Spring Design Machine Design 2

Notes on Leaf Springs

Leaf Springs Leaf springs do four things:

1. Resiliency of the spring support the vehicle, protect

Development of the Equations the driver and load from damage by road shock.
2. Resiliency of the spring control brake and torque
A single thin plate supported at one end and applications.
loaded at the other may be used as a spring. The stress in 3. Springs act as structural members to position the
such a spring is axle, both lengthwise and cross-wise with respect to
L the chassis frame.
Mc 6 FL
S= = 2 4. Spring cushion brake and acceleration torque
I wt W reactions when the brakes are suddenly applied,
causing the leaves to bend in an "S" form. This is also
and the deflection is F the case when the vehicle is the gas pedal is floored.
1 FL 3 4 FL3 2 SL 2 t
y= = =
3 EI wt 3 E 3 tE Major Parts
eye
If the plate is cut into a series of n strips of width
b, and these are placed as shown, the above equations
become 1 full length leaf
U bolts
6 FL
S= 2 F
camber
nbt t
and F F
3 2
4 FL 2 SL
y= 3 = b
nbt E 3 Et rebound clip
center clip 5 graduated leaves
which gives the stress and deflection in a leaf spring of
uniform cross section. The stress in such a spring is U bolts – used to clamp the spring to the axle
maximum at the support. and prevent the springs from bending in the middle, the
area of the least cross-section, hence, the weakest area.
If a triangular plate is used, the stress will be Because the middle of the spring is the place of greatest
uniform throughout. If this triangular plate is cut into hazard, it is necessary to clamp it securely to prevent
strips and stacked on top of each other to form a break-age at this point. If U-bolts are loose, the center of
graduated leaf spring, then L the leaves absorbs the greatest stress. When the center of
6 FL the leaves is clamped solidly against the axle pad, as in a
S= W vise, then the middle of the spring cannot bend and, if it
nbt 2 cannot bend, it cannot break at this point.
and F
t
3 2 Center breakage of the springs is greatly reduced
4 FL 2 SL F F by retightening the nuts after the first day's run when a
y= 3 =
nbt E 3 Et spring has been repaired or replaced. There are a number
b of surfaces between the leaves which bed down a little
during the first day's operation. But retightening takes up
If the bending stess alone is considered, the the resulting slack and the spring then remains tight for a
graduated spring may have zero width at the loaded end, longer period.
but sufficient metal must be provided to support the
shear. Hence it is necessary to have one or more leaves of Further retightening of new or repaired springs, is
uniform cross section extending to the end. Examination of suggested at the end of the first 500 miles, after 1000
the deflection equations indicates that, for the same miles and appropriate intervals determined by the
deflection, the stress in uniform-section leaves is 50 individual preventive maintenance plans.
percent greater than in the graduated leaves, assuming
that each spring element deflects according to its own U-bolt top plate – Wear of spring pads can only
elastic curve. If the letters sf and sg are used to indicate be caused by movement of the spring on the pads. If the
the full-length and graduated leaves respectively, then U-bolt have been holding the spring so tightly to the pad
that no movement occurs, there can be little wear.
sf = 3/2 sg
The U-bolt top plate is important for two reasons:
and 6 Ff L 3 6 Fg L
=
nf bt 2 2 ng bt 2 1. It maintains the U-bolts directly in the line of pull and
proper alignment with each other. When this top
from which plate is omitted, the long U-bolts may be pulled up at
2 ng Ff 2ng a slight angle and apparently tight. But when the
Fg= = F
3 nf 2ng+3 nf vehicle flexes the spring, the U-bolts will gradually
slide over their true position and may loosen enough
and 3 nf to cause middle spring breakage.
Ff = F
2 ng+3 nf 2. Because the top plates are shaped to fit the contour
of the U-bolts, the U-bolts may be drawn up more
From the equation for S: solidly and more securely.
6 FL 3 nf 18 FL
Sf = × =
nf bt 2 2 ng+3 nf bt 2 (2 ng+3 nf ) Center bolts – The center bolt assists in
assembling, shipping and handling of the spring before the
which is the relation between maximum stress and the spring is placed on the vehicle. After the spring is installed,
load applied at the end of the spring when all leaves have the center bolt assists in
the same thickness.
a. the lengthwise shifting of the leaves
The deflection of the spring is b. the widthwise shifting of the leaves
3
12 FL c. indicating if the spring is correctly placed in the axle
δ=
bt 2 E (2 ng+3 nf )

1 Patrick D. Sta. Maria / June 08, 2016

 Spring Design Machine Design 2

Rebound clips – When a truck wheel hits a

bump, the main leaf of the spring is strongly assisted by 3. Leaf. A semi elliptic laminated spring is 4 mm thick
all the shorter leaves of the spring in resisting the shock. and 50 mm wide. The length between supports is
But, after the bump has passed, the main leaf would 0.60 m. The spring has two full-length and five
ordinarily have to absorb most of the rebound – all by graduated leaves. A central load of 2.4 kN is carried.
itself – if the main leaf was not assisted in absorbing the Determine the maximum stress and the deflection.
rebound by the other leaves attached to the main leaf by
means of rebound clips. 4. Leaf. Design a semi elliptic leaf spring that is
capable of carrying 60 kN of force under a maximum
The secondary function of the rebound clips is to stress of 350 MPa. The supports are to be 1 m apart
prevent spreading or "fanning out" of the leaves, which and the leaves are to have the dimensions b = 8t.
might result in eventual breakage. There are to be 12 graduated leaves under three full-
length leaves. What is the corresponding deflection?
While these rebound clips should control the
leaves, they should not bind the ends of the leaves against
lengthwise motion on each other.

There should be clearance between the spacer

tube of the clip and the main leaf of the spring to allow
the "twist" to be distributed over a greater length of the
main leaf when one wheel goes over a bump or drops in a
rut, thus placing the axle at an angle. Clips near the ends
of the spring should have greater clearance. Clearance
also prevents rubbing of spacer tube on and consequent
wear and weakening of the main leaf.

Summary of Formulas
for Leaf Springs
– Relationship of stress between the grad-uated and
full-length leaves

Sf = 1.5 Sg

– Design stress is applied on the full length leaves

since they experience the maximum stress.
18 FL
Sf =
bt 2 (2 ng+3 nf )
– Forces on the graduated and full-length leaves.
2ng 3nf
Fg= F Ff = F
2 ng+3 nf 2ng+3 nf
– Deflection of the spring
12 FL 3
δ=
bt 3 E(2 ng+3 nf )
b – width of leaves, m
E – modulus of elasticity
200 GPa for steel
F – applied load on cantilever, N
Ff – load on full-length leaves, N
Fg – load on graduated leaves, N
G – modulus of rigidity
80 GPa for steel
L – length of cantilever, m
nf – number of full-length leaves
ng – number of graduated leaves
Sf – stress on full-length leaves, Pa
Sg – stress on graduated leaves, Pa
t – thickness of leaves, m

Problems
1. Leaf. A cantilever spring has an effective length of
500 mm and has two full-length and eight graduated
leaves each 60 mm wide. The spring is to sustain 4
kN of load with a stress of 350 MPa in all leaves.
Determine the thickness of the spring leaves and the
deflection at full load.

2. Leaf. A laminated spring is made of six graduated

and two full-length leaves each 3.50 mm thick and 20
mm wide. The effective length of the spring is 0.75 m
and the allowable stress is 275 MPa. Determine the
central load that may be carried and the deflection of
the spring.

2 Patrick D. Sta. Maria / June 08, 2016