Custom Built Adventure Machines
If you are looking to transform an empty space on wheels into a luxurious, custom-built adventure home, then you have come to the right place. At Sanderson’s Leaf Springs we offer leaf springs to support those Campervan Conversions, at Sanderson’s we want your campervan to be as unique and as different as you are.
The team at Sanderson Leaf Springs we are always on the look out to help you to develop new layouts and designs for your campervan conversions. So, when your campervan is in need of leaf springs we are sure to have the answers here at Sanderson Leaf Springs whether you need a campervan for your surfing holiday, or you need a home away from home when you go visit the in laws, we can provide you with the leaf springs that you need.
Springs Used in Campervan Conversions
There are four main types of spring used in vehicle suspensions:
- Torsion Bar – Simply a straight bar which twists, one ended will be secured to the chassis and the other to the wheel hub via a lever. As the hub moves up and down, the torsion bar will twist.
- Coil – A coil spring is simply a torsion bar wound into a coil and it is still the bar’s resistance to twist that provides the spring action.
- Leaf – A leaf spring is simply a flat bar which is supported at either end with the axle usually located in the middle of the spring. The bar’s resistance to bending gives its spring rate.
- Air – These compromise a rubber bellow that is filled with compressed air. The higher the air pressure the bigger the diameter of the bag and the more weight it can support.
The overall job of the spring is to support the mass of the vehicle and absorb shock loads, while allowing the wheels to follow furrows in the road surface, drain covers and pot holes. If your campervan conversion didn’t have springs the ride would be harsh, uncomfortable and quite simply dangerous. So the spring rate is matched to the vehicles loading capacity.
How Campervan Conversions Work
A vehicles suspension comprises two main parts, the spring and the damper. We often refer to the damper as the shock absorber, but if left undamped it would simply bounce uncontrollably and give a very uncomfortable ride for you and your passengers.
The damper’s job is to control the springs oscillations, which is done by hydraulics. The damper is a piston situated inside a cylinder full of oil.
A Difference you Can Feel
Fitting springs to the front end of your campervan conversion can often be surprising to the owners. One of the most common misconceptions is that higher rate springs will make the suspension harder and spoil the ride quality.
Using a higher spring rate will lift the suspension into the middle of its travel range, so it has room to move without hitting the bump stops.
Why Should You Change your Springs?
Leaf springs are an important part of your vehicle’s suspension. They are in place to support the weight of the vehicle, keep the tyres on the road by regulating wheelbase lengths while accelerating and breaking, control ride height and control axle damping. There are many reasons why someone would want to replace their leaf springs.
Two main reasons in which you would have to replace your springs;
- When your spring begins to wear out, they will sag and lower the chassis height of the vehicle.
- The leaf spring may crack or break.
People sometimes want to simply upgraded to a heavier duty spring to increase support and keep the vehicle safe and a leaf spring helper will simply not suffice.
Leaf Spring Installation Process
When you finally find the correct leaf spring for your conversion it is important you install them correctly.
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- Preparation – Before you install your new suspension you will need to prepare your old suspension. Old leaf springs may be rusted on, therefore you want to make sure they come off without damaging any parts which need to be re-used.
- Raise the Vehicle – After preparation you will need to raise the rear end of the vehicle and remove the rear tyres. Using a floor jack, raise the tyres 3 inches off the ground.
- Remove the Springs – To remove the old leaf springs, loosen the nuts and bolts on the leaf spring bracket U-bolts first then remove the U-bolts and place them to the side. Now remove the leaf springs by first removing the eyelet bolts from the bushings.
- Attached Eye Bolts – First place the leaf spring in position and insert mounting bolts and retainer nuts at each end to secure the spring to the hangers. It is recommended to use new nuts and bolts as the old ones may be worn down.
- Attach U-Bolts – When all of the bolts are secure place the U-bolt brackets around the leaf spring and rear axle. Make sure all of these are securely in place and the bolts are tight.
- Lower the Vehicle – Now that you have your new leaf springs installed remove the floor jacks and lower the vehicle.
Why Choose Sanderson Leaf Springs for Campervan Conversions?
At Sanderson Leaf Springs we don’t want you to be limited by choice which is why we offer a wide variety of leaf springs as part of our brand-new campervan conversion collection. We can offer full leaf springs for conversions on a new van to helping you get started, we can help to source materials you need to create your campervan of dreams.
For Campervan Conversions Contact Sanderson Leaf Springs
When it comes to Campervan Conversions, the team at Sanderson Leaf Springs are passionate and driven to provide you with the best possible leaf springs for campervan conversions to both existing and potential customers. No matter what designs or style you are looking to create the team at Sanderson Leaf Springs can help. We are able to provide you with expert advice, contact our team today to see how Sanderson Leaf Springs can help you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Campervan Conversions
Leaf springs offer many important benefits to your campervan. Leaf springs are often used in commercial heavy goods vehicles, which means they are just as good for your campervan conversion. When compared to the infamous coiled spring, leaf springs have many mounting points that allows your suspension to distribute the load across more areas of the vehicle chassis; unlike a coil spring where all of the focus is on one point.
The leaf springs we offer for your camper van conversions are great for maintaining your rear axle which in turn helps to simplify the suspension system. This helps with both driving down both the weight and costs of the spring. Offering a much sturdier solution than a coil spring, leaf springs reinforce the use required in vehicles which are based around utility.
A Leaf spring is a suspension system for vehicles that have been used as far back as medieval times. They were originally called carriage or laminated springs. Its system has been tried and true, primarily used on almost all vehicles up to the 1970’s and still today on trucks and vans that haul heavy loads.
The spring leaf is made up of an arc-shape, slender piece of steel that is stacked with the same material in smaller sizes and bolted together creating a reinforced bow like item. It is then attached to the rear axle and the chassis providing support to any additional weight that is added to a vehicle, preventing the axle from buckling in and snapping from the pressure of an extreme amount of weigh that it was not originally designed to carry.
The overall purpose of a leaf spring is to provide the support for a vehicle, giving passengers and the driver a much smoother ride absorbing any bumps or potholes in the road. Leaf springs are also used t o locate the axle and control the height at which the vehicle rides, keeping the tires aligned on the road.
Leaf springs can commonly wear because they have several moving parts, this means they need to be inspected regularly. Regular inspection will help to identify any problems meaning you can clean them when required or replace them when it’s needed.
The standard leaf spring is made from several thin strips of spring steel and the different lengths are held together by clamps. The leaves are likely to rub against each other when the car is moving. Dirt particles will build up between the separate leaves which will lead to wear and rust. Keeping the springs clean and in good order will help to extend the lifespan of the vehicle.
When it comes to checking the leaf springs you should start my examining the edge of the spring for any cracks. Fractures found in the spring leaves cannot be repaired by welding. The leaf or the complete spring must be replaced as soon as possible by a garage.
