Leaf Spring Modeling

Leaf springs have a long history of use in wheeled vehicles. Leaf springs are most often employed in automobiles, buses, and trucks to both locate and spring a solid axle, making them an economical choice.

Leaf springs used in automobiles, trucks, and buses are typically semi-elliptical in form and built up of a stack of leaves, with each subsequent leaf of shorter length than the previous. The longest leaf in the spring which has the spring eyes is the master leaf. The other leaves are graduated leaves. The maximum distance measured perpendicular from the line passing through the spring eye centres to the surface of the master leaf is the spring camber. The camber is created so when the spring load deflects to the vehicle’s design position the spring reacts the design load.