Leaf Springs

[motofiaccone]

Morning gents:

My rear leaf springs are looking on the aged side. However, I'd like to clean them up, give them a lick of paint and have a go.

So is it possible to split the springs, do the above, then reassemble them? Most of the blogs I follow and even the GRM build see to just buy shiny new ones. I'm OK with that, but would rather spend the coin on other stuff, ya know?

--Cheers, CHris

 

[Morris]

I have not personally done this, but I have read plenty of threads by people who have... including on from JollyRoger detailing how to re-arch the springs using an anvil and hammer. I think Nial has done this, too.

 

[racingenglishcars]

I did it on my Land Rover and again on a 52 Jeep truck.
Very messy as I used an angle grinder to clean all the rust off.
I then painted the leaves. And on assembly, I used grease liberally.
Works great.

 

[motofiaccone]

Thanks gents:

If there is something mechnically wrong, I'll just buy the new ones. Basically, I just want to tart them up a bit.

Donn:

Upon assembly, you put a bunch of grease between the springs? Also, how did you reconenct them together?

--Thanks, Chris

 

[jlaird]

After painting each leaf seperately I put graphite between them on assembly.

Be advised the little roller clamps will be a real pain as the paint makes the total spring package a bit larger.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Before you take it apart make sure you've got access to some new clamps. A spring shop will not have clamps this small.

 

[motofiaccone]

Hi Jack:

Are the roller clamps the bits that hold the springs together? If so, where are these purchased?

--Thanks for the help, Chris

 

[Westfield_XI]

Has anyone ever heard of putting thin sheets of teflon or other plastic between the leaves? I think I saw something regarding this in one of the Brit classic car magazines a few years ago. I do know that vintage cars sometimes wrap the spring bundle in leather to keep the grease in and the grit out. I would think that you could do the same with some rubber strips from a bicycle inner tube. If you used grease wouldn't you eventually end up with a gritty paste between the spring leaves?

 

[Nelson]

I did a total rebuild of my springs and wound up making new rollers by drilling lengthwise through some quarter inch steel rod. It is easy if you have access to a lathe. My original ones had just rusted to crumbly bits. I replaced the original screws with stainless socket head cap screws and I put locknuts on the end as I did not trust the threads in the brackets. My car is still in rehab so I haven't used the springs yet. A method of lubing the leaves was suggested to me that is a bit different. The thing suggested to me was to use wax shoe polish - the kind that comes as a paste in a tin. The wax is heated so that it melts and is then applied with a brush to the leaves. He said he has done this for years with race cars and with street cars. As I said I haven't road tested my springs yet but hopefully this summer I'll be back on the road. HTH

 

[jlaird]

As far as I know roller clamps are not available anywhere. They must be made.

 

[spritenut]

Do not grease the leafs!
Grease will attract dirt and wipe out the springs.
Later cars used a plastic strip between each leaf, I have dismantled, cleaned, painted (powder coated) and reassembled sets of springs a few times. As others said, the clamps are a problem if they are rusted out, break, or are already missing. I happened to have a a spare set of springs that I stole the clamps from to replace the rusted away ones.
I have used some plastic from a large plastic tote to replace the plastic strips too. Necessity is the mother of invention :wink:
Do watch the new leaf springs, although they all come from British Spring in the UK, they are made out of chinese steel. I took a new set to a spring shop to have them de-arced, the shop told me they were not even worth scrap metal because they were made from some weird chinese steel. He showed me the markings on the leafs.
The shop did wonders with my original springs. Look for a truck spring shop in any metro area.

 

[bill_young]

For replacement plastic you can use the product especially designed for this application and used by street rodders with early leaf spring cars. You can get it from places like Speedway Motors. It's a bit wider than necessary even in the smallest width, but fits ok with a little trimming around the spring clamps and U bolts. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/SPRING-LINER-WITH-LIP-1-3and4-,2079.html