23 May 2023

Materials commonly used for manufacturing suspension springs

Suspension springs come in a variety of shapes and sizes and the material they're manufactured from can define their application.

What are Suspension springs?

Suspension springs are a type of spring used to support a vehicle weight and absorb vibrations from the road. They are responsible for maintaining comfort for passengers and drivers whilst also improving handling and stability of a vehicle.

Suspension springs are an important part of any suspension system and play a critical role in comfort, stability and safety.
spring being powder coated

Types of Suspension springs

Different types of suspension springs are used for different types of vehicles, from your large heavy trucks to smaller hatchback cars, you’ll find suspension springs everywhere. The goal of suspension springs is to provide a smoother ride for the user.

Coil Springs

Suspension springs come in many different types, from coil springs to leaf springs but coil springs are the most common type of suspension spring you will find. Coil springs are shaped to compress and expand as the vehicle moves over bumps and dips in the road.

Leaf Springs

Another type of suspension spring is the leaf suspension, which is commonly used in trucks and heavy vehicles because they offer a stronger, more reliable system for those particular trucks. Leaf spring suspension systems consist of multiple layers of metal leafs stacked on top of each other to provide a stiff but stable journey.

Types of Material used in suspension springs?

With our dedicated material scientists, there are very few metal spring materials we can’t access or work with, and we hold one of the largest global stocks of chrome silicon and chrome vanadium wire anywhere in the world.

We also work with a diverse range of steels, copper and titanium alloys, as well as super alloys, including Inconel, Hastelloy and Nimonic.
white motorsport car driving on racetracks

Steel Suspension Springs

The most common type of suspension spring material is steel due to its sheer strength, durability, and affordability. This strong rigid material can withstand heavy impacts, loads and resist deformation.

In coil springs we commonly see high carbon steel used due to its durability and compression ability whilst, leaf suspension springs use lower-carbon steel which is more ductile and can easily be formed into a curved shape needed for leaf springs.

Alloy Steel Suspension Springs

Alloy steel is a type of steel which contains other materials such as chromium, nickel, and vanadium and offers a higher strength and durability than regular steel and can often be the choice for high performance vehicles such as race cars, high-end sports cars, and heavy-duty trucks. Alloy steel suspension springs can withstand high loads and maintain their performance under harsh conditions, making them ideal for demanding applications.

Titanium Suspension Springs

Titanium material is used in suspension springs mainly for high end racing vehicles such as motorcycles and racing cars where every pound makes a significant difference in performance.

Titanium springs are also one of the most lightweight. Titanium suspension springs are highly resistant to corrosion and wear, even in the harshest of environments. Titanium springs are more frequently used for exclusive, high performance racing markets and high stakes competitions.

Composite Materials Suspension Springs

We don’t make these but it’s interesting to look at these composite materials which are also known as carbon fibre and fibreglass. These type of springs are made by weaving materials into a strong, lightweight structure making it ideal for high performance vehicles saving up to 70% weight compared to the common steel springs. The benefits of using composite suspension springs is their resistance to corrosion and fatigue which increases the life expectancy of the overall performance of the suspension system.

We specialise in metal suspension springs and everything you need to know about suspension springs, we can deal with.

Rubber Suspension Springs

We also don’t make these but it’s interesting to look at rubber suspension springs which are commonly found in trucks and buses and can be used in industrial applications like heavy machinery to reduce vibration and shock. Rubber suspension springs work by absorbing the impact and then reducing the amount of vibration transferred to the vehicle.

Using rubber materials for suspension springs are great for reducing noise and dissipating vibrations which result in a quiet ride but not the highest quality ride.

Advantages of each spring material

Steel Suspension Springs

Advantages

  • Durability
  • Cost Effective
  • Wide Availability
  • Good Shock Absorption
  • High Stiffness
  • Temperature Resistance

Disadvantages

Not many but can be susceptible to environmental factors - if protective coating is compromised. Regular maintenance can overcome this.

Alloy Steel Suspension Springs

Advantages

  • Durability
  • Improved fatigue resistance
  • Reduced weight
  • High tensile strength
  • Delivers multiple design possibilities and flexibility

Disadvantages

If the protective coating is compromised - it is susceptible to environmental factors such as corrosion. Monitoring and maintenance can overcome this.

Titanium Suspension Springs

Advantages

  • High Strength to weight ratio
  • Good fatigue resistance
  • Low thermal expansion
  • Long lifespan
  • Corrosion resistance

Disadvantages

  • Expensive material
  • Requires extensive manufacturing expertise
  • Difficult to source replacements

Composite Materials Suspension Springs

Advantages

  • Lightweight
  • High Strength
  • Customisable stiffness
  • Corrosion resistance
  • Damping characteristics

Disadvantages

  • Cost - more expensive than steel
  • Difficult to manufacture
  • Hard to repair
  • Limited recycling options
  • Susceptible to extreme temperature & environments

Rubber Suspension Springs

Advantages

  • Reduced noise and vibration
  • Customisable Stiffness
  • Low maintenance
  • Corrosion resistant

Disadvantages

  • Will perish over time
  • Not as strong as steel springs
  • Not as efficient as steel springs
  • Reduced ride quality compared to steel spring

How Suspension springs are made?

What to do if you have a broken suspension spring?

We’ve all experienced that recognisable ‘ping’ sound, indicating when a suspension spring has broken. It’s not advisable to operate the vehicle with broken suspension springs as it impacts on the performance and safety of the vehicle. Visit your nearest garage and they will take the name and model of your car, research the suspension springs you need and supply and fit - it is highly likely that it will be replaced with one of our Lesjofors branded springs.

Suspension springs FAQs

What does a suspension spring do?

A suspension spring provides precision driving and comfort, delivering load capability that supports added weight without disproportionate slack. The suspension coil spring stores the force in the spring’s deflection, preventing the impact of the surface on the quality of the drive.

Is it OK to drive a car with a broken spring?

To deliver the ride that the car manufacturer wants you to have and for road safety, it is highly advisable to get broken suspension springs replaced.

How long does it take to create a suspension spring

Depending on the suspension spring design requirements, material choice and processing - it all varies. Watch our video and you can see the full manufacturing process.

Do springs affect ride quality?

Yes. They are an integral part of the ride delivery and performance of the vehicle. Spring design, spring material and spring settings impact ride quality and performance efficiencies.

What causes suspension springs to fail?

Harsh environments, whether it be continual impact damage from potholes in the road or the rough road or track the vehicle is driving on. We focus our manufacture on accuracy, quality design and materials which add value and longevity to our suspension spring products.

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