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Technical Paper

Development and Testing of Composite Truck Trailer Springs

1989-02-01
890545
Composite leaf springs constructed of glass fiber reinforced polymeric material have been recognized as a viable replacement for steel leaf springs since their introduction on the 1981 General Motors Corvette. This acceptance of composite leaf springs has given rise to applications in high volume production passenger cars and vans. The increased reliability and utility of composite leaf springs is clearly demonstrated in these applications. This paper will discuss the design, laboratory testing, field testing, and development over the past three years that has led to the commercialization of the Liteflex trailer spring. This will include the design process for high and low deflection composite leaf springs and the stress analysis for common springs used in various axle spacings worldwide. An explanation of laboratory tests will be given and the rationalization for these tests compared to current steel spring test standards.
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