Purpose and general design of springs and shock absorbers

The DZM machining enterprise offers the manufacture of springs to order in Moscow according to customer drawings or submitted samples.

A spring is a part of a car’s suspension that is responsible for softening shocks and shocks that are transmitted to the body from the wheels. The result is a smooth ride and comfortable ride.

Each car has its own type of springs, so car owners often have difficulty finding the required copy or set for free sale. And since this part cannot be assembled using a “handicraft” method, the only correct option is to make springs to order.

We will produce products similar to factory originals of Russian or foreign production or tuned copies to improve the driving characteristics of the car. The work is carried out by an experienced team of craftsmen in workshops equipped with modern metalworking equipment.

We manufacture the following springs:

• Rear. Multileaf. They determine the behavior of the car on the road, its driving performance and load capacity.
• Front. Mostly monoleaf. They determine the ergonomics of driving and the smoothness of the ride.

The price of custom-made springs depends on the vehicle’s load capacity, purpose (car or truck), complexity of the product, etc.

Types of springs

Leaf spring

• Elliptical - in plan it has a shape close to an ellipse.
• 3/4-elliptical: has the shape of three quarters of an ellipse.
• Semi-elliptical - in the form of a semi-ellipse; the most common type.
• Quarter-elliptical - structurally it is half of a semi-elliptical, one of the ends of which is fixedly fixed to the chassis, and the other is cantilevered.

Torsion spring

Main article: Torsion bar

The main working element of a torsion spring is a torsion bar - an elastic rod that works to twist. Torsion springs are used mainly for suspension of armored vehicles.

Coil spring

Main article: Spring

Spring springs of a railway car

In a spring spring, a spring is used as a working elastic element. Cylindrical, conical, paraboloid or disc springs can be used.

The difference between the front and rear springs of a car

The spring leaves used for the front and rear axles are different. At the rear it is usually practiced to install a reinforced, more rigid type. The front part of the car is usually content with “soft” springs, which ensure a smooth ride and comfort while moving in a wide variety of places, especially off-road.

In the automotive industry, other types of springs are also used, in particular semi-elliptical or torsion bars. And although these types of suspensions have proven themselves at a higher operational level, compared to conventional plate options, they are more demanding in terms of maintaining their normal condition. They need more attention and careful maintenance.

Ultimately, all this results in increased costs, which actually completely cover the operating savings achieved. Therefore, many developing manufacturers that already have worldwide recognition and name still prefer to use cheaper and more practical plate options.

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Purpose, design and operation of springs. Maintenance of springs, their main malfunctions.

Springs serve to soften and absorb shocks and shocks that occur when a car moves on an uneven road. Each spring is made of sheets of different lengths made of elastic steel. The top longest leaf is called the root leaf. Each sheet has an extrusion that fits into the recess of the underlying sheet, thereby securing the sheets from longitudinal displacement. The sheets are kept from transverse mixing by clamps.

When a wheel hits an obstacle, the spring straightens and lengthens; the impact energy is absorbed by the spring and is not transferred to the frame. After the wheel leaves the obstacle, the spring returns to its original shape.

Maintenance of springs consists of lubricating the mounting pins and spring leaves, as well as checking the fastening of the springs. In addition, it is necessary to check the relative position of the spring leaves, since longitudinal shift may indicate a shear of the center bolt.

Typical malfunctions can be: loss of elasticity or breakage of springs, wear of pins and spring bushings. Faults are detected by external inspection. The cause of breakdown or excessive deflection of the springs may be overloading the car or exceeding the speed on bad roads. Broken or lost elasticity sheets must be replaced.

Wear of the pins and bushings of the front springs may be due to untimely or poor quality lubrication. Worn pins and bushings must be replaced.

Work performed by the driver during vehicle maintenance.

Daily vehicle maintenance is carried out at the ETO site by the driver upon arrival at the park to keep the vehicle ready for use and ensure traffic safety.

Inspect the car and check for fuel, oil, brake and coolant leaks, and air leaks. Troubleshoot if necessary. Inspect the engine and, if necessary, clean it of dust and dirt.

check the condition of the steering drive, towing device and hoses connecting the trailer brake system, air duct connections, platform side locks, wheels and tires;

operation of lighting devices, light signaling;

operation of windshield wipers;

bring the oil level in the engine crankcase and coolant system to normal levels

drain the condensate from the air cylinders of the brake system - after the car arrives at the park

If necessary, wash the car and clean the cab and platform.

In winter, to prevent moisture condensation in the fuel tank, fill it with fuel to its full capacity.

Check the engine oil level.

We check the oil level in the engine crankcase using the marks on the dipstick; it should be wiped before measuring.

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1. Oils used for engines, the simplest ways to determine oil quality.

To operate a car at low temperatures, use oil with a low viscosity and pour point of the M-8-G2 (k) brand, and in the warm season - grade M-10-G2 (k), which has a higher viscosity.

Oil markings are a combination of letters, numbers and indices. The letter M is placed first in the brand, followed by a hyphen and a number corresponding to the level of oil viscosity at 100°C (mm2/s), followed by the letter designation of the oil group and the subgroup index. For example, the alphanumeric combination M-8-G2 (k) is deciphered as follows: M - motor oil; 8 — viscosity class (viscosity level at 100 °C is 8 mm 2/s); G 2 - group of oils intended for diesel engines; (k) - oil for KamAZ brand vehicles (KAMAZ oil).

The quality of the oil can be determined visually by its color and transparency on the rod or by a drop test on filter or white writing paper. If the oil is light and marks are clearly visible on the rod, then we can assume that the oil is still suitable for further work. If the oil is dark or black and the marks are difficult to see, it should be replaced.

Also, if the color of the oil has changed or a white veil has appeared, then antifreeze is clearly getting there. When antifreeze is mixed with oil, this whole mixture becomes like white soap foam. It is absolutely impossible to drive on such oil.

Spring breakdowns and repairs

Many car owners, especially cars, believe that it is impossible to break a spring, as a result of which they load the car beyond measure. But a broken spring is not that uncommon, especially on the front axle, since the weight of the power unit presses on it, and road unevenness is perceived to a greater extent by the front axle.

As a rule, the main spring failures are:

A broken spring must be replaced. If there is a deflection, its shape can be restored through template editing. But driving with a defective spring is unacceptable, as the car body begins to tilt to one side.

How to strengthen springs

Having figured out how to strengthen the springs on their passenger trailer, many naturally decide to take on this matter on their own.

The procedure consists of several successive steps:

• First you need to remove the spring from the platform. To do this, it is usually enough to unscrew the mounting bolt at the front of the spring, which is held in a metal eye, and then remove the mounting clamp connecting the structure to the beam. Most often, 4 M12 bolts are used here.
• Now the spring needs to be disassembled. First, the tightening bolt located in the center is unscrewed. Then carefully bend the staples.
• Next, the condition of each sheet is checked. If you see signs of wear on one or more sheets, their life has come to an end, and therefore at this stage it is better to immediately remove them and replace them with new ones.
• After these manipulations, the required number of additional sheets is added. In most cases, owners of passenger trailers strengthen the spring suspension by 2-3 leaves.
• Having added the required number of sheets, the assembly is assembled in the reverse order.
• As the number of sheets has increased, the previously used lag bolt may no longer be suitable. You will need to get a new one with an increased length.
• Before returning the already reinforced spring to its place, be sure to check the current condition of the fluoroplastic bushing. If there are signs of wear, replace the bushing.

This completes the strengthening procedure. As you can see, there is nothing complicated.

Spring suspension used on car trailers has its strengths and weaknesses. In terms of basic performance characteristics, it is superior to its rubber-harness analogue. Therefore, motorists have every reason to think about replacing the suspension.

Spring maintenance

In order to preserve the springs and prevent damage, it is necessary to periodically service this component. Spring cleaning should be done at least once every 10,000 km. It involves dismantling the unit, cleaning each spring with sandpaper and then washing them with kerosene. Next, the springs should be painted with paint (quick-drying type), and then lubricated with a composition of graphite and grease, and then reinstalled.

Video: Bulkheading springs for gas 2410

To preserve the springs, it is necessary to inspect them every 2 days to ensure that their stepladders are tightened, due to which the springs are fixed to the bridge and the front axle. An important condition is that stepladders must always be tightened.

Lubrication of spring pins, as well as earrings, is carried out every 2 days. To carry out the work, it is necessary to use a grease pump, and lubricant is pumped through special nipples with which the earrings and fingers are equipped. It is worth remembering that the spring fingers are quite fragile, which eliminates the use of a hammer during work. It is necessary to tighten the bolts with extreme care so as not to damage the indicated pins.

When operating the machine in difficult conditions, it would be advisable to wrap them with twine (tarred), after which the unit is covered with a tarpaulin cover filled with grease.

Disadvantages of springs

The disadvantages of a spring suspension include the need for periodic lubrication and replacement of plastic gaskets between the leaf springs, otherwise they begin to creak and “crush” on uneven surfaces. Due to interleaf friction, the spring helps the shock absorbers dampen vibrations. If the shock absorbers are “dead” (how to check shock absorbers), this is not noticeable, but if they work normally, such “help” leads to the fact that small irregularities are easily transmitted to the body.

True, in recent years, small-leaf and even single-leaf springs made of composite materials, in which inter-leaf friction is significantly reduced or completely absent, are becoming increasingly widespread.

The popularity of leaf spring suspension is also not helped by the fact that it is quite difficult to make it independent.