How well do flexomatic springs flex?

[caseyj10]

Anyone know/have pictures of how well flexomatic rear springs flex? anyone remove the weird overload shackle on them and replace them with normal shackles?

[sargentrs]

This is an older pic of my F100. The flexomatic system was designed to mimic the characteristics of shortening/lengthening your leaf springs and stiffening the rear suspension relative to the load you are carrying. With no load in the bed, it pretty much does nothing and gives you the characteristics of having a long, flexible rear spring configuration. The heavier the load you carry, the flexomatic bracket engages the spring closer to the axle, essentially shortening the spring and stiffening the suspension. You can see what would happen if you removed the flex bracket and just dropped your rear spring eye into the shackle. You would have to lower your axle quite a bit, thereby raising your rear, to get the eye to seat in the shackle. This would, in turn, probably change your pinion angle by twisting the differential forward and upward. If you're going to remove the flex bracket you should probably get shorter springs or relocate the rear shackle to compensate for the drop of the axle. As a note, the way mine is sitting right now, I can't make that flex bracket move hardly at all by bouncing on the rear of the frame. I weigh 250+# so it takes a considerable load for the flex to function. However, I do have new bushings in my springs now so it could be pretty tight.