08-30-2006, 07:33 PM

I haven't seen those particular ties, but I think you're going to want to use something that's made to spring back into shape. Those may end up being too flexible but at $4.99 they're worth a try though.

I'd start at www.mcmaster.com and purchase some spring steel.

Double J · 08-31-2006, 10:40 AM

They are thin. But what I was thinking is for a "scale" rig you usually have more than one leaf. Correct.
So that is what I was thinking of doing with these and should look sweet to, exspecially if I powder coat them black after there stacked. Maybe I'll make a pair to send to someone to test since I'm really far from even starting my scale rig.
Just need to get the lenght and height I need them to be.

jason · 08-31-2006, 10:43 AM

I think the main thing is that they aren't SPRING STEEL, and therefore won't have the properties of a spring.

Double J · 08-31-2006, 11:34 AM

I see what your saying.
They do actually feel springy but only one way to find out.. Try it, Test it, then test it more..

TLTCrawlin · 08-31-2006, 04:50 PM

I saw those but never thought about that! Good idea!

Destroyer · 08-31-2006, 08:51 PM

I've got a bunch of actual spring steel laying around here if you're interested...I collected it for my scale project, but I never got around to really starting it.

If you want any, I can cut it up the next time I am home and send it to you.

Double J · 09-01-2006, 08:48 AM

I actually have some but thanks for the offer.
I just found this and thought it could help others out and thought I would test it out soon. Actually sooner than later than I origonally thought.

Mad Scientist · 09-01-2006, 06:35 PM

I doubt they will have enough memory to really hold thier shape.

BUT - since they are thin and flexible, perhaps you can use a single Jugg spring and use these for extra leafs in the stack - just for asthetic purposes.

AdamF · 09-01-2006, 07:24 PM

I saw those at harbor frieght when I was looking for materials to make leafs.

They are too thin, you'd have to stack too many of them

they arent spring steel

What I found to be the perfect material (hopefully, havent used it yet) Is the recoil spring out of a pull start. You can snag them from an old lawn mower engine. The one I have is about 1/4" wide, and a good spring steel. You could probably get them for free at a lawn mower repair shop.

Kev808 · 09-01-2006, 08:29 PM

What about the coils used in a pull start for a nitro motor? Just a thought....

Ace · 09-01-2006, 08:32 PM

Good idea, also maybe mower start return springs...

Trike Kid · 09-01-2006, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev808

What about the coils used in a pull start for a nitro motor? Just a thought....

Too small.

Destroyer · 09-01-2006, 09:02 PM

Yup...tried a nitro motor coil...way too narrow and thin. They get bent out of shape easy. The best I have used is the coil off of an old gokart engine. Probably be the same as a mover coil.

Double J · 09-01-2006, 10:16 PM

That's what I found about a month ago is the return spring from a lawnmore. I have enought to do about 20 rigs it seems.

If they're to thin then, and won't hold the shape do you think a shorter stiffer spring in a stack would help it keep their shape? Giving it more flex? Kinda like the helper springs that you can get?
Just thinking out loud.

08-30-2006, 01:55 PM	#1
Double J I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: between heaven and hell. Posts: 3,367	Leaf spring material I'm going to be making some leaf springs on a project I've been planning for a while. Well I've looked for straps from places like Lowes, Homedepot and things like that but they rarely use them any more (they now use nylon). I also Tried at the lawnmower repair type of places for coils although I found one about a month and a half ago it was difficult to get. since it was so difficult I continued to look for material to make my own leafs with.. Well to make a long story longer. I found a place that has just what we need. Harbor Frieght I was there today to pick up some JB weld and other items and came across this; kinda hidden within everything else hanging up. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=92515 They are light weight and should allow for some good flex and there is enough to double them up if you need more support. At $4.99 not a bad deal.

08-30-2006, 07:24 PM	#6
RustyCrawler Quarry Creeper Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Spring,TX Posts: 206	hi i might have go to harbor freight

08-30-2006, 06:45 PM	#2
xjman Rock Crawler Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement Posts: 929	Do you think those will hold their shape well enough?

08-30-2006, 07:14 PM	#3
Double J I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: between heaven and hell. Posts: 3,367	I will try them out soon enough and let everyone see. +

08-30-2006, 07:15 PM	#4
Gula I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Here Posts: 2,324	X2 Yeah mine bend very easily and they are the juggy's Only one way to find out Try and let us know and maybe i'll buy some too

08-30-2006, 07:21 PM	#5
scalecrawler Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Snover, MI Posts: 301	i cant wait to see how they turn out,cant wait to see how they turn out! i just pulled some coils from an old engine, still not sure if i want to make some springs up yet, i think i will for another chassis i have.

08-30-2006, 07:33 PM	#7
CPE MT RCC Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Home of the ORIGINAL Terminator chassis Posts: 1,252	I haven't seen those particular ties, but I think you're going to want to use something that's made to spring back into shape. Those may end up being too flexible but at $4.99 they're worth a try though. I'd start at www.mcmaster.com and purchase some spring steel.

08-31-2006, 10:40 AM	#8
Double J I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: between heaven and hell. Posts: 3,367	They are thin. But what I was thinking is for a "scale" rig you usually have more than one leaf. Correct. So that is what I was thinking of doing with these and should look sweet to, exspecially if I powder coat them black after there stacked. Maybe I'll make a pair to send to someone to test since I'm really far from even starting my scale rig. Just need to get the lenght and height I need them to be.

08-31-2006, 10:43 AM	#9
jason R.I.P. Chip Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: The Crawler State Posts: 13,938	I think the main thing is that they aren't SPRING STEEL, and therefore won't have the properties of a spring.

08-31-2006, 11:34 AM	#10
Double J I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: between heaven and hell. Posts: 3,367	I see what your saying. They do actually feel springy but only one way to find out.. Try it, Test it, then test it more..

08-31-2006, 04:50 PM	#11
TLTCrawlin I wanna be Dave Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Eastern WA Posts: 2,489	I saw those but never thought about that! Good idea!

08-31-2006, 08:51 PM	#12
Destroyer Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North GA Posts: 824	I've got a bunch of actual spring steel laying around here if you're interested...I collected it for my scale project, but I never got around to really starting it. If you want any, I can cut it up the next time I am home and send it to you.

Sponsored Links

09-01-2006, 08:48 AM	#13
Double J I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: between heaven and hell. Posts: 3,367	I actually have some but thanks for the offer. I just found this and thought it could help others out and thought I would test it out soon. Actually sooner than later than I origonally thought.

09-01-2006, 06:35 PM	#14
Mad Scientist RCC Addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Saginaw Posts: 1,721	I doubt they will have enough memory to really hold thier shape. BUT - since they are thin and flexible, perhaps you can use a single Jugg spring and use these for extra leafs in the stack - just for asthetic purposes.

09-01-2006, 07:24 PM	#15
AdamF RCC Addict Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 1,673	I saw those at harbor frieght when I was looking for materials to make leafs. They are too thin, you'd have to stack too many of them they arent spring steel What I found to be the perfect material (hopefully, havent used it yet) Is the recoil spring out of a pull start. You can snag them from an old lawn mower engine. The one I have is about 1/4" wide, and a good spring steel. You could probably get them for free at a lawn mower repair shop.

09-01-2006, 08:29 PM	#16
Kev808 Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: DH Posts: 406	What about the coils used in a pull start for a nitro motor? Just a thought....

09-01-2006, 08:32 PM	#17
Ace Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO Posts: 901	Good idea, also maybe mower start return springs...

09-01-2006, 09:02 PM	#19
Destroyer Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North GA Posts: 824	Yup...tried a nitro motor coil...way too narrow and thin. They get bent out of shape easy. The best I have used is the coil off of an old gokart engine. Probably be the same as a mover coil.

09-01-2006, 10:16 PM	#20
Double J I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: between heaven and hell. Posts: 3,367	That's what I found about a month ago is the return spring from a lawnmore. I have enought to do about 20 rigs it seems. If they're to thin then, and won't hold the shape do you think a shorter stiffer spring in a stack would help it keep their shape? Giving it more flex? Kinda like the helper springs that you can get? Just thinking out loud.

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Thread: Leaf spring material