Leaf springs are an integral part of your vehicles suspension system if they are equipt instead of shock absorbers. If they are broken, problems will occur. The question is, is it still possible to drive with broken leaf springs? Technically yes, you can drive a vehicle that has a broken leaf spring, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. It is considerably noticeable when your leaf spring breaks whilst driving, therefore, at the time you should head to your nearest garage when the problem is detected. If you detect your your vehicle has a broken leaf spring whilst not driving, you’ll need to take the vehicle to somewhere where the leaf spring can be replaced, therefore, this should be the only place that you should take the vehicle. Your vehicle with broken leaf springs can be driven elsewhere in specific conditions, however, it should only be driven when completely necessary. Driving your vehicle with a broken leaf spring could potentially render it unstable, but not too dangerous to be driven a short distance.
In What Conditions Could My Vehicle with Broken Leaf Springs be Driven?
As previously mentioned, your vehicle with broken leaf springs could be driven only when necessary with specific conditions. Without following these conditions, it could potentially be dangerous for yourself and other road users to be driving. The conditions for driving with broken leaf springs are as follows:
Short-Distance Journey
Short distance journeys can possibly be made in your vehicle if the leaf springs are broken. Driving to a local garage or driving within a radius of five miles should be okay, however, it is important to remain at a slow and steady speed throughout the entire journey. If you plan to drive, please also ensure that the roads are quiet at the time of your journey for the safety of other road users.
Flat Roads
Once you have discovered that one of your leaf springs has broken, you can most likely slowly drive your vehicle home if the terrain is perfectly even and smooth. This applies to if you need to travel when the leaf spring is broken. If your journey is short distance and on flat, even roads, then you shouldn’t encounter any issues. Although it is likely to be okay to drive on flat road, we wouldn’t advise driving multiple times and to still arrange for the leaf spring to be replaced as soon as possible. Multiple journeys on a broken leaf spring will make the problem worse and potentially dangerous.
To a Collection Vehicle
If your vehicles leaf spring is severely damaged to the point the vehicle cannot be driven without a replacement, it will need to be towed to a garage. If you keep your vehicle somewhere that a collection vehicle cannot access, it is fine to drive a very short distance to the collection vehicle. The collection vehicle driver will likely be able to advise you on driving your vehicle to the collection vehicle.
If any of the examples above seem underwhelming, it is important to understand the danger of driving with a broken leaf spring. Your leaf springs are arguably the most important part of your suspension system, therefore a broken leaf spring is pretty much a failed suspension system, which is dangerous for you and other road users. You should only drive with a broken leaf spring if you absolutely must, and only for a very short and brief distance. As previously mentioned, the only place you should drive with a broken leaf spring is to a place where it can be replaced.
The Dangers of Driving With Broken Leaf Springs
There are numerous dangers associated with driving our vehicle with faulty or damaged leaf springs. Heavier vehicles such as vans and trucks require optimal suspension to drive straight when fully loaded to keep its balance, especially when driving through a variety of terrains. With just a single leaf spring, your vehicle could endure an imbalance of weight along one corner, which could have a hastened effect on the strength of the entire suspension system. The potential problems of broken leaf spring range from deflated tires due to damaged axles due to a loss of vehicle balance.
Driving with a broken leaf spring will place undue amounts of weight and pressure on the vehicle’s rear suspension system. This essentially renders the vehicle of a three-legged chair by placing the burden of balance on the remaining corners of the vehicle. Without a fully functioning suspension system, each individual underlying part of the vehicle will suffer even more stress and the ability to fulfil its function will be reduced. As previously mentioned, the can cause a loss of vehicle balance, which can damage the car’s tyres and axles. This is why it is highly dangerous to drive with broken leaf springs and it should be avoided unless completely necessary.
Leaf Springs Birmingham
To conclude, driving with broken leaf springs is always a no-no unless it is completely necessary and full safety precautions are taken. It is also important to consistently check your leaf springs to ensure that they are in good condition. This post was written by the content writer at Sanderson Leaf Springs, one of the UK’s leading leaf spring suppliers, supplying high-quality leaf springs in Birmingham. The content writer at Sanderson Leaf Springs has a passion for inspiring and supporting people with his content.