Leaf Spring Information
Leaf spring is kind of spring. It is the suspension part of the vehicle. The purpose of installation is supporting load from chassis to axles and reducing vibration when driving so that vehicle users can feel smooth, not vibrate along the road surface.
Leaf spring appearance
In general, leaf spring includes overlapped steel plates in different length, assembled by center bolt through the center hole. Before steel plates are assembled, there are different camber rates in each steel plates in order to be the NIP rate as determined. When the steel plates are assembled, there is the same camber rate of leaf spring in one set. The appearance of leaf spring in general is semi-elliptic.
Leaf spring material
Spring steel is the material for manufacturing leaf spring. Currently in Thailand, there is not any factory to produce spring steel so it is the imported material. To make the leaf spring, bring the material through Cutting, Transforming at the end of spring (such as eye forming, diamond cutting, and tapering end), Heat treatment, Quenching, Hardening and Tempering process.
Leaf spring installation and working
There are two general kinds of leaf spring installation. First is leaf spring installed above the axle (overslung). Second is leaf spring installed below the axle (underslung). For these kinds, manufacturer create installation for suitable working. In general, leaf spring at leaf no.1 is rolled at the end, called “spring eye”. One side of spring eye is stuck at fixed end to hold leaf spring stably. The other side is stuck at the shackled end to stretch when load. The center of leaf spring is stuck by u-bolt at the axle. For the No spring eye leaf spring, use the shackled center instead.
