What size leaf springs do i need?

The length of a leaf spring is determined by the number of inches between the tip of the front eye or slipper, and the tip of the back eye or slipper.

How do I know what size leaf spring I need?

How to Measure Leaf Springs – YouTube

How do I find the right leaf spring?

Measure from the center of the front bushing in a straight line to the center of the rear bushing for DOUBLE-EYE leaf spring, or to the furthest inside point of an OPEN-EYE leaf spring. Measure from the center of front bushing in a straight line to the end of spring for HOOK-END, FLAT-END and RADIUS END leaf springs.

Are Wider leaf springs better?

When we purchase aftermarket leaf springs, we are generally looking for springs with increased arch to allow the fitment of bigger tires. … Springs made up of many thin leaves will offer a more supple ride than springs that use just a few thick leaves.

What shape should leaf springs be?

A leaf spring takes the form of a slender arc-shaped length of spring steel of rectangular cross-section. In the most common configuration, the center of the arc provides location for the axle, while loops formed at either end provide for attaching to the vehicle chassis.

How do you measure a coil spring?

How to Measure a Compression Spring


  1. Measure the spring wire diameter, preferably to 3 decimal places for accuracy using calipers.
  2. Measure the outside diameter of the coils. …
  3. Measure the length in its free condition (uncompressed).
  4. Count the number of coils. …
  5. Note the winding direction of the coils.

Are all leaf springs the same?

All leaf springs are not the same, because there are several variations on the leaf-spring theme. There are several variations on the leaf-spring theme.

How do you measure leaf springs on a boat trailer?

Trailer Leaf Springs – YouTube

How do you measure a leaf spring for a lift?

How to Measure Leaf Springs – SD Truck Springs Tutorials and Reviews

How do I make my front leaf springs ride smoother?

The following steps can make a huge difference:

  1. Reduce the unsprung mass.
  2. Soften the suspension system.
  3. Change the wheels and tires.
  4. Modify the chassis.
  5. Eliminate the vibrations.
  6. Get new leaf springs.

Does add a leaf stiffen ride?

Adding an add-a-leaf buys you just a bit of extra time before you need to replace them. As far as ride quality goes, I would say that doing the add-a-leaf makes the truck feel smoother, even though people say that it makes the suspension stiffer.

Can you spray wd40 on leaf springs?

How to Fix Squeaky Leaf Springs in 2 Minutes – YouTube

Should my leaf springs be flat?

The amount of arch in many of the springs used in the RV industry is 3” before any weight is applied. … This will leave 1.5” of arch, which can make the spring appear to be nearly flat. Checking tire/fender clearance is a good way to assure the spring is still operating correctly.

How do I know if my leaf springs are overloaded?

If a truck gets overloaded beyond its capacity, the leaf spring will flatten out, reducing the height of the truck.

Other tell-tale signs of worn-out leaf springs include:

  1. Uneven tire wear.
  2. Frequent bottoming out.
  3. A bumpier, less comfortable ride.
  4. Leaning to one side.

What is better lift blocks or shackles?

Registered. Go shackles. They lift the rear, provided a better ride and increase ( or would it be decreas ) the pinion angle. Blocks can increase axle wrap and keeps the same pinion angle which puts more stress on the u joints.

How do you select a spring?

The Right Spring Size

When designing and manufacturing a spring, it’s important to consider both the inner and the outer diameter of the spring, its free length and its solid height. You also want to consider the spring materials, as that will influence the size of your spring as well.

How are springs size?

To measure, place your calipers on the full length of the spring. Wire diameter is found by placing your calipers on the wire in the center of your spring. Total coil count is defined as each full rotation and the remainder of the last coil.

How do you calculate the length of a spring?

To calculate spring wire length per coil, you must subtract the wire diameter from the outer diameter in order to get mean diameter. Once you have calculated mean diameter, multiply it by pi (3.14), this will give you the length of wire per coil.

Can you upgrade leaf springs?

If you are wondering how to upgrade leaf spring suspension, this can be done with the addition of new leafs, which can be added to the pre–existing springs under the back of your truck. Alternately, you can have spring helpers added to the leaf springs.

Do leaf springs go above or below the axle?

Helpful Expert Reply: You can mount trailer axles above or below the leaf springs. The difference is just the amount of ground clearance that the trailer would end up having. The biggest advantage with the spring below the axle (trailer will be lower) is that you would have a lower center of gravity.

What are the 4 types of springs that are used on cars and trucks?

Get to know these four spring classes: leaf springs, coil springs, torsion bars, and air springs.

How do I choose a leaf spring for my trailer?

Trailer leaf springs need to be selected based on the axle weight rating, as well as on the spring type (slipper or double-eye), length and width dimensions. Axles usually have a sticker or plate on them that provides their weight rating. It is important to note a few things about replacement springs.

Are all trailer leaf springs the same length?

Trailer leaf springs come in many different lengths and some may have the same capacity but different measurements and/or number of leaves. This is due to different configurations of trailers, axle spacing, and tire size.

How do you lift a trailer with leaf springs?

Trailer RV Lift — Easy + CHEAP!! – Dexter Axle Leaf Spring Over Under …

How do you calculate leaf spring stiffness?

Leaf Spring Stiffness for Semi-Elliptic Laminated formula

  1. k = stiffness.
  2. n = number of leaves.
  3. l = span.
  4. t = thickness of leaves.
  5. E = Young’s Modulus.
  6. w = width of leaves.
  7. k = stiffness.
  8. n = number of leaves.

How do I get the most flex out of my leaf springs?

This is how to get the most flex out of an Jeep xj with leaf springs in the …

How do I make my leaf springs softer?

You may soften them by removing a leaf but it might sag and may also compromise on safety. But for over rated springs with extra leaf you can remove a leaf. Also longer leaf springs are softer but u need to fabricate your chassis. The other option is to go for composite fibre leaf springs.

How do I know if my leaf springs are sagging?

Truck Leaning, Sagging or Uneven? How to Inspect Leaf Spring …

Can I add a leaf spring to my truck?

If your truck works as hard as you do, every day, adding a leaf to your existing spring pack is a great way to increase your load and hauling capacity. Adding a leaf can give the average pickup an extra 700+ pounds in carrying capacity. Adding a leaf to your springs will raise your truck between .

Does add a leaf increase height?

An Add-A-Leaf is an extra leaf added to a leaf spring pack. Added leaves are installed to increase vehicle carrying capacity or to reduce sway by creating a firmer ride. They can also be used to increase the ride height of your vehicle.

How much lift does add a leaf give?

Add-a-Leaf kits adds a 2-3†lift to your vehicle. The additional leaf spring provides more tension to the existing leaf springs making it that much more shock absorbent from the bumpy roads, tough terrain and heavy loads.

Should I paint leaf springs?

Painting leaf springs is okay, lubing is not. Leaf springs have a damping factor as a result of the friction between the leaves, that’s one reason there are no shocks in the rear on the deuce. Fewer leaves means less damping and shocks need to be added.

Do new leaf springs squeak?

There are two causes of leaf spring squeak: tight eye bolts or shackles, and mis-torqued u-bolts. You’ve just installed a new set of leaf springs, and you hear a squeak! The squeak could be coming from the springs, or they could be coming from somewhere else.

How do I stop my leaf spring bushings from squeaking?

Spray several quick bursts of silicone spray lubricant into the leaf spring bushings, at the end of each spring. Lift the vehicle off the jack stands with the floor jack. Move the jack stands aside and lower the vehicle to the ground with the floor jack.

Do leaf springs sag over time?

All springs sag with age. The constant load they bear leads to creep within the molecular structure of the metal. Over time, the spring weakens and begins to lose height (coil spring) or arch (leaf spring). As the spring settles, ride height decreases and causes undesirable changes in wheel alignment.

Can leaf springs bend?

3) During normal service, due to vehicle’s load, the leaf spring will bend down and higher rate of failure is expected.

How long do leaf springs last on a truck?

On average a set of leaf springs for a standard pickup truck or van will have a lifespan of about 200,000 miles. This number is not written in stone, and some vehicles will break their springs with far less than 200,000 miles on them while others will go well beyond the 200,000 mile mark before they break.

Can you drive a truck without leaf springs?

Driving a truck with a broken middle leaf could render your vehicle unstable, but not too dangerous, provided you limit your driving to the nearest, safest places.

Do I need heavy duty leaf springs?

If you have robust applications and push your truck’s payload capacity to the limit regularly, you most likely need heavy-duty leaf springs for hauling and towing safely and efficiently.

What are over load leaf springs?

Overload springs, also known as helper springs, are an additional set of springs attached to the existing leaf springs. They will only work on leaf-sprung suspensions. We’ve seen many different designs, but the most common and the ones we have had the best luck with so far come from Hellwig Products.

Does adding a leaf spring increase lift?

With the addition of an extra leaf into each rear leaf spring, inches of lift can be added to the back that will keep the vehicle horizontal, even when the back is full.

How far do leaf springs compress?

Helpful Expert Reply: Typical spring deflection for trailer leaf springs like the part # SP-198275 is right at 1-1/2 inches when at capacity. Generally speaking you will want to have 3 inches from the top of your tire to a fender on a trailer (in your case a deck) to accommodate for suspension travel.

Do leaf springs add lift?

Can You Lift A Vehicle With Leaf Springs? You can lift your vehicle using these springs by adding more leaves or changing the existing leaves to bigger left spring kits. When you replace or add the springs, you get better quality ride for your vehicle.