Tired of your MB springs going bang?

[wemorgan]

Audi (sorry) may have the answer. At worst these should fail with a different noise.

Anyway.....I thought the technology may be of interest to some.

Audi looks into the future with 7 new technologies

Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) coil springs being 40 percent lighter aim to replace coventionary steel springs. The new FRP suspension springs will make their debut before the end of 2012 in the Audi R8 e-tron model.

Read more: Audi looks into the future with 7 new technologies

Putting a spring in your step–well, more like your car’s step–is exactly what Audi is planning to do with its FRP Coil Spring technology. Audi’s fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) spring will look to improve upon, and replace, the standard steel springs in many of today’s cars. By utilizing FRP springs, Audi says it will be able to achieve weight savings of more than 40-percent. The first vehicle to use Audi’s FRP coil springs will be the 2012 Audi R8 e-tron, with widespread implementation the following year.

 

[Dieselman]

What next, fibreglass wheels...?

Oops...40 years too late...

 

[Aoraki]

I've had fibreglass leaf springs on my Renault/Vauxhall vans for the last six years or so, I didn't think they could ever take the weight I threw at them but they have. Seems the way to go if they are as good as my vans springs.

 

[grober]

Their manufacture seems slightly more complicated than steel springs. https://www.audi-mediaservices.com/...oil_springs.standard.gid-oeffentlichkeit.html
and being made from what I would assume is hydrocarbon feedstock my guess is that they will be a lot more expensive. Their chief advantage seems to be a reduction in unsprung weight

The technology is hardly new either but improved mass manufacturing techniques may have made large scale batch quality control better. My concern would be microfracturing due to vibration or denaturing/oxidation of the polymers rather than stress corrosion.

3.3.3 Manufacturing Process of FRP Spring

interesting post wemorgan

 

[spike60]

I've had fibreglass leaf springs on my Renault/Vauxhall vans for the last six years or so, I didn't think they could ever take the weight I threw at them but they have. Seems the way to go if they are as good as my vans springs.

Corvette have used composite/kevlar/gloriefied plastic springs since 1983 and I've not heard of any problems. Mind you, mine don't seem to flex either!