UHMW failure

[Steve Jelf]

I was just reminded of this while working on the runabout, because it's still happening.

Nine years ago in a forum discussion about lubricating leaf springs, somebody suggested UHMW tape. It sounded good, so I used it. Don't. Within a couple of years it started working out from between the leaves. It still is.

Since that failed experiment I use Slip Plate. It's fine.

[TWrenn]

Maybe it's just me, but as I see so many posts about lubing springs, etc., I have to say in the 10 years now that I've been " T-ing", I've yet to touch a single one. Other than wiping them down and occasional paint touch up. They don't squeak, don't come loose, don't do much of anything except hold the car where it's supposed to be. Are people over-thinking these things? Maybe mine are just the ol' case of "if it aint broke, don't fix it"??

[speedytinc]

Well, you learned a big lesson. Dont believe every post.

[Mountainrider]

Slip plate mine last spring when rebuilding front axle.

[Burger in Spokane]

Were the springs ever lubricated back in the day, or is this some
nuevothink for how to create a fix for a problem that doesn't exist ?

I have never lubed my windshield or seat springs either. Is this a
problem ?

[Allan]

I have a small collection of leaf spring greasing tools, and I have never used any of them. When assembling a spring I give each leaf a coat of grey "Neversieze" and that is all. Some people fret about the rust stains evident when a T is driven. These give rise to various ways of fixing the "problem".

Allan from down under.

[ABoer]

I do it the cheap way before a tour.
Just a few drops of oil on the top of the spring .

[bobt]

Nice oil can!

[DLodge]

I do it the cheap way before a tour.

Zegt de zuinige Nederlander...
Says the frugal Dutchman...

[TXGOAT2]

Ford applied a lubricating coating to T springs. I have read period material recommending that a dealer agent lube the springs before taking a demonstrator out on the road with a prospective customer. Someone (Fahnstock?) recommended stuffing oily cotton waste up into the crossmembers to oil the springs. I've driven many thousands of miles in older leaf-sprung vehicles and most all of them had some provision for reducing friction between spring leaves. In the case of the Model T, lubricated springs will ride easier and deliver less road shock and twisting forces to the car's structure on uneven road surfaces. The best way to lubricate springs is to enclose them in a felt-lined, flexible metal jacket the way later model Fords, and many other cars, were built. I drive an old Dodge 4X4 with leaf springs. It rides pretty good, but every few hundred miles, or after a mud bath, it begins to get jouncey. The solution is to oil all four springs. Doing so immediately eases the ride by allowing the springs to flex as they were designed to do. I oil the springs on my Model T fairly often to get the best ride, prevent wear, and to preserve the car from needless jouncing and twisting due to stiff, dry springs. To me, an oily spring looks a heck of a lot better than a dry spring weeping rust. They certainly perform better as far as ride and handling, and they will do a better job of protecting the car from unecessary road shocks and chassis flex on less than ideal road surfaces. Lubricants containing graphite are better than plain oil, but they are even messier. Your car, your choice. My choice is to clean and lubricate moving parts as needed. I believe that keeping springs clean and well-lubricated on a car with high pressure tires would be especially beneficial.

[John Codman]

Maybe it's just me, but as I see so many posts about lubing springs, etc., I have to say in the 10 years now that I've been " T-ing", I've yet to touch a single one. Other than wiping them down and occasional paint touch up. They don't squeak, don't come loose, don't do much of anything except hold the car where it's supposed to be. Are people over-thinking these things? Maybe mine are just the ol' case of "if it aint broke, don't fix it"??

I do the same. I have never lubricated a leaf spring in my life, and don't intend to start now.

[Scott_Conger]

If you only drive on paved roads, it's pretty much a wash.

If you drive on gravel or rock roads, a lubricated spring rides much better. And as an aside, this is where hasslers really prove their worth as well.

If your car is unrestored or you've never taken your spring apart for any reason, there is no real reason to do it now...however if the spring were to ever come apart, why the heck not make it the best it can be for almost no extra effort and very little extra cost?

[Rich P. Bingham]

A digression some may find interesting and/or instructive:
Years ago when we still had a local business (est. 1919) that dealt with all aspects of servicing chassis leaf springs, a heavy truck was brought into the shop with a seriously notable front end "port list". Apparently, a generous engine oil leak had pretty much saturated the semi-elliptic spring on the driver's side. The truck owner thought there were either broken leaves, or the main leaf was somehow seriously fatigued. The foreman of the "spring works" examined his patient, then applied heat to the affected spring assembly via a large rosebud tip and oxy-acetylene. As the oil in the spring leaves began to boil and burn off, the truck began to right itself within minutes. The owner went his way advised to correct the oil leak !

[Mountainrider]

I was going to paint them anyway, just to make them look better. The slip plate was easy.

[TXGOAT2]

Lubricated leaf springs work better, period. Anyone running dry leaf springs can easily prove this. To be effective, lubricant needs to be placed between the spring leaves. A dry spring will benefit from several applications of oil. Use of fortified grese, such as Lubriplate or graphite grease or Nev-R-Seeze, will give longer lasting results, if you can get it in between the leaves where it needs to be. I use crankcase oil or spray graphite lube.

[TXGOAT2]

Washing oil off a weak spring will not restore it. Oiling up a stiff, rusty spring will improve its performance.

[Original Smith]

First of all, I believe very little of what I read on this forum! Try reading the Ford Service book. As I recall, it says to wipe a thin coat of oil on each leaf, and then coat that with powered graphite. Lately I've been using slip plate.