Rear springs

[tickman]

Just cleaned up my rear springs and wondered what to put on them?

do i just grease them or is there some kind of coating that will not crack/break as the spring flexes.

john.

[paulhumphries]

Traditionally grease and then wrap in DENSO tape was the best method.
http://www.densona.com/pdfs/DensoPetrol ... ylTape.pdf
Now I think painted with Teflon sheets between leaves is just as good.
BTW somewhere I've a device that is like a G clamp but with chisel type points insetad of flats.
You put the points into the gaps between leaves and turn screw so it forces them apart for cleaning & regreasing.
It's an old tool - maybe pre WWII.

Paul Humphries

[Willie]

The leaf springs are actually designed to not need lubricating between the leaves, it alters the spring rate. However the 'wraps ' are a very old tried and tested accessory. I just paint mine with Waxoyl periodically

[wanderinstar]

After taking mine in bits and finding that the top of each leaf was wearing the bottom of the upper leaf. About 1/3 of way through in some cases. I went the greasing and Denso route. Oh, and I fitted traveller springs to make up for loss of friction. I then wrapped them in shrinkwrap to stop myself getting covered in Denso.

[bmcecosse]

Is the shrink wrap still there Ian ? There is no doubt the springs wear over time (the rubbing together of the leaves helps the 'damping' no end) - it doesn't cost a fortune to fit new ones! They could then be preserved with the grease/denso trick - seems hardly worth doing with old springs.

[Axolotl]

For what it's worth, the book (workshop manual) says "on no account must any lubrication be used on the leaves" because there are supposed to be rubber packing pieces for the clips that hold the leaves together. Presumably, oil or grease would rot the rubber and leave the leaves loose to rub more?

The same section also points out that the mounting bolts shoudl only be finally tightened with the weight of the car on the springs to ensure that the rubber bushes are "deflected to the same extent in both directions during service" thus preventing premature failure of the bushes.

I wonder if not following this practice is behind reports of premature failure of rubber bushes, and why people seem to prefer poly bushes? Poly being more robust and forgiving if the mounts are tighetened while the axle is hanging on the springs perhaps?

[bmcecosse]

Dunno - I tighten mine with the full weight of the car on the wheels - and then only after a good bouncing up and down.

[MoggyTech]

Just cleaned up my rear springs and wondered what to put on them?

do i just grease them or is there some kind of coating that will not crack/break as the spring flexes.

john.

Copperslip applied with a rag is as good as anything. Use Poly bushes rather than the rubber ones, as grease/oil doesn't attack the poly bushes.
Copper slip the bush sleeve pins as well.

[wanderinstar]

Ha ha. Most of it is Roy. Occasionally some unwinds, but I just cut off any loose stuff.

[Stig]

The same section also points out that the mounting bolts should only be finally tightened with the weight of the car on the springs to ensure that the rubber bushes are "deflected to the same extent in both directions during service" thus preventing premature failure of the bushes.

I wonder if not following this practice is behind reports of premature failure of rubber bushes, and why people seem to prefer poly bushes? Poly being more robust and forgiving if the mounts are tightened while the axle is hanging on the springs perhaps?

Not in my experience. I've always left the tightening until it's back on its wheels (and bounced a couple of times too) and the rubber bushes just don't last as well as poly.