doesn't the pinion rotate up though on launch? with the shorter leaves on the bottom of the stack, as the axle rotates, isn't it pushing the shorter, bottom leaves up into the top main leaf? how would clamps help anything there as it's trying to twist the axle upward? that motion would be pressing the leaves together anyway.

I thought you wanted the leaves on the back section so that as the front rotates upward, it helps to prevent the leaves from separating from each other?