How many missing or broken leaves in any leaf spring will cause a commercial vehicle to be placed out of service?

How many missing or broken leaves in any leaf spring will cause a commercial vehicle to be placed out of service?

• A. 1/2
• B. 1/8
• C. 1/4
• D. 3/4

Answer: (C)

Leaf-spring integrity is essential for safe suspension and load support. A leaf spring is made of several leaves stacked together, sharing the load. If leaves are missing or broken, the spring can’t carry its share of the weight properly, leading to sagging, uneven ride, and potential loss of control. The out-of-service rule uses a clear threshold: if a quarter (one-fourth) or more of the leaves in any single leaf spring are missing or broken, the vehicle must be taken out of service until repaired. That’s why 1/4 is the correct choice. Smaller amounts (like 1/8) don’t meet the threshold, while larger amounts (1/2 or 3/4) are even more severe than the required cutoff, but the standard to trigger out-of-service is 1/4.

Leaf-spring integrity is essential for safe suspension and load support. A leaf spring is made of several leaves stacked together, sharing the load. If leaves are missing or broken, the spring can’t carry its share of the weight properly, leading to sagging, uneven ride, and potential loss of control. The out-of-service rule uses a clear threshold: if a quarter (one-fourth) or more of the leaves in any single leaf spring are missing or broken, the vehicle must be taken out of service until repaired. That’s why 1/4 is the correct choice. Smaller amounts (like 1/8) don’t meet the threshold, while larger amounts (1/2 or 3/4) are even more severe than the required cutoff, but the standard to trigger out-of-service is 1/4.