Things can sometimes get confusing when it comes to learning the different auto parts out there, especially for someone with little experience. A lot of parts are fiddly or confusing and there are so many to choose from – it’s difficult to know where to start. A wise idea is to call someone that knows what they are talking about first before making any rash decisions or to take your motor to a local garage and ask for advice.
Most garages will charge for both parts and labour, so things can get a little expensive when parts need replacing. However, if you acquire the parts yourself, you will often find that you can save yourself a small fortune, so it’s worth doing your research first…
Many towers use leaf springs to stabilise their towed load and to keep all cargo on the ground. Although you may not have heard of or noticed them before, leaf spring technology has been around for centuries and is one of the earliest forms of suspension.
When the cargo weight or a vehicle is too high, a couple of things can happen. Your vehicle/trailer may start to bounce more or it might start to sway from side to side. If this is the case, and there’s too much weight for the towed vehicle to handle, there might be a problem with the suspension.
If the suspension is too rigid, wheels will sometimes leave the pavement when it hits bumps in the road. Soft suspension may cause the truck to bounce or sway.
Good suspension however will ensure the wheels remain grounded as much as possible. Leaf springs are a great way to keep towed loads stable and to make sure cargo remains on the ground.
If you compare leaf springs to some other auto parts out there, they really aren’t that fancy. Long and narrow plates are fixed together and attached above/below the axle of a trailer, van or truck to improve the suspension. Too look at, leaf springs are slightly curved (similar to a bow from an archery set, but without the string).
Leaf springs are made up of a main leaf, with eyes on each end that hold bushings and bolt to the vehicle. Multiple other leaves carry the weight of your rig. There are numerous options for how to configure these packs of spring steel to perform under your vehicle. They vary greatly not only in quality, but in price and performance as well. When we purchase aftermarket leaf springs, we are generally looking for springs with increased arch to allow the fitment of bigger tires. How this is accomplished will dictate the ride quality and amount of articulation.
Longer leaf springs don’t have to deflect as much as shorter leaf springs to provide the same amount of wheel travel. But, unless you plan to cut the existing mounts off of your vehicle’s frame and add new ones, you are generally stuck with the same length spring that came from the factory. Springs made up of many thin leaves will offer a more supple ride than springs that use just a few thick leaves. The problem with many thin leaves is that there can be friction between each of those leaves. High-end spring packs solve this issue by tapering the leaves, so they are thinner at the ends. They also use Teflon pads between the leaves to reduce friction.
Other features to look for when shopping for leaf springs include bolt clamps, shot-peened leaves, and military wrapped eyes. A military wrap is when the second leaf wraps around the main leaf at the eye to retain the spring in place in case the main leaf breaks. Shot peening the individual leaves makes them stronger and more resistant to fatigue. Bolt clamps are preferred to regular crush style clamps since they cause, you guessed it, less friction.