how to make transverse leaf springs?

[rattle can man]

I've tried searching for a thread on how to make transverse leaf springs and haven't come up with anything. I found a tutorial on making parallel leafs,  but how do you accomplish the additional curvature of a transverse spring?

[Chris V]

Simple: You cut a length of styrene strip, place it across a suitably curved surface (e.g.  a bottle) and tape the ends down to keep it in place. Gradually add additional styrene spring leaves, making sure to distribute the glue sparingly along the middle of the full length of the new strip of styrene, and tape it down to keep it snug when in place. Once the glue has set, the assembly will retain its curvature. Additional leaves will further stiffen the assembly - just like in the real world. 

[rattle can man]

Leaf springs with one curve are easy, just like you said. But some transverse spring have a total of three curves. One over the differential for clearance, and the remainder `of the spring is curved the opposite direction so that the ends can bolt to the outer ends of the axel housing. think Model T.  Or two mirrored "s" curves

I'm guessing maybe some kind of jig.

[NOBLNG]

5 hours ago, rattle can man said:

I've tried searching for a thread on how to make transverse leaf springs and haven't come up with anything. I found a tutorial on making parallel leafs,  but how do you accomplish the additional curvature of a transverse spring?

Is this the type of spring you want? I haven’t built one, but I would guess that you would need to make a form out of wood maybe, and then do like Chris said above. Alternately, you could cut the entire thing out of a suitable stack of evergreen sheet and scribe the leafs into it. Either way, a scrollsaw or bandsaw would come in handy.

[peteski]

Or just use thin aluminum sheet cut into strips for the leaves. That way you you can form it and it'll retain its shape.  Use CA glue to hold it together.

[johnyrotten]

Make a jig.  Draw what you need with the dimensions. ( spring eye to eye and the height from chassis to axle) transfer those measurements to a small piece of wood or styrene and use some pins, nails or screws to form the styrene into shape. You may have to heat the styrene to form it. It may have some "memory" so the bends might have to be tighter. That's how I made this one

[rattle can man]

Thank you everyone. A jig / fixture sounds like the way to go. With lots of clamps. And maybe a little heat. I'll get around to experimenting once my garden is on semi-autopilot.