Advances in the Design. Analysis, and Manufacturing of Steel Leaf Springs

New rear suspension springs were designed for the 1988 General Motors full-size pick-up truck. In order to meet the aggressive project goals for durability and quality, several advances in technology were made. A new computer program was developed to more fully define the variables in leaf spring design. The program has the ability to optimize a spring's stress balance according to user defined input. Manufacturing processes were refined in order to meet requirements that were established early in the design phase of this new vehicle.