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There was a car with two transverse leaf springs, one above the other, with a ball joint at the end of each. Sort of a biplane spring.

What was it called? I'd like to see that.

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I remember seeing a picture of it many years ago in a magazine (before computers). I thought it was a cool idea but on closer thought, the spring would have to resist torsion as well when it deflected, hard to do with a flat spring shape.

I recall seeing a formula car from the late 50s/early 60s (Formula Junior maybe) that used a single transverse leaf spring as its upper arm. In that case the lower arm did most of the constraining.

I think you could do you two leaf idea if you added some trailing links to stabilize things.

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-Andrew
Build Log
Youtube

The "Biplane"

Here is the "monoplane" I saw a few years ago (well 2007...how time flies).




Not using ball joints and making it a kingpin setup probably helps to keep things from walking around. Plus it will be easier to add another link to help locate the suspension if necessary since the end of the spring won't be buried in the wheel. On a light car it could definitely work well.

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-Andrew
Build Log
Youtube

Thanks for posting those guys.

The McSorley framed biplane appears to be using 80s era ford ranger 4wd spindles.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Early '50s Formula 3. Most of them were Coopers.




http://images20.fotki.com/v113/photos/5 ... way-vi.jpg

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Larry in Seattle

The "monoplane" makes more sense. Imagine trying to eliminate bumpsteer on the biplane. Your outer tie rods would have to be flexible push-pull cables to match the spring curvature.

The spindles are actually a design I'm working on and is designed to use a hub/bearing unit from a Chev S10 FWD front, or C5 Corvette, whatever is easier to mate to the Ford IRS.

Completely off topic, but:


To help you out with that task, take a look at the Timken unit bearing catalog. It's from 2010, so it doesn't have some of the latest stuff in it, but it's a great start.
Follow link in this discussion:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6499&start=10


I'm not sure that either of the unit bearings you've talked about are particularly good choices. The S10 unit will be 27 spline, the C5 will be 30 spline. The data I found for Ford IRS halfshaft outer splines are that they're 29 spline. If 29 spline is accurate, your choices may be fairly limited. I think Nissan / Infiniti uses 29 spline in a few applications, but most of that stuff is 5 on 4.5" stuff. And I'm not sure if even that is compatible.

JustDreamin

It was also used on the AC Ace/Cobra 289, so was an ok set up for a small block powered car.

CS3 Did the Cobra have ball joints or king pins? I thought those cars were pre ball joint, like me

Have a look here: http://s158.photobucket.com/user/hawk289/media/FrontSussmall.jpg.html

And this one

It appears its a type of trunnion arrangment.