The front of the leaf spring is attached to the chassis at the rigid spring hanger. This spring eye is bushed with either rubber bushes or, in the case of heavy vehicles, steel bushes.
The axle housing is rigid between each road wheel. This means that any deflection to one side is transmitted to the other side.
The swinging shackle allows for suspension movement by allowing the spring to extend or reduce in length, as the vehicle moves over uneven ground.
The top of the shock absorber is attached to the chassis, and to the spring pad at the bottom. It is a direct-acting shock absorber.
The U-bolts attach the axle housing to the leaf spring. They have a clamping force that helps to keep the leaf spring together. Leaf springs are usually made of tempered steel. They hold the axle in position, both laterally and longitudinally.
The leaf spring is usually made up of a number of leaves of different length. The top, or longest leaf, is normally referred to as the main leaf.
