Your truck’s suspension system includes leaf springs that work to fulfill the function of securing your vehicle while driving. Leaf springs avert the rear of your truck from drooping when you travel with substantial loads. However, all winter long, salt, grit, and water mixed with extreme temperatures can break leaf springs over time.
If you frequently drive under these conditions, it could spell the end for your vehicle’s leaf springs. But what if your leaf springs are broken in the middle of the road, or you just don’t have enough time or cash to get a costly replacement?
Don’t worry, we have come up with a Broken leaf spring quick fix guide to deal with broken leaf springs without spending your fortune as well as to save you valuable time.
Can You Repair A Broken Leaf Spring?
Let’s start with answering a well-judged question first. Yes, we know you’re here to find a quick repair process to deal with a broken leaf spring. But, the question is, can you repair your broken leaf spring?
The answer is yes. Broken spring leaves may in some cases be repaired depending on the amount of damage done and the condition of the sum in the spring.
Read also: Overview Of Leaf Springs – Is Leaf Spring Good?
Why Does A Leaf Spring Break?
Leaf-spring lifespans can vary, depending on the terrain you are driving on, how far you drive, and the weight of your catenary. Several things can cause a leaf spring to be broken. Some of the most prevalent causes of breaking leaf springs include:
Corrosion and Wear
Corrosion or fatigue over time typically stems from the interaction of climates that contain corrosive elements and the weight of materials and products towed regularly. The frequency of your road driving, the amount of your hauling, and the intensity of climate are usually the primary factors that influence the cyclical nature of leaf spring deterioration and fatigue.
Putting Excessive Load
People often claim they do not overload, but we see the truth all the time. Weight added to the rear of a vehicle or on its tow load is more dangerous than it is to your trailer or the truck. We all like it, but overloading can be very harmful to your truck if you ignore the weight rating.
If you keep your equipment organized, your truck should not be agonizing over heavy loads. If making a new truck or carrying less weight is not an option, load-rating kits are available that can decrease the weight on your leaf springs.
Broken Leaf Spring Quick Fix
As we have already mentioned, fixing a broken leaf spring depends on the severity of the damage. So, you have a few options to choose from based on the condition of your leaf spring setup. Here we’re going to present some effective solutions to get rid of the issue either temporarily or permanently.
1. Broken Leaf Spring Temporary Fix
As we can see more and more people are in quest of finding a temporary solution to deal with broken leaf springs, we have a couple of techniques here. These are most effective when you’re in the middle of the road or just need to drive your vehicle to reach a nearby garage.
- Using External Support or Spacer
In the first place, you should measure the total amount of broken leaves, then come up with the same size of a spacer that is roughly equal to the width of the spring, and an extension as the length of the spring. In most cases, a sheet of aluminum or steel is preferable.
However, you can also use wood (oak or hard maple is better), if there is no other option available. Then use the u-bolts to loosen up the spring and remove the remainder of the broken leaves.
After that, you have to place a hole between the spacer and the stem to allow for the stem bolt, and then tighten down the nuts on the u-bolts. It will be noisy when the spring lifting on one side is heftier than the other side. So, be careful and try to drive slowly, smoothly, and quietly as much as possible until you reach a nearby repair shop.
- Using Additional Clumps for Stability
Here is another quick fix we have seen people find helpful to deal with broken leaf springs. However, before you resort to this process, it’s strongly suggested to check out the state of your broken leaf springs. If, sure enough, the spring is broken at the center of the pin and walking out, you’ll find that the axles holding the wheel to the springs have been rendered useless.
Nevertheless, if your spring is outside the extended bolt region, and your U-bolts are connected to the spring pack in their usual position, then the course may let you drive the vehicle.
In this situation, if one of the 2 situations parallels your leaf springs, you may jack it up and put it back in the original location. Then use a few hose clamps around the spring pack to hold it fully.
2. Quick Replacement
Since the broken leaf spring replacement cost and complexity are high, here we’re going to give you an idea of a quick replacement instead of replacing the whole unit. Once again, this won’t be a permanent solution. However, better than those mentioned previously.
- Replace a Single Leaf
In case, the leaf spring setup of your vehicle has only one broken leaf, you can swap out that individual leaf to restore your leaf spring’s functionality. Once you’ve put in your new leaf spring, you might ultimately be surprised at the rise of your vehicle’s performance.
You can renew your leaf springs together with two broken leaves by turning them into Tarzan leaves. Additionally, if you find leaves in both of these springs, you’ll have to decide if you’d like to replace them or preserve the old springs.
- Replace Multiple Leaf Springs
If you discover a broken leaf spring, be on the lookout for other problems with your vehicle’s underside. The axle might be compromised, but one element of your vehicle’s underside can hold a multitude of departments that are not your fault.
If your tractor-trailer starts to lean on the compromised side as you’re driving with a loaded back, this can be a noticeable problem. Alternatively, the roads could have particles that cover large areas of your axle, along with becoming corroded by salt and dirt. In that case, it’s best to replace the leaf spring.
Can You Weld Leaf Springs Back Together?
Welding seems to be a universal solution to repair any metal component. So, the thought of welding your leaf springs back together can rise in your mind. In theory, it’s possible to weld a leaf spring in a controlled environment. However, the reality is quite different since it’s extremely dangerous.
Welding heat to the welded material increases the temperature beyond the point at which tensile strength is expected. This weakens the already vulnerable metal. If that happens, the area you welded could become very flimsy and prone to breaking. Of course, you don’t want to have a leaf spring that’s susceptible to breaking instead of withstanding considerable abuse.
