But to my mind that friction is just another damping component on the leaf spring setup and would be compensated for by having a slightly softer damper setup.
If you put exactly the same damper on both setups then I think it would be harsher on the leaf spring setup due to the friction.
So why not just soften the leaf spring damper to compensate.
Sorry to bring this discussion up again Bob but you got me thinking about above. I totally agree that leaf springs have their own built-in damping however it seems to me this is far greater on compression than rebound, the exact opposite of the ideal.
A multi-leaf spring under increasing compression will have the tips of the lower shorter leaves sliding outwards over the leaf above and so on upwards, as the whole spring tends towards flat. Each of these sliding actions under compression will be resisted by some friction no matter how well lubricated the spring is, creating a natural damping effect. On rebound the reverse will happen but with much reduced weight so the total friction and therefore natural damping in the whole spring will be much less, although controlled by the external damper.
These thoughts are born out by experience with my Land Rover when I had parabolic leaf springs fitted. These have only two leaves hence only two sliding surfaces so far more compliant, so much so that matching longer travel dampers are required.
