Difference between Helical and Leaf spring

In this article, we will discuss the difference between helical and leaf springs.

  1. Introduction  

  A. Helical Spring  

It is also known as coil spring.

It is a coiled mechanical device that stores and releases energy to absorb shock and maintain a force between contacting surfaces.

  B. Leaf Spring  

It is also known as elliptical, semi-elliptical, and cart spring.

It is a spring that is made up of a number of strips of metal plate that are curved slightly upward and is superimposed with the help of a clamp.

It is commonly used as a suspension in a wheeled vehicle.

  2. Difference between Helical and Leaf spring

The difference between helical and leaf spring is discussed below;

S.N	Helical Spring	Leaf Spring
–
1.	Formed by winding metal wire of uniform diameter in the form of a helix.	Formed by superimposing the curved metal plates with the help of a clamp.
2.	They are light weighted.	They are heavier.
3	They are cheaply available.	They are costly.
4	They have a low load-bearing capacity.	Load-bearing capacity is comparatively high.
5	They are used to absorb shocks and vibrations.	They are used to lift the vehicle’s body when they experience a bump.
6	Suitable for light vehicles like motorcycles.	Mostly used in commercial vehicles.
7	They provide some amount of flexibility in the transverse direction.	They do not provide any flexibility in a transverse direction.