spring grease

M

mrcorvair

Senior Member
What is recommended for lubricating the front and rear springs?
I have seen a formula that called for dry ice machine oil, talc, and pulverized asbestos.
 
I would think any good synthetic grease would work fine, as they will not collect a ton of dirt being wrapped.
 
I've been thinking of trying some John Deere corn head grease? I used in the 39 Hudson box in my 32 pu and it doesn't get runny. Maybe it'll stay between the leafs of a wrapped spring? It works for a lot of things. We're putting it in all the gear boxes on my center pivot irrigation systems. My pivot service man says it virtually eliminates gear box failure. With 24 gear boxes on a pivot at 800.00 a piece that's a big deal.
 
I have used slip plate grease which is used on the fifth wheel plates on big trucks--sticks good. original ford spring grease there was a sort of abrasive added to it to polish the springs as the worked
 
Grease is not a good idea on springs. Ford originally had a mixture of something with talc in it. SlipPlate is commonly used now.
 

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Wrapped or unwrapped, the suggestions by Alanwoodie & JSeery are the best.
Clean each leaf, grind away any wear areas on the spring ends. Then, use the Slip Plate, which is a paint of sorts. Do 2 coats. When dry, assemble. I used it on both a 39 & 32. No squeaks after many years and the springs function well.
Doesn't attract dirt, either.
Jim
 
The springs with the fittings take spring lube pumped in with dedicated grease gun, if greased the grease wi8ll block the passages ---I learned this on my 46, thought because it had "fittings" it took grease, but it rode stiff ---later when I took apart one of the springs it was well lubed in the center with grease, but no lube at the tips where it was needed -passages clogged with grease----then I got low mileage 39, rode wonderful, always lubed with spring lube, when lubed the lube flowed through the passages to the spring tips

the Ford formula for spring lube from the service bulletins--
77-1/2% ice machine oil ---thin like atf
20% talc ---dry lube and polishing agent
2-1/2% pulverized asbestos ---not sdo easy to get now, perhaps use graphite

---in bold type in service bulletins--
SHAKE THIS LUBRICANT WELL BEFORE USING
DO NOT USE ANY LUBRICANT HAVING SPECIFICATIONS DIFFERING FROM THE ABOVE.
 
In the Model T and A world many use a graphite mixture like slip plate. I make my own out of powdered graphite and enamel paint. Heavy on the graphite, the paint is just a carrier/binder.
 
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