When Springs Break (Part 1) covered the basics of spring flex and potential problem that can arise. Springs are a critical part of your suspension to provide for tire contact with the ground and keep the axle of your 4x4 centered while allowing movement. So, what are solutions to reducing the chance of spring failure? Certainly, moving to a coil spring suspension is one option to eliminate the flex issue with leaf springs. Another option is to install to a shackle reversal. That is a simpler and more cost effective option.
As noted in Part 1, leaf springs have a fixed point and a movable point. For the front leaf springs, the fixed point is about mid-center of the vehicle. When the front wheel encounters an obstacle, it is pushed back against the fixed point. The force can cause undue stress on the spring and a potential for breaking near the rearward spring hanger: the fixed point.