The leaf spring is a very traditional type of vehicle suspension, having been commonly used in carts, carriages and even locomotives over the last 200 years. In fact, the first leaf springs are believed to have been used by the French on their carriages in the 1800s. Today, leaf springs are usually used in trucks, trailers, holiday trailers, and machinery because they allow for heavier loads and resist damage potentially caused by uneven roads.
What are Leaf Springs?
Leaf springs are also called laminated springs, carriage springs, elliptical springs or semi-elliptical springs. In their simplest form, leaf springs consist of one or more arc-shaped, thin plates that are attached to the axle and chassis of your vehicle or holiday trailer. The layers (leaves) of this type of spring can flex vertically as your vehicle travels over bumps, holes and other obstacles and irregularities. The benefit of leaf springs over other types of springs is the brute strength. When compared with coil springs, we find that leaf spring suspensions are much more durable.
At the centre of a leaf spring, a bolt is fixed through the stack and reinforced by clips along the length of the spring. At the central point, the leaf is also attached to the axle. At both ends, loops are formed to attach to the vehicle chassis. For very heavy vehicles, a leaf spring can be made from several stacked layers. The longest leaf is the main leaf, while descending layers are labelled 1, 2, etc. Notches and grooves may be used between leaves or clips to keep them properly in place.
Leaf Spring Repair & Custom Leaf Spring Trailer Work
Spring repair encompasses a mechanical service focused on the replacement of damaged leaf springs commonly found in a variety of vehicles, including holiday trailers. Each new leaf is meticulously shaped to match the existing spring assembly, ensuring consistent ride height on both sides of the vehicle. The repair procedure initiates with a comprehensive inspection of the vehicle, taking into account factors such as age, mileage, and usage. By considering this information alongside the customer's preferences and budget, we ascertain whether a complete replacement of the spring pack or solely the damaged leaf is warranted.
Custom spring work entails the fabrication of bespoke springs tailored to the specific needs of a given project or application. This involves shaping raw spring material through drilling and bending to meet precise specifications. Whether it's reinforcing the spring assembly to accommodate additional weight, such as a new truck bed and welding equipment, or installing overload springs to prevent sagging when towing a holiday trailer, custom spring work becomes imperative when standard springs prove inadequate for a particular task.
Leaf Springs in Red Deer
Johnson Spring & Trailer is your go-to alignment shop and specialist in leaf springs in Red Deer and the surrounding area! Stop by our shop in Blackfalds for vehicle maintenance, spring repair and custom spring work.
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