Leaf Spring System explained

Question

A leaf spring is a long, curved piece of flexible steel made up of multiple layers (“leaves”) stacked together. These leaves flex as the wheel moves, absorbing bumps and supporting the vehicle’s weight.

Think of it like a steel sandwich that bends to handle road shocks.

How It Works

1. The leaf pack is mounted to the vehicle’s chassis at one end and either fixed or allowed to pivot at the other.

2. The axle is clamped to the center of the leaf pack.

3. When the wheels hit bumps:

   • the leaves flex

   • they absorb vertical movement

   • they keep the axle aligned

Key Features

• Simple & extremely durable

• Handles heavy loads better than coil springs

• Provides stability for trucks and off-road duty

• Lower cost and easy to maintain

Advantages

• Excellent load-carrying capacity

• Very strong and reliable

• Minimal moving parts

• Cheap to produce and repair

Disadvantages

• Ride can be stiffer than coil springs

• Not as good for high-speed comfort

• Less articulation for serious off-road crawling

• Heavier than coil setups

Example Vehicles Using Leaf Springs

• Classic Land Rover Series

• Toyota Land Cruiser (older models)

• Pickup trucks (Hilux, Ford Ranger, etc.)

• Many commercial vans

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