Truck suspensions incorporating asymmetric leaf springs with full length and half length springs

摘要

A suspension system for supporting fore-and-aft extending frame members (6) of a vehicle chassis on a hollow axle (7) including a frame bracket (18) for pivotally supporting therefore or leading end of an asymmetric leaf spring (8), a spring end support (17) for supporting the aft or trailing end of the leaf spring, and an assembly for attaching the leaf spring at a location intermediate its opposite ends. The leaf spring is divided into two cantilever limbs (21, 22) extending in opposite directions from the centre line of the axle (7). One cantilever limb has a thickness substantially thicker than the other cantilever limb. At least one leaf of the asymmetric leaf spring extends the full length of the leaf spring. In a particular embodiment the shorter leaf has an end portion extending over the axle with an air spring (10) mounted either on the axle or on one side thereof.