What is a lower overload leaf spring?
For the sake of simplicity, we will just talk about the lower overload leaf spring seen above. The overload leaf spring AKA “the muscle,” is designed to help the vehicle when it becomes weighed down while towing or hauling something heavy such as a truck camper or a trailer.
Do overload springs need to be loaded?
Most of the overload springs in this series use a progressive spring. Your truck must be loaded to activate the spring and put it into action. As your load increases, so does the work of the helper spring. Additionally, they will not impact your ride quality when unloaded.
What is a leaf spring?
Leaf springs are made up of a main leaf, with eyes on each end that hold bushings and bolt to the vehicle. Multiple other leaves carry the weight of your rig.
What happens when truck leaf springs come into contact?
Once the truck sags enough, most often several inches, the overload leaf springs begin to touch, and this begins to put the muscle into action. It takes a sizeable weight to force them to come into contact on their own. Often times they don’t come into contact while the truck is towing or hauling leading to some massive negative side effects.
How do I know if my leaf spring is overloaded?
If you have to carry a load heavier than what your truck is rated for, upgrading to heavy-duty leaf springs is essential for both your safety and the health of your vehicle....How to Determine If Your Leaf Springs Are WornUneven tire wear.Frequent bottoming out.A bumpier, less comfortable ride.Leaning to one side.
How do you remove overload from leaf springs?
You will probably have to use vice grips on the bottom under the leaf pack where the head of the bolt is. Once you remove the nut off of the top, you can push up on the leaf pack, and remove the bolt and the overload leaf from between the leafs and the axle. To put it all back together, simply reverse the process.
How much weight can a leaf spring hold?
There is usually two capacities listed on a leaf spring. The spring capacity and the axle capacity. For the 4-Leaf Double-Eye Spring # SP-212275 that you referenced it has a spring capacity of 1,750 lbs meaning that the individual spring can handle 1,750 lbs.
Do overload springs increase payload?
Helper springs, or, as some erroneously call them, overload springs, are designed to supplement the factory rear suspension. (They are not designed to increase the truck's official load carrying capacity, a figure set by the truck maker that can't be changed once it leaves the assembly line.)
How do you flip leaf springs to lower a truck?
4:426:20How to lower ANY truck FOR FREE - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou just want to Jack the axle up a little bit so you can actually fit the leaf springs underneathMoreYou just want to Jack the axle up a little bit so you can actually fit the leaf springs underneath the axle flip.
How do you remove leaf spring leaves?
2:0410:40How to mono leaf or remove center leaf - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo I can pull this bottom leaf off and then what I'm gonna do is I'm have to I'll end up cutting.MoreSo I can pull this bottom leaf off and then what I'm gonna do is I'm have to I'll end up cutting. This this bracket right here. I'll cut that off so I can get that Center leaf out of there.
How much weight can 7 leaf springs hold?
Stated payload capacity is 2599 lbs. I am thinking of upgrading to 3500 7 leaf springs with a weight rating of 3300 lbs. That is 700 lbs. more per side.
What happens if you exceed payload capacity?
If you go over the payload capacity, you run the risk of breaking your truck's suspension and even voiding your warranty. Thankfully, there is a way to calculate exactly how much weight your truck can handle, known as the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
What do heavy duty leaf springs do?
Heavy-duty springs will eliminate the sagging, wheel-hoping, swaying and squatting that you might be experiencing with your vehicle, and will add some overall stiffness to your ride. By adding to the stiffness of the spring, you'll see better load handling and less leaf spring wear.
Will adding a leaf lift my truck?
The leafs will provide lift and flexibility to the rear of your vehicle. If a new leaf spring was placed into the framework of a faulty system then it would buckle under the weight.
Is there a way to increase payload capacity?
Anything else you add — a hitch, winch, or megawatt stereo — will subtract from your payload rating. The only way to boost the payload rating is to take weight off the truck: removing the rear seat or bumper, using lighter wheels and/or tires that meet gross axle weight rating requirements, and so on.
How can we increase hauling capacity?
How to Increase Payload Capacity of a TruckUpgrade the Rear Springs.Add Coil-Over Shock Absorbers.Install a Longer Truck Bed.Attach a Trailer.Add Bed Racks.
Why do truck springs need leaf springs?
Reduce wear on other suspension components: Finally, leaf springs help distribute the weight of your truck more even ly across its four corners. This prevents excess wear on individual suspension components, ...
What happens if you put leaf springs on a mattress?
The problem with leaf springs is about the same with any other auto part. Over time, they can wear out and eventually need replaced. Imagine if you will, the springs within a mattress. When it’s new, it will support a set amount of weight. If too many people lay on it, or worse, start jumping up and down on the mattress, the springs within it will recoil back into its original form less and less. Next, two things will occur — the mattress’ weight capacity will decrease and it will no longer be level.
How does a leaf spring work?
As leaf springs compress and extend, the arch changes causing the spring to get longer and shorter as they cycle. One end of the spring is fixed to the chassis, while the other end uses a shackle to account for this change in length. On rear axles, the shackle is always at the rear. The shackle can be above the spring (compression style) or below the spring (tension style). Tension style shackles require the spring to have more arch for the same ride height. Sometimes a “shackle flip” is used to gain lift by converting the shackle from a tension style to a compression style using the same springs.
What is a high end leaf spring pack?
High-end spring packs solve this issue by tapering the leaves, so they are thinner at the ends. They also use Teflon pads between the leaves to reduce friction. Other features to look for when shopping for leaf springs include bolt clamps, shot-peened leaves, and military wrapped eyes.
What vehicles have leaf springs?
Some vehicles, such as Jeep CJs and Toyota Land Cruisers, come with the leaf springs under the axle tubes. Most trucks use leaf springs that mount to the top of the axle. Swapping springs from under the axles to the top used to be popular.
Why do you use bolt clamps on a leaf?
Bolt clamps are preferred to regular crush style clamps since they cause, you guessed it, less friction. Clamps prevent the leaf plates from “fanning out” laterally.
What bushings do leaf springs use?
Leaf springs use rubber or polyurethane bushings at each end with a metal sleeve inside that the mounting hardware rides on. These bushings are wear items and should be checked (and replaced if needed) regularly. If you get a new clunk in your leaf spring suspension, this is an excellent place to start looking.
What are leaf springs made of?
Details Matter. Leaf springs are made up of a main leaf, with eyes on each end that hold bushings and bolt to the vehicle. Multiple other leaves carry the weight of your rig. There are numerous options for how to configure these packs of spring steel to perform under your vehicle.
How do lift blocks work?
Lift blocks can be used between your axle and leaf springs in a spring-over configuration. They increase the distance between the axle and the spring pack. Blocks are an inexpensive way to make room for larger tires, only requiring longer U-bolts. Lift blocks should never be used in a front axle application, since the forces generated from steering put side loads on the blocks. Should the block break or the U-bolts loosen, there is the potential to lose all steering. We don’t have to explain to you why that is a bad idea.
How do leaf springs work?
Let’s briefly talk about how overload leaf springs work. Lower overload leaf spring. When you tow or haul a heavy load, it causes the rear of the vehicle to sag downward. Once the rear sags downward, it causes the leaf springs to begin to come into contact with the overload leaf springs, which is exactly what you want to have happen. ...
What happens when the rear of a car sags?
When the rear of the vehicle sags it causes the front of the vehicle to lift up which causes the following problems: Front end steering is now out of proper steering alignment making the vehicle feel unsafe with a delayed steering response as though it is floating like a boat.
Why is the braking distance extended?
The braking distance is extended due to significantly less weight on the front tires. The front of the vehicle is lifting up as the rear of the vehicle sags. Headlights are now pointing upward with the front of the vehicle creating a nighttime road hazard by blinding oncoming traffic.
Why does a leaf spring fail?
This is because when the spring is being compressed from below, each leaf is supported by the leaf below it, but , when the load is suddenly released it would not find support if not for the rebound clips which hold them together and provide support.
What is leaf spring?
A leaf spring is a type of spring made by a number of plates (leaves) stacked upon each other in descending order of sizes. It is used to absorb shocks and vibrations in heavy commercial vehicles like trucks, vans, buses, etc. Today we would be looking at a semi-elliptic type of leaf spring.
What are the advantages of leaf springs?
The following are the advantages of leaf spring: Leaf springs are light in weight and strong. It provides good damping action. It provides good support to the axle and the chassis. Leaf springs are simple in design. Leaf springs can withstand a large amount of load when compared to helical springs.
What happens when a car goes over a bump?
When the vehicle goes over a bump, the axle tends to move up and down. However, as the leaf spring is provided, it supports the axle and helps absorb the vibrations and shocks.
What is the name of the leaf that supports the master leaf?
The master leaf has its ends rolled as shown in the figure. These rolled ends of the master leaf are known as the eye. Just below the master leaf, another almost full-length leaf called the second master leaf and it is placed to support the master leaf. (refer figure) The remaining leaves are known as "graduated leaves".
What is the longest leaf of a leaf spring?
The longest leaf of the leaf spring is known as the " master leaf ". The master leaf has its ends rolled as ...
Can a leaf spring compress?
Now assume that if both the eyes of the leaf spring are fixed, under such circumstances the leaf spring would compress, but, as it undergoes compression, naturally its ends try to move outwards. Since the ends are fixed it would not have any flexibility and thus it cannot compress properly.
Do helper springs raise vehicle?
No, helper springs are not designed to lift your truck, but they are designed to level out the back of your truck. If you are looking for a lifted truck, we recommend a lift kit or leveling kit.
Which is better air bags or helper springs?
Air bags support payload pressure to keep vehicles flat, whereas leaf helper springs use coils to achieve the same thing. Here are some of the benefits of helper springs: Easy to install. Bolts into place.
How much does it cost to replace a leaf spring?
The average cost to replace leaf springs ranges from $450 to $790 if you hire a professional. These estimates include the cost of labor in addition to the springs and parts. The cost of the installation alone could range from $95 to $170 depending on where you go.
What are air helper springs?
Air springs, also called air bags or air helper springs, offer many benefits. One, they help protect cargo by preventing unbalanced loads and bottoming out, while eliminating sag. Spring performance can be adjusted as easily as inflating a tire.
What are rear overload springs?
The yellow pencil above is pointing to your factory lower overload leaf springs. The overload leaf spring AKA “the muscle,” is designed to help the vehicle when it becomes weighed down while towing or hauling something heavy such as a truck camper or a trailer.
Which is better add leaf or air bag?
Add a leafs are really going to give you a much stiffer ride, but shouldn't affect your wheel travel too much. The airbags can be inflated and deflated when not in use, so you keep your stock ride, but if you off road a lot, they can limit your wheel travel.
Do airbags replace leaf springs?
Air Bag Suspension Technology Replace Mechanical Leaf Springs. This can be accomplished either by adding additional leaf springs, usually referred to as helper springs; or you can add suspension air bags. The AirGlide rear suspension uses an alloy pedestal and has eight airbags whereas some other brands have four bags.
Why do leaf springs break?
We've discussed a few common reasons why leaf springs break, sag, and fatigue. There are other manufacturing reasons such as quench cracks, tight eyes, notches, incorrect temperatures, etc. that can cause failure. However, in today's modern, high-tech manufacturing processes and quality control, manufacturing defects are not nearly as common as ...
How to contact Michigan Truck Spring?
If you have any questions about your leaf springs or need replacement leaf springs, call Michigan Truck Spring at 1-800-358-4751. We carry OEM replacement leaf springs for all vehicle makes and models, from old corvettes to semi trucks and trailers.
What causes splatter on a truck?
This is caused by welding a body or accessories to your truck in the same area as your leaf springs.
Can you add steel to a spring pack?
Another option that is more popular with commercial vehicles it to add another piece of steel to the spring pack. This may cause the ride to be stiffer, but if you are always hauling heavier loads in a commercial setting, this may be your best bet.
Can you replace a busted leaf in a spring pack?
It's very common that we will have someone only want to replace one busted leaf in a spring pack and a few months later a different leaf breaks. If one has cracked, the others are probably in the same condition and will likely not last much longer.
Why do helper springs work?
Stability: If your truck leans too far on corners causing you to slow down, helper springs reduce roll and sway.
How long does it take to install a super spring?
Installation can typically be completed in about an hour. Super Springs are leaf spring helpers with a patented roller system. They automatically activate when a load is added to your truck’s suspension. The roller system ensures that your ride is not impacted when you have no load.
What is coil design helper spring?
Coil Design Helper Springs are actual coil springs that start to work as soon as a load is added to the vehicle. Coil Spring Spacers prevent the coil from completely bottoming out. Airbags: Even though compressed air keeps the vehicle from squatting under load, there are a lot of factors that come into play.
What are coil spring spacers made of?
Coil Spring Spacers are made of rubber or aluminum. The concept is simple: 2 spacers inserted in between the coils of the spring limits the amount of compression of the coil spring. Airbag assist. Airbags were originally designed as an alternative suspension to leaf springs.
Where do Hellwig helper springs sit?
Hellwig helper springs are supposed to sit on top of the leaf springs at the rear of your truck , working together with the existing suspension to keep the vehicle level under load. Hellwig helper springs are adjustable, easy to install and come complete with all the necessary hardware. Super Springs is another option.
Can airbag helper springs be adjusted?
The only products that are adjustable are air bag helper springs . If you are willing to spend the money, air ride systems can adjust air pressure to meet added weight and irregular road conditions. Adjusting the air pressure can also be done manually with the flip of a switch. Conclusion.
