15-05-2019, 01:23 PM
Spring rates
I can work out the spring rates of a coil spring using a drill press, scales and a ruler to give the pound inch rate. Can anyone tell me a way to work out the spring rate of a leaf spring? I have searched thoroughly and seen all sorts of complex formulae involving number of leaves, distance between leaf ends, leaf lengths/thickness but applying my measurements to these does not seem to have come up with anything consistent or believable.
Anyone know of some values for the different springs available?
I have had a new front big 7 spring made but the company were not able to tell me the rate. It would help to know so I can work out how flat the spring will go when fully loaded with engine (BMC 'A'), body etc and I can get some idea where the ends of the radius arms are going to come in relation to the cross member for mounting the silent block bush housing, without putting a twist on the spring ends/shackles. (wedge will be added between spring and chassis as required) I am just hoping to be able to work things out without endless experimenting...(don't have full engineering machines and skills).
By the way...Land rover used to have heavier grade springs on the driver side than the passenger side to compensate for the driver's weight on the premiss that it was more often driven with no passenger(s). Just wonder if that would be helpful on A7 in view of relative weight of driver to A7
Denis
I can work out the spring rates of a coil spring using a drill press, scales and a ruler to give the pound inch rate. Can anyone tell me a way to work out the spring rate of a leaf spring? I have searched thoroughly and seen all sorts of complex formulae involving number of leaves, distance between leaf ends, leaf lengths/thickness but applying my measurements to these does not seem to have come up with anything consistent or believable.
Anyone know of some values for the different springs available?
I have had a new front big 7 spring made but the company were not able to tell me the rate. It would help to know so I can work out how flat the spring will go when fully loaded with engine (BMC 'A'), body etc and I can get some idea where the ends of the radius arms are going to come in relation to the cross member for mounting the silent block bush housing, without putting a twist on the spring ends/shackles. (wedge will be added between spring and chassis as required) I am just hoping to be able to work things out without endless experimenting...(don't have full engineering machines and skills).
By the way...Land rover used to have heavier grade springs on the driver side than the passenger side to compensate for the driver's weight on the premiss that it was more often driven with no passenger(s). Just wonder if that would be helpful on A7 in view of relative weight of driver to A7
Denis