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TR2/3/3A Leaf springs creaking

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DavidApp

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My new leaf springs have developed a squeak or creak. Thought something had come lose but found the sound was coming from the springs.

Any thoughts on lubrication for them. I have been advised that petroleum lubricant is not good for the steel used in modern springs.

David
 
Book says to brush them with used motor oil.

Never heard of any kind of steel not being compatible with motor oil.
 
Well, I pretty much agree with these guys (or girls): https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=326877

Some springs do have rubber inserts that can degrade when exposed to petroleum. If you have aftermarket springs with inserts, then you should probably look into that.

Otherwise, seems unlikely to me. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly exotic about 5160.

Curiously enough, here is a website that mentions coating 5160 with Vaseline (a petroleum product) to preserve it for long periods.
https://www.katanasale.com/blogs/katanasale/5160-steel
 
Have the springs been painted so heavily as to prevent lubricant from getting between the individual leaves? No reason to be concerned about dinosaur blood and steel. These cars were designed long before synthetic. If you're concerned, why not use a silicone based lube. You want the leaves to move, slide against each other.

In the old days cars had leaf springs front and rear. The springs were oiled or greased and wrapped with a cloth bandage, like a mummy, or fitted with cloth gaiters. These coverings kept the oil/grease in and the dirt out. Routine maintenance included removing the covering, washing the springs with petrol or "spirit" , re-oiling/greasing and re-wrapping. Not a pleasant job.
 
They were sprayed with rattle can paint.

Shot some dry lub on them and that seems to have fixed the problem. The Fluid Film was a bit too thick to wick between the leaves.

I did check that the "U" bolts were tight and the shock bolts were tight.

Need to do a road test now.

David
 
Every oil change my leafs get a spray and wipe of whatever lubricant is handy. The key is to do it often enough the lube has time to “wick”, as you say.
 
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