I have been contemplating building a board from either a light weight automotive leaf spring or a single leaf from a leaf spring. I think you could get a spring that would perform similar to a loaded or trampa, but provide more space to arrange your components. The trucks could be mounted directly to the leaf spring. You could use a series of segmented ‘M’ style enclosures with three channels. Two side channels for batteries and a center channel for pbs and wiring. Then a flexible platform the length of the board bridging the segments and covering the center channel. This platform would be where you stand or you could just use bindings. Once I’m at my office I’ll post some drawings to clarify my vision if need be.
One potentential complication would be protecting the board from tortional forces applied to the length of the board due to the narrow width of its most significant structural component (the leaf spring). I think this could be addressed if needed. But I don’t know that this would be an unwanted ride characteristic.
Im also having a hard time finding a leaf spring with the right specs. I think I would prefer a single leaf but they usually aren’t sold this way. Also I might have to shorten the spring which would impact it’s rigidity probably by increasing it.
I actually kinda just did this. I used a leaf spring that was intended for a dropped front axle model a ford. I used it to make very low budget gbomb brackets
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They’re too long but I don’t notice any twist flex. They def flex up and down tho.
Leaf springs are relatively simple to manufacture just bands of steel
Deadly love it
Do it, it sounds fun to try
Once both sides are complete it will be interesting to see if the leaf spring sideways flex prevents some turning. Probably not noticable
Hmm also could bend the edges upward for MTB trucks imo this application if done right will be ideal for mountain boards
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I wanna try it. I’ll try finding a leaf spring at my parents house when I visit for Easter.
I’ve made a collaborative build with @longhairedboy using leaf spring
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX_xWjKF7e4/?taken-by=longhairedboy
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Even for regular trucks I think the spring ends will need to bent near zero degrees?
Did anything come of it? How did it handle your weight.
The idea is that the leaf spring would flatten under weight like a trampa.
Well… As you can tell by looking at the painting tape as the main component that is used to put everything together, it wasn’t much of a success. I know you should not have listened to our young but yet eccentric foreman Simon.
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Lol I was hoping that it transitioned into a more mature design.
yeah but when you stand on a trampa it isn’t flat? well mine isn’t…
Simon had a solid plan! I blame the customer.
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