In this study, the dump truck helical compression spring would be analyzed with different spring materials (namely, chromium vanadium (ASTM A 231), hard drawn (ASTM A 227) and stainless steel (17-7 PH A 313) and cross sections (namely, circular, elliptical, square and rectangular) respectively. It aims to investigate the effects of material as well as the cross section on its mechanical strength specifically stress and stiffness of the spring. The classical theory and finite element simulation result show that, from comparisons of spring materials and cross-sections, chromium vanadium has high stiffness and elliptical cross-section has small in stress compared with a common one. This study also shows the maximum shear stress distribution and its location as a function of spring index and aspect ratio on an elliptical cross-section which enables to obtaining maximum shear stress theoretically based on the theory of elasticity.