So I'm new to the 4x4 community and my live axle knowlege has been limited to muscle cars an NASCAR. I'm just curious because I noticed the X has no trailing arms and it seems the rear axle is located only by the springs, driveshaft, and sway bar. Is this normal? I always thought that a live axle setup had to have trailing arms to locate the axle and provide support as well as a pivot point for the axle.

Yeah -its normal...the leaves control the motion the way arms would on a coil sprung rig.

Coils only control up/down motion, so additional control points, such as arms, connect to control lateral and fore/aft movement, are required.

If you think about it...the leaves are connected infront of, and behind the axle, and, control fore/aft motion as arms would, as the leaves are essentially arms in that context.

The leaves are flat plates that resist lateral motion, allowing up/down, but inhibiting side to side motion, as a triangulated rear linkage would, and essentially function as an arm in that regard as well.

Think of the leaves as springy arms, and it might make sense.

Cool, thanks that clears that up!