Application Technology

A UK-based pick-up truck company recently contacted Lesjöfors Heavy Springs UK to custom design a nest of improved performance, heavy-duty springs, needed to solve a repetitive weight issue on its range of vehicles. The springs also had to reduce suspension spring damage experienced by heavily loaded pick-ups.

Heavy loads put additional pressure on vehicle suspension, which can cause a range of issues, such as reduced brake efficiency, tyre wear and difficulty steering, all of which lead to additional costs. However, by working in collaboration with the customer to solve these problems through a better understanding of its needs and product design specifications, not only have Lesjöfors’ technical experts designed and manufactured a new suspension spring solution that meets all customer technical requirements, but the solution is also more operationally cost-effective. 

Michael Gibbs, managing director at Lesjöfors Heavy Springs UK, said the company’s team of engineers were able to work on numerous customer designs at its advanced spring manufacturing facilities, developing prototypes and samples that ‘engineered the right solution’. “Together, we developed a product that not only firmly secured a new suspension spring solution, but also delivered a new cost-effective product line for the customer.” He added that a spin-off of the collaboration has been the development of new suspension springs specifically for wheelchair accessible mobility vehicles. 

With pick-up trucks imported into the UK often having lighter payload specifications to homegrown pick-ups, modification to meet heavier load requirements and Type Approval in the UK market are sometimes needed. Importantly, in the process of this latest product design and manufacture, the new Lesjöfors suspension spring solution has also achieved the UK Type Approval.