Can someone explain this leaf spring?

[rockfordpi]

Traded for this 96 DS. Have never seen a leaf spring like this. Is this an aftermarket, stock, or a homemade spring?

It bends almost 90 degrees in back and has a bend in front. Cart has a Jakes spindle lift kit and front suspension looks like others I have seen.

Cart has been hit in the rear, but not hard enough to bend the spring that way.

[Nsane]

That rear spring looks messed up to me, like something or someone bent it.

[classycarts]

I've seen some bent like that on a ezgo mara 6"lift before. But it was the result of a full speed in reverse to full speed forward shift to pull a wheelie. It only took one time to bent them into a S.

[Rooster59]

Definitely bent. By mischief or intentionally.

[mrgolf]

Looks like it was bent to lift the cart.

[meimk]

That set of bends, front and rear of the axle, change the "tilt" of the axle. Not sure what they were going for, but by bending them that way they didn't really add anything to the height of the lift.

[rockfordpi]

Originally Posted by mrgolf

Looks like it was bent to lift the cart.

I thought about that, but the cart had a nice Jakes Lift Kit on it already, you can see the blocks on the rear axle anD the longer shackles. Here is the whole cart

[Rooster59]

Now that I have seen it on my computer screen I am certain that occurred due to the rear end impact. The rear step shoved the shackles forward and bent the springs like that. The bend is in the middle of the unsupported area forward and rear of the axle. The weakest point in the front half and rear half of the spring.

[rockfordpi]

Originally Posted by Rooster59

Now that I have seen it on my computer screen I am certain that occurred due to the rear end impact. The rear step shoved the shackles forward and bent the springs like that. The bend is in the middle of the unsupported area forward and rear of the axle. The weakest point in the front half and rear half of the spring.

After closer look, they have redone that far back frame cross member. The impact may have messed up the shackle mounts and they cut a few inches off the back of the frame (which shortened it). Then they had to bend the spring to make it fit.

You could be right, the impact could have bent it, but there is almost no damage to the rear body and I would have thought that the nature of the spring would be to straighten back out unless it was bent almost double.
Also, the bends in each spring seem identical.

Either way, it is not factory nor aftermarket. I may apply for a patent, LOL

[Rooster59]

Pretty sure it is the impact. Either the footrest hit the shackles or the impact came under the footrest. They could have replaced the foot rest. If they had to repair the frame it was a pretty stout impact.

I bought a 79 Marathon from a salvage yard that had a bent front axle. Both front springs were curved down more than stock just out from where the spring pack separates from the main leaf. The main leaf was bent under a good 15 degrees more than new ones. Springs will bend and not spring back if they are bent from the end toward the center. They are "springy" only in the direction they are supposed to be. An end impact will bend them.