Restoring leaf springs

[36and63]

I have my leaf springs removed and I'm curious what you guys have used for refurbishing your leaf springs. Seems some sandblast while others only wire wheel. Paint or no paint? Lastly do you put any type of lube between them or has anyone used a product called UHMW tape between them? The springs really look to be in nice shape and I'm wondering if they should even be disassembled at all? Any insight or direction is appreciated by you guys.
Pat

[1952henry]

You can clean the using either method, but you could try this before re-assembling...

http://www.slipplate.com/index.php?m...20ff8a4d63de87 There are other brands, I think implement dealer have some on their shelves. I've seen Slip Plate at Tractor Supply Company.


You can be fancy and paint the graphite on the sliding surfaces and a good epoxy on the top spring, bottom spring and edges.

Whilst you have them apart, you could use a flapper wheel to remove gouges, and chamfer the bottom edge to prevent future gouges.

[Brendan]

I took a flap wheel to the leafs that was a dirty job. I smoothed out the grooves and tapered the edges so that it dose not dig in. I just put grease on the leaves when I put it to gether

[Charlie ny]

36,
Don't laugh too hard but here is what I do....all the time....
Sand or shot blasting is verboten , it is possible to relieve/relax the spring
by doing so.
I clean the leaves individually and replace those that are worn too deeply
on the top. I get a handful of pennys and solder a penny on the underside tip of
each leaf. The spring is then reassembled and painted if that is the customers wish.
What you now have is a spring that when flexing actually does so with the pennys
acting as a slide bearing. The leaves are also spread apart just enough to permit
that rattle can spray grease to enter in between the leaves. No squeaks.
I guess the teflon strips could also work but this 'secret' was taught to
me ages before teflon strips were a fact of life.
This is the proceedure I use and my opinion only. Please do not draw and
quarter me if you disagree.
Charlie ny

[JM 35 Sedan]

If you use Charlie's penny trick, make sure you use ones dated prior to 1982 that were mostly copper. Today's USA junk pennies are mostly made of zinc with a very thin coating of copper. They probably would not remain soldered in place very long, if at all.

Charlie, I'm going to give your penny trick a try when I do the springs on my '35 coupe. I can't stand squeaking springs .

[OLD...BILL]

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Originally Posted by JM 35 Sedan

If you use Charlie's penny trick, make sure you use ones dated prior to 1982 that were mostly copper. Today's USA junk pennies are mostly made of zinc with a very thin coating of copper. They probably would not remain soldered in place very long, if at all.

Charlie, I'm going to give your penny trick a try when I do the springs on my '35 coupe. I can't stand squeaking springs .

JOHN... JOHN... "penny trick" no...no... use copper tube, hardware store, plumbing shop, you need about one foot of 1/2" or maybe 3/4" dia. tube cut about 1-1/2" long .... now the hard part... smash,,,,pound the copper tube flat, get it clean and bright,,, clean the back side, at the tip of each secondary leaf, ready to solder, and tin each spring tip. then solder the copper flat tube in place.....yes us "flux" NO you will not tale the temper out, at low solder temperature, mount the copper, flood with solder, and polish off
NOTE; your copper must be clean and bright, or it wont solder, and you must use RED LINE copper, its softer and solders better....
""THE PENNY TRICK"" ... we / I used to do the penny trick at high school, out in the parking lot, bet some guy we could make his car wide easyer ( BETTER) ,,, Go under with a hammer, screw driver, and a hand full of pennies, and do it, then send him down some street with dips, and woo he'ed come back and want more done, I worked at gas station and sold shocks, boy did I/we shell shocks.... the boss would say " we sold XX number shock, last month, what did you guys do ?? never told him,,,,yes we got a commision too ..... OLD....BILL

[Kurt in NJ]

If you have the later 36 springs with the grooved leaves and the hollow center bolt it doesn't take grease---it takes spring lube that is pumped in with a grease type gun
ford spring lube spec--
77-1/2% ice machine oil (about 10 wt)
20% talc
2-1/2% pulverized asbestos (i have substituted graphite)

I sandblast at 45 lbs pressure, use fine sand, this way there is no metal damage

Well lubed springs are very supple, you need good shocks, if you don't have good shocks leave the springs stiff and dry
2-1/25 pulverized asbestos

Proper restoration eliminates the need for modifications in most cases

[Pete]

Originally Posted by 36and63

I have my leaf springs removed and I'm curious what you guys have used for refurbishing your leaf springs. Seems some sandblast while others only wire wheel. Paint or no paint? Lastly do you put any type of lube between them or has anyone used a product called UHMW tape between them? The springs really look to be in nice shape and I'm wondering if they should even be disassembled at all? Any insight or direction is appreciated by you guys.
Pat

Reconditioning a model A spring.
You can clean the spring several ways depending on what you have for equipment. Glass beading is probably easiest. Wire buffer wheel works also. Beading will not affect the curve of the spring.
Then inspect the top of all the leaves for grooving.
If grooved, grind and taper the tops of all the leaves for the last 3 inches.
The number of leaves you use will depend on the final weight of the car
and the "ride" you want. On a typical model A it is possible to get a
100 lb. per inch spring rate. Have the shocks disconnected when checking spring rates.
After figuring out the final configuration, I disassemble the spring and Parkerize the leaves.
I then spray them with Molykote or Sliplate, a dry film lubricant.
When re-assembling I use 1/16 UHMW plastic between the leaves. This is the same as Teflon but about 1/3 the price.
After complete assembly including the clips I wrap it with black vinyl electrical tape from the eyes to just short of the U bolts. This keeps dirt out. Some people like the fabric covers. You need something to keep dirt out.
If you use a reversed eye main leaf, be sure the second leaf is short enough that there is no way it can bottom on the eye when at full compression.
Sometimes the original spring clips will not reach over the spring after the UHMW is added.
It is a simple matter to fabricate ones that will.
The inside top of the cross member where the spring seats, usually has a radius.
BE SURE the top leaf of the spring has a radius to match. a sharp corner on the spring leaf can cause a cracked cross member.
I use moly filled Delrin shackle bushings (home made) because they have almost no friction and they never wear out.

[texas webb]

Pete where do you get the delrin and do you machine to fit the spring eye and bolt?Thank you.

[RPM]

Really good info here--thanks to everyone! RPM

[Pete]

Originally Posted by texas webb

Pete where do you get the delrin and do you machine to fit the spring eye and bolt?Thank you.

Any industrial plastics supply will have the Delrin rod.

I machine it myself. You can use grease fittings or pack it and leave it.
If you leave it dry it may only last 50000 miles.