Alloy Steel 5160


Alloy Steel 5160H, also known as AISI 5160H or SAE 5160, it is a high carbon chromium spring steel. 5160 is very common alloy and has been used in spring manufacturing for more than 100 years. 5160H is typically utilized in spring applications where larger material diameters are required. Its most common use is in material diameters greater than 0.625” (15.88 mm), although the material can be obtained in sizes as small as 0.375” (9.5 mm).

The material is usually delivered in bar form and comes in the as rolled condition. However, the material is also available from the mill in coil form as well, so long continuous lengths are available to create spring free lengths up to 80”. China Alloy Springs stocks 40 ft, 45 ft bar and 4000 lbs. coils of 5160H. For sizes larger than 1.25” diameter the alloy may be enhanced with Boron so that the material hardness can be maintained when utilizing large diameters up and beyond 2.5” in diameter.

Springs manufactured from AISI 5160H steel provide a high tensile strength, toughness, and good fatigue resistance. This allows the spring to be designed to a lower mass because of the higher tensile properties over other high carbon non-alloyed steels. 5160H will return to their original shape post-deformation under high dynamic conditions which makes the material ideal for large spring applications for a myriad of industries.

Most manufacturers hot coil 5160H material however, China Alloy Springs has devised methods to cold form this alloy with material diameters up to 2.50”. This cold forming technology can produce springs that have a very uniform hardness. This certainly comes into play when producing very large springs with long bar lengths. When quenching large springs, the temperature is very uniform when they come out of the austenitizing furnace. The springs are uniformly quenched to ensure consistent hardness throughout the spring. The springs are then tempered in a batch oven to ensure the final hardness corresponds to the desired tensile properties.

Material Composition

Chromium is the major alloying element in 5160 steel. AISI 5160H steel also includes other key elements:

  • Manganese
  • Phosphorus
  • Silicon
  • Sulfur

AISI 5160 steel also has a carbon concentration is 0.60% carbon, making it a medium to high carbon steel.

AISI 5160 is a hot rolled steel, produced by processing material at temperatures above the recrystallization temperature of the material. Hot roll is for applications where the finished surface quality is not as critical. However, the material can be obtained with a bright finish that is turned and polished for improving the surface condition for extending the fatigue properties. The material is very flexible as it can be heat treated to various hardness to meet various operating environments. 5160H can be heat treated to a hardness range as high as 51 HRc and still meet the ductility requirements for a dynamic spring application. Although, in most instance the material hardness for most spring applications falls into the 40 – 46 HRc range. Therefore, it can be utilized in various ambient conditions from -50F to 250 F (-58C to 170 C).

The chromium that is present in AISI 5160H is not at high enough levels to reduce its susceptibility corrosion, therefore it is important to coat the spring with a rust preventative or a protective coating to ensure the material is not exposed directly to the elements. China Alloy Springs offers various coating and plating solutions to ensure springs produced from 5160H do not corrode when used in their intended application. Powder coating is one of the most common forms of protection from the environment. It can also be plated; however, it is important to bake the material properly post electro plating to eliminate the risk of hydrogen embrittlement.


Applications of AISI 5160 Carbon Steel

Because of its availability and cost-effectiveness, AISI 5160H steel is utilized for a very large variety of applications. AISI 5160H steel is most commonly used for springs in railroad and automotive suspensions because of its strength and ductility and fatigue properties.

Industries using springs manufactured from AISI 5160 steel include:

  • Agriculture
  • Automotive
  • Mining
  • Oil & Gas
  • Power Plants
  • Railroad
  • Transportation Equipment

China Alloy Springs Inc.. uses AISI 5160 steel to make different types of springs used in a wide range of industrial applications. The high tensile strength of AISI 5160 is often implemented in applications with smaller cross-sections under significant stress.

Types of Springs

Customized Design & Manufacture

China Alloy Springs Inc.. is driven to provide exceptional service in the spring industry. We accomplish this every day with every customer and client with our highly skilled engineers, well-experienced staff, and the best practices we apply to our manufacturing products and services.

We offer our customers comprehensive services beginning from requirement gathering and analysis, assistance in design, and manufacture springs using AISI 5160 steel that meets your requirements for quality and cost.

For springs manufactured using AISI 5160 steel, China Alloy Springs Inc.. can readily procure the steel you need, efficiently process the steel, and expertly engineer high-quality, high-performance springs that meet your exact dimensions and application requirements.  

We can deliver springs made from AISI 5160 steel in a wide range of size. Springs made of 5160 steel are available from 3/8 inch to 2 ½ inches in diameter.

Our customization is unbeatable, and with our springs’ high-performance and quality, you can count on us to deliver exactly what you need every time.

Your Customized Spring Partner

China Alloy Springs Inc.. has the technical expertise, industry experience, and manufacturing capability to meet your suspension spring needs.

  • Certified ISO 9001-2015 manufacturer of custom-crafted small or large coil springs, compression springs, extension springs, suspension springs, wave springs, and torsion springs
  • More than 45 years’ experience in the spring making industry
  • Cutting-edge technology and efficient manufacturing methods to shorten production times and improve product consistency
  • Capacity to deliver any size order out of our 110,000 square-foot facility in Shenzhen, China. from prototype runs to high-volume orders
  • On-site China Alloy Springs has other capabilities which include heat treating, powder coating, special coatings, magnetic particle inspection, shot peening, cycle testing, stamping, and wire forms.

China Alloy Springs manufactures large custom springs to meet the specific requirements of our industrial customers. Our springs can be custom manufactured using a wide variety of alloys, including AISI 5160. The team is available to help you create the right product for your application.

Our custom springs are manufactured and delivered with the highest quality of manufacturing and service. Contact us today!