Leaf springs lead a tough life. They are faced with the dual responsibility of both locating and suspending axles. Over thousands of cycles, leaf springs eventually fatigue and either sag or break. Whether on a high-speed desert-runner or creepy-crawly trail rig, leaf packs are subjected to stress sufficient to send springs curled up and whimpering to the proverbial corner.
Advanced Off-Road Research of Grand Junction, Colorado, hit a winning chord with the invention of new technology to eliminate the age-old problem of twisted, fatigued leaf springs. Dubbed the Orbit-Eye, this spherical bearing is similar to the Heim joints that make linkage suspensions long on both performance and durability. Orbit-Eyes were designed specifically to stand up to the stress experienced by spring eye bushings.
The Orbit Eye works to alleviate the problems that arise with today's rigs and the greater wheel articulation that they offer. When the spherical bearings twist instead of the leaf springs, the result is a leaf pack that lives longer and can move more freely. Since the springs are free to stuff and droop without twisting laterally, inter-leaf friction is reduced and suspension action becomes smoother. Since traditional leaf packs inherently act as antisway bars, Orbit-Eye springs may be ordered with a traditional urethane bushing in one of the ends for a great combination of street stability and off-road suspension flex.
We took an '85 Toyota pickup that was already trial-worthy and kicked up the performance factor several notches.
 AOR can supply leaf springs...  AOR can supply leaf springs in a variety of custom lengths. We chose AOR's 54-inch rear leaf pack for our Toyota trail truck. The springs will mount on top of the axle in the OEM manner. The added inches (stock length is 48 inches) will let the springs flex better and comply with twisty terrain. Racing or prerunning applications can use 62-inch Orbit-Eye springs, which mount under the axle and offer maximum uptravel. |  Here's the key to it all....  Here's the key to it all. AOR developed the Orbit-Eye after experiencing toasted urethane eye bushings while out 'wheeling some of Colorado's trickiest trails, such as 21 Road. This spherical bearing rotates inside a molybdenum-disulphide socket. The compound is self-lubricating and long-wearing, but high-quality grease can add even greater smoothness and wear resistance. The Orbit-Eye is held in place with threaded spacers that tighten into place with a spanner wrench. We asked AOR owner Kevin Grove how long Orbit-Eyes typically last. "We don't know," he said. "As long as we've been testing and selling them, we've never seen one wear out." The Orbit-Eye assembly fits tightly inside the spring eye, but the spherical bearing assembly is given added security by a plug weld between the spring and the Orbit-Eye sleeve. |  Orbit-Eyes need extra space...  Orbit-Eyes need extra space to articulate, so wider spring hangers and shackles are used in place of the stockers. |
 Our test mule is an '85 Toyota...  Our test mule is an '85 Toyota Xtracab 4x4. This particular model is highly desirable among Toyota trail runners because '85 was the last year of the solid front axle, and the first year of an available fuel-injected 22RE motor. Owner Lynn Harrington had already added several goodies to make the 'Yota trail-capable. Among those goodies are Hy-Steer crossover steering, 35-inch tires, and Rancho RS-9000X front shocks. |  We took our Orbit-Eye springs...  We took our Orbit-Eye springs and Toyota test mule to the off-road experts at T&J Performance Center. Technician Steve Wilson situated the red 'Yota on one of many shop lifts, plucked the wheels from the chassis, and went about the disassembly. An air gun made pulling stubborn shackle bolts a painless process. |  Wilson cautioned that one...  Wilson cautioned that one of the most overlooked details of a suspension upgrade is brake line length. Length, as in "usually too short." Harrington had already added longer-than-stock brake lines to his Toy', so we decided to go ahead with the install and cycle the new suspension to see whether or not new brake lines were necessary. |