Maintenance Manual for Leaf Spring Suspension

1、Function

Vehicle suspension is an elastic component used for connection between frame (or vehicle body) and axle (or a wheel). It consists of mainly three basic parts such as clastic component, guide device and shock absorber. In addition, it also includes some special functional components like buffer stopper and stabilizer bar etc. Modern automobiles also adopt a control mechanism, which can form a controllable suspension. Vehicle suspension has following functions:

①Mollificates, suppresses any vibration and chock caused by unsmooth road surface, ensures a comfortable trip for passengers and an intact transfer of goods carried;

②Transfers force and torque from other directions in addition to vertical automobile force, and ensures a defined motion relationship between wheels and body(or frame), allowing a good driving performance for the automobile.

The elastic elements that vehicle suspension uses are mainly leaf springs, spiral springs, torsion bar springs, gas springs and rubber springs. The functions of elastic components are to bear the vertical load, mollification, suppress the vibration and shock caused by uneven road surface.

Vertically-mounted steel leaf spring suspension is the most widely-used structure. In addition to common isopachous multi-leaf spring, leaf springs also include leaf spring with few leaves and variable sections and the leaf spring, whose main body is steel leaf spring and rest is made of composite materials. Its main characteristics are simple structures and reliability.