LEAF SPRING

A length of flat spring steel plates bent in an arch usually with curled ends to allow mounting to the frame . Two holes are drilled in the center to mount a u-bolt shackle which surrounds the axle. Some applications need only one leaf spring; but most have several leaves, each smaller than the other, nested together. Only the longest one is mounted to the frame. Also see longitudinal leaf spring and transverse leaf spring . Also called semi-elliptic springs.