Restoring a Rear Leaf Spring

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Restoring a Rear Leaf Spring
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William B. Rady on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 09:28 pm:

Hi

While I have the rear end out of our Model T, I want to clean up the rear leaf spring. Is it OK to sand blast the individual leaves and then paint them? I have read a couple of articles and they just recommend to strip and sand the leaves.

Thanks

Bill


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 09:39 pm:

Bill -- Sandblasting and painting would be fine. I have them sandblasted and then powder-coated, because the coating is much more durable than paint. Before reassembly, I spray the individual leaves with dry graphite coating to make them even more slippery.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Kopsky, Lytle TX on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 10:25 pm:

While you have the springs apart, check each leaf at the point where the leaf above makes contact. If there's a worn ridge, grind the ridge to give it a taper. This will dramatically soften the ride and eliminate spring "pop".

Spring Wear


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Kelsey on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 02:56 am:

I decided to piggy-back on this thread since I'm in a similar situation with rebuilding the rear end. Any more advice on restoring the spring leaves? Dos and don'ts?

I don't know if mine have ever been apart. I really don't have the money to sand blast, so I was thinking about wire-wheeling them. Any objections to that?

In the meantime, I thought I'd share a pic of the rear brake shoe. There was still quite a bit of thickness to the lining, but it was quite dirty and oily, so I decided to take it off and this is what I found:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By keith g barrier on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 09:10 am:

Jim, wire wheeling will work well, just more labor intensive. Personally I use pure muratic acid and be sure to neutrilize with bakeing soda and water. Down side is it's nasty stuff and you want to be dressed so that you get no splatters on you or in you eyes. I try and pick a windy day out side and let the fumes blow away from me. I know many will jump in here and jump on this and say no. As with all work care must be taken. This is a cheap way and fits my budget, Be safe and have fun, KB


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Hycner on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 10:15 am:

This looks like an interesting way to remove rust, personally haven't tried it yet. Saw it on the internet so it must be true.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZCFcxf5IBw&feature=watch-vrec


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 10:53 am:

In addition to what Ken Kopsky wrote, for non-tapered springs, I would also take a file and slightly chamfer the leading edge (right and left) of the bottom side of each leaf. This also helps each leaf glide smoothly over the leaf immediately beneath it and prevent gouging.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joseph Magedanz on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 01:40 pm:

Erik,
I agree. It has worked really well for me:

spring grinding

(Thanks to Ken for the pirated and slightly doctored image!)

The crude drawing I did show a bit much material being taken off, so don't overdo it...

Joe


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By keith g barrier on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 01:41 pm:

Jim, molasses does work but slower than vinager and stinks when it starts fermenting.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 04:09 pm:

I cleaned the front spring on my Coupelet yesterday replaced the bushings also. Wire brush then a abrasive pad using a mixture of Purple Power and water. Then I wiped each spring leaf down with Gibbs preservative oil. I'm happy with the results.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 04:27 pm:

I had good luck with wire wheel, grind ski shape under each leaf end, followed by spray with rust converter, leaving a flat black. Followed with spray industrial gloss black. buttered each leaf with waterproof grease on reassembly.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 04:54 pm:

Philip -- I hate to be the bearer of bad news after all the work you did on that spring, but it's a 1919 or later spring. A 1917-18 spring is like that except without the oiler holes in the ends of the main leaf. An early '16 probably would have come with a tapered-leaf spring like the '15 and earlier cars, and there was an oddball spring used for only a part of 1916 production. John Regan's son has one on his car; maybe John can post a picture of it. A late '16 model year car might have had a '17-type spring, which you can make from yours by welding up the oiler holes.

I don't recall the build date on your car, so I don't know which type of front spring would be correct for it. The rear spring would be the taper-leaf type for all of '16.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Kelsey on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 06:26 pm:

Where can a guy get Purple Powder?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 07:48 pm:

Yes I know it's the wrong spring. Until I can find the correct year I'll use it. With a kid just starting college fun money is at a premium.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Max L. Christenson on Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 08:17 pm:

On my Model A, I ground down the ridges on the upper side of the springs and ground down the lower end of the next upper spring, so that it would not continue to dig into the spring below. Not a lot of grinding required.

After painting the springs (I sprayed them with black enamel, but powder coating might be more durable), I coated the tops and bottoms of each spring with John Deere Graphite Lubricant, part number TY25798 (quart size). This stuff is very thick, more so than paint. It's a gray gooh. Coat both sides of each spring, and let it dry first before you assemble them. Works great, because it is non-greasy, but slick, yet does not appear to attract dirt.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rick J. Gunter on Monday, November 05, 2012 - 11:08 am:

Forgive my ignorance--what is "purple power"?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Monday, November 05, 2012 - 02:38 pm:

It's an automotive degreaser/cleaner I buy from my local Pep Boys store.


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