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Rear Spring Restoration

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Thanks again! I'm looking at .003 or .005 thick sheets that I can cut into strips. How long should they be? I found a place with .003" X 24" X 12' for $35. Thoughts?
Thanks, Rut
 
IF you were going to line every leaf, you'd need about 16 ft per spring. 1.75" wide. However, the upper springs do not have as much movement.
 
For mine, I blasted them, POR 15, then a light coat of bearing grease between the leafs. For the first time, the car is silent from the rear end. Now to address all the other noises.....
 
R&L (or Driver & Passenger)side springs were documented back when.. after that number of years with OEM springs.. your right who cares!
 
Beware of using grease between the leaves: over time they will pick up grit and dust and it will turn to grinding paste. Back in the really old days they used leather spring gaiters to prevent this from happening.
 
I use moly filled nylon from McMaster Carr for half eliptic's. .40 if memory serves, but they had polyethelene between the leaves from the factory. So that it fits, you would have to use something fairly thin.

Kurt.
 
Reasons for different spring loads if we think for a moment are plausable.. 1400lb car.. one side has a 200lb driver, steering and brake box etc. as a % to total weight would be a larger factor than lets say a 3000lb car.
 
Looks like I'll get the .005 thick stuff and maybe it will take up the space of the rust I removed!
Thanks all, Rut
 
I used a technique suggested by Colin Dodds on my springs. After taking the springs apart I sandblasted all the leaves and then applied POR-15. I then used a technique he said he has used on his race cars for a number of years. I bought a can of paste shoe wax and heated it enough to turn it into a liquid. Then, using a brush, I applied it to all of the mating surfaces. My springs have been in use now for over a year and are working nicely.
 
If you are basing the "rubber" comment on my post, please note that I mentioned the rubber on Triumphs, noting that BMC didn't appear to use any rubber between the leaves.
 
The more I research this the more I like this product. You can get a spray or can and use it like paint. My local Tractor Supply has it in stock as well.
Rut

https://www.slipplate.com/
 
Worth a try. My hesitation is that I remember that stuff being pretty easy to scratch off.
 
Trevor,
After looking at the options and no more than I will drive, this looks like the easiest and cheapest way to go. The Teflon was ok on price, but the issue of it slipping out concerned me.
Thanks, Rut
 
The slip plate will probably work fine. If it starts squeaking then you can probably jack the car up and pry some space between the spring leafs and spray some more in between.
 
Rut said:
The more I research this the more I like this product. You can get a spray or can and use it like paint. My local Tractor Supply has it in stock as well.
Rut

https://www.slipplate.com/
Click to expand...


I've used many gallons of "sliplate" here on the farm over the years. Mainly on haying equipment to make the hay slide easier. It will work but will wear off. We used to apply it every year but the beauty of it is that it doesn't attract dirt. I think that would be a good application for it.

Kurt.
 
Kurt,
Given the mileage I plan on putting on the car and the ease of use I think this might be best for me. My plan is this: I've cleaned the individual leaves down to bare metal, will use the POR15 cleaner and prep, paint with POR15 and let cure. I'll follow with Slip Plate between the leaves when I reassemble. I think this might be the best of both worlds for me.
Thanks, Rut
 
Driver & passenger side springs were switched on export cars... Think...1400lb car = 700 per side; place 200lb directly over rear spring box plus 50 odd lb. in other stuff...walla 36% increase load (more or less) on driver's side..
 
I got one of the Harbor Freight powder coaters and have been powder coat crazy.

I'm thinking of powder coating my quarter eliptics after bead blasting.

Then maybe a little slip plate between.

What do you guys think?

Fred
 
Fred,
After you turned me on the the Harbor Freight paint stripper I'm open to the HF powder coat system as well. Does powder coat hold up as well as POR15 in that type of application? What kind of oven do you use? If I could put in the extra effort and time I would go with the Teflon strips IF I could figure out a way to keep them secure other than clamping them at the proximal end and relying on the mid clamps to keep them from falling out. I did find the suggestion of swapping every other leaf from each spring intriguing in order to keep them even.
Rut
 
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