Leaf spring rebuild
- Thread starter sunshine
- Start date
My opinion,
Paint the leaves, you already have done the hard work. Rustoeum is a good enamel and let dry for a week or more if possible. I do not believe in liners as they make the spring too thick and destroy the natural damping action of the sliding leaves as designed. There is supposed to be some friction between the leaves. The closest thing you can get to the original special spring grease is the grease packs made for truck fifth wheels. This is almost exactly the same as the original Ford material , graphite filled , very sticky non flowing grease. Do not use chassis or bearing grease as it will just squeeze out and be gone. Get it at big truck dealer parts counter. They are cheap, $0.80 per pack and one will do both springs.
My opinion,
Floyd
Paint the leaves, you already have done the hard work. Rustoeum is a good enamel and let dry for a week or more if possible. I do not believe in liners as they make the spring too thick and destroy the natural damping action of the sliding leaves as designed. There is supposed to be some friction between the leaves. The closest thing you can get to the original special spring grease is the grease packs made for truck fifth wheels. This is almost exactly the same as the original Ford material , graphite filled , very sticky non flowing grease. Do not use chassis or bearing grease as it will just squeeze out and be gone. Get it at big truck dealer parts counter. They are cheap, $0.80 per pack and one will do both springs.
My opinion,
Floyd
I might add: be certain any wear spots on the top of the leaves are ground away smooth. IF you are able, I'd strongly advise a new main leaf or NOS spring assembly.
Installing the old one, regardless of cleaning, greasing, etc. will not restore the ride height nor the handling characteristics.
I agree with others that the Teflon* liners can be less than beneficial. Also, the "U-bolts" will not be long enough to accommodate them. You'd either have to get longer bolts or mill the strap a bit deeper.
Installing the old one, regardless of cleaning, greasing, etc. will not restore the ride height nor the handling characteristics.
I agree with others that the Teflon* liners can be less than beneficial. Also, the "U-bolts" will not be long enough to accommodate them. You'd either have to get longer bolts or mill the strap a bit deeper.
Pete
BANNED
If you are building a show car then do the spring like the judging standards say.
If you want an efficent smooth riding spring, grind the grooves in the tops away and taper the ends of the leaves. Be sure the top leaf has rounded edges to seat in the cross member completely. This is extremely important to avoid a cracked cross member. After all grinding is done have the leaves bead blasted and Parkerized.
This will retard rust. Then you can put either Teflon or UHMW between the leaves.
Either has the same effect but UHMW is far cheaper. Get it at a plastics supply.
Apply a THIN coat of moly grease to the wear surfaces when assembling.
After all is assembled, wrap the spring with USA made vinyl electrical tape from the eyes to within 8 inches of the center bolt. This keeps dirt out.
You might have to make new spring clips and get longer U-bolts to accomadate the extra thickness of the spring pack.
All this work will normally give a spring with around 100 lb. per inch rate which is about all you can hope for. It will give a far better ride than it ever was new.
If you want an efficent smooth riding spring, grind the grooves in the tops away and taper the ends of the leaves. Be sure the top leaf has rounded edges to seat in the cross member completely. This is extremely important to avoid a cracked cross member. After all grinding is done have the leaves bead blasted and Parkerized.
This will retard rust. Then you can put either Teflon or UHMW between the leaves.
Either has the same effect but UHMW is far cheaper. Get it at a plastics supply.
Apply a THIN coat of moly grease to the wear surfaces when assembling.
After all is assembled, wrap the spring with USA made vinyl electrical tape from the eyes to within 8 inches of the center bolt. This keeps dirt out.
You might have to make new spring clips and get longer U-bolts to accomadate the extra thickness of the spring pack.
All this work will normally give a spring with around 100 lb. per inch rate which is about all you can hope for. It will give a far better ride than it ever was new.
MuskegonFlatheadFan
Senior Member
What is "Parkerized"
1952henry
Well-known member
If you like to experiment:
1. dissolve steel wool in hot phosphoric acid
2. add manganese dioxide ( pottery supply place)
3. with steel part in solution, heat to 190* and hold for 20 minutes
You have just "parkerized" your part. Iron phosphate is the generic term, I believe. I've done it to some Holley AA1 carb bases. Some motor oil mixed with melted bees wax makes a nice paste to rub into the finish.
See my gallery for a picture of the Chandler Groves LZ carburetor. The base was parkerized with my witches brew.
legendrat72
New member
you could always gaiter wrap them like the boys back in the olden day. i did it on my 32 roadster and im sure glad i did it. you paint springs if you want to make sure they do not rust. then hook the main leaf back onto the perches and before you put them together place a nice film of grease on all the springs. then once you have all the leafs put back on and it is nice and bolted down clean off all the extra grease that had spread out with a nice clean rag and give it a little paint prep to make sure it does not have an slippery spots. then take some black tape like electrical or that higher end cloth tape and wrap the springs from end to end. this will insure that there will not be any dirt or grime from the road sticking to the grease. your end result its smoother ride with minimal to no noise coming from the leafs because the metal has a substance to slide on. and if you really wanna make it look good you can make a nice leather cover to hide the tape
