What Is A Parabolic Leaf Spring?

What do you need to know about parabolic leaf springs?

  1. Purpose of leaf springs
  2. Standard leaf spring vs parabolic leaf spring
  3. Benefits of using parabolic leaf springs
  4. Finding the right parabolic leaf springs

Leaf springs are an integral suspension part of wheeled vehicles. These support the weight of the vehicle and its cargo. If you were to discuss this topic with mechanics or automotive enthusiasts, then you might encounter the term “parabolic leaf springs”. These are a variation of the leaf spring that provides plenty of benefits for your vehicle, including improving ride quality. If you’re interested in knowing more about what is a parabolic leaf spring, keep on reading!

Purpose Of Leaf Springs

Before learning more about parabolic leaf springs, it is important to understand why leaf springs are used in the first place.

As stated earlier, a leaf spring is an important part of a vehicle’s suspension system. This component is made up of layers of steel that vary in size. Most forms of leaf springs are formed into an elliptical shape to allow the component to flex when pressure is added.

Leaf springs were widely used as early as medieval times. Back then, they were called carriage of laminated springs. Most old vehicles had them on. Today, you will find leaf springs in trucks and vans that are required to carry heavy loads.

The overall purpose of a leaf spring is to provide support to a vehicle and create a smoother ride by absorbing bumps. It also affects how high the vehicle rides and maintains the tire alignment while on the road.

Standard Leaf Spring vs Parabolic Leaf Spring

Standard Leaf Spring vs Parabolic Leaf Spring

There are several variations to a leaf spring. You’ll find standard leaf springs and also parabolic leaf springs from automotive parts suppliers. A parabolic leaf spring is made up of a leaf or set of leaves that are tapered from the middle to the ends. The middle is thicker compared to the ends.

A standard leaf spring is typically made up of multiple leaves, with each leaf longer than the one below. For standard semi-elliptical leaf springs, each leaf is made with a different length but with equal thickness from one end to the other. The more load you require, the thicker the leaves need to be and the more leaves you need. 

Compared to a standard leaf spring, a parabolic leaf spring is made up of fewer leaves and the ends are tapered. The shape is semi-elliptic, like most leaf springs. Other than that, the parabolic leaf spring’s design is made such that only the center and ends of the spring are touching. This provides an advantage of preventing inter-leaf friction. 

Since the leaves taper from end to center, it results in an evenly distributed stress across the spring. This leads to a quieter and more comfortable ride. With standard leaf springs, the leaves are clamped together, which means that there could be more friction between the leaves.

Benefits Of Using Parabolic Leaf Springs

One of the main benefits of parabolic leaf springs is that they use less steel, which means that you can reduce the weight added to the vehicle. They are also known to provide smoother and less stiff rides because of their flexibility. 

Compared to a standard semi-elliptic leaf spring, a parabolic leaf spring has a lighter unsprung weight. A vehicle’s unsprung weight refers to the part of the vehicle that moves up and down when exposed to road irregularities. 

Aside from that, a parabolic leaf spring can eliminate inter-leaf friction as long as the leaves don’t touch. This leads to better ride quality and fewer chances of rusting. For a quieter ride, silencer rubber pads can prevent the leaves from touching. Overall, a parabolic leaf spring can provide a comfortable ride with any load. For many, it’s considered to be more flexible than standard leaf springs.

Finding The Right Parabolic Springs

Finding The Right Parabolic Springs

Not all parabolic leaf springs are the same because there will be some variations when it comes to the number of leaves or the stiffness of the spring. So it’s best to research and window-shop first before deciding on a final product. 

A professional can help you find the right parabolic leaf springs for your vehicle. Be sure to look for suppliers that offer technical consultation, so you can better understand what product matches your needs.

Key Takeaway

In this article, we discussed further what is a parabolic leaf spring. It is a vehicle component that is helpful when it comes to improving ride quality. 

If you’re looking for leaf springs, you can contact us here at Roberts! We are proud to have been the leading manufacturer of leaf springs in the Philippines since 1994. We have worked with automotive OEMs such as Mitsubishi, Toyota, and Isuzu. You can choose from a wide range of leaf spring products suitable for heavy or light applications. We can accommodate your multi-leaf or parabolic leaf spring requirements too. 

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