Leaf springs have been commonly used for the suspension in a wide range of wheeled vehicles dating back to the 1800’s. Leaf springs are still used today in many trucks, vans and pick-ups.

Sometimes referred to as ‘semi-elliptical’ or ‘cart springs’, a typical leaf spring is made up of a cross-section of rectangular cut spring steel ‘leaves’ which are bent and fixed together to form an arc shape. The majority of leaf springs have a longest leaf or ‘main leaf’ where the ends are heated and rolled to form circular shapes called ‘eyes’. These eyes allow the spring to connect to the vehicle body while the centre of the spring allows location to the axle. Below the main leaf are a number of leaves which are usually progressively shorter. A leaf spring can be made up of a single leaf or over 20 leaves depending on the application. An advantage of leaf springs is that individual leaves can be added or removed to produce a different ride for the vehicle. As leaf springs are generally made up of multiple leaves, another advantage is that if one leaf breaks it does not necessarily mean that the spring will need to be replaced. In many cases, if the remainder of the spring is in good condition, only the broken leaf will need replacing.

Owen Springs have a library that holds design drawings for almost every leaf spring produced during the last 60 years, with some applications going as far back as the 1920s, allowing us to find your spring and manufacture it to the exact specification of the original.

With our capability, technical knowledge and expertise, we are able to manufacture tailored, bespoke or unique products. We are able to design a spring based on a pattern spring, manufacturer specification or even a drawing from the customer. We also pride ourselves on working closely with each customer to produce a spring to satisfy their requirements.