MTFCA Forum

I have cleaned up the rear springs and need to paint them. I can’t find any graphite paint up here in Alaska and it would be expensive to ship some up as it is hazmat. What would be a good alternative choice of paint?

After you finish prepping and painting the spring leaves, I suggest getting powdered graphite from the hardware store. .....Use chassis grease & lightly grease both sides of each spring leaf,.... just the bottom of the top leaf and the top of the bottom leaf,... and lightly sprinkle graphite on each greased side as the spring unit is assembled.... worked for me. ... May be a slight drawback, as with driving and flexing springs will require wiping visible graphited grease that squeezed out.

I prime only, then use whatever lubricant you choose before painting the assembled spring.

Allan from down under.

E-Z Slide paint is just a graphite powder in an oil base paint - make your own
You could also used some 5th wheel lubricant - many companies make it. Has to be available in Alaska

The 5th wheel lube would do a good job. Used motor oil is also good, and used motor oil mixed with graphite is excellent.
If you drive your car much, the springs will either be greasy or rusty unless you service and clean them often. Greasy is far better than rusty. Spring gaiters can retain lubricant and protect the springs from road dirt, but they'd have to be custom made for a Model T. Dry springs will ride hard and wear fast, and they may squeak. In extreme cases, they can make the car lean to one side or the other. Dry, stiff springs will transmit far more road shock and twisting forces to the chassis and body, besides degrading the ride and handling of the car. I put up with greasy springs in order to preserve the tires and the entire car from needless wear and tear, and to get the best ride and handling possible.

Also good is dry graphite spray, over the primed metal. This stuff is available in Alaska in hardware or farm supply stores.

Once made a mix of grease and powdered graphite lube, which was in the small key lock tube, but that mix just kept seeping out between the leaves and looked messy. Dry slippery graphite is better. EZ Slide and Slip Plate paints dry on application leaving dry, slippery graphite shiny silver surface.

Stiff springs contribute rattles, squeaks, and to cracked sheet metal and cracked front cross members.

Pat

Agree that dry springs aren't good. However the graphite coat dries and leaves a very slick surface, and prevents rusting too.

Ford original used graphite mixed in a paint (i.e. like modern E-Z Slide or Slip Plate materials) and that paint dried between the leaves and left a very slick surface for the leaves to move on.


Early years messing with spring stack, used to make a mixture of oil and sometimes light grease and graphite powder and applied that to the spring contact surfaces, but result was the oil/grease oozed and left dirty grit residue in the exposed gaps of the spring stack, rather ugly.

So began using the Slip Plate or graphite paint similar to Ford, and that works swell.

Ford did issue this method in the field to oil and graphite the leaves, but that is messy IMO.

Painting with the graphite coating is the way to go, leaving a very slick dry surface.

Morgan,
The only place I have been able to find EZ slide spray cans is at NAPA. They have it in stock at most stores.
Hope that helps,
Kevin

I use McKay fast dry graphite spray obtained from NAPA. Great stuff.
Grind the steps out of the springs & paint semi gloss black. Coat the underside of the friction surface with 2 or 3 coats.
Shoot straight on to not hit the edges.

Morgan: I mixed dry graphite powder with primer and brush painted the leaf to leaf contact surfaces on both sides. Assembled it and painted it all black.

I do the same as James but only paint one rubbing surface not both and use black enamel paint which is what Ford used.

Maybe this will help get around your hazmat problem. Here is Ford’s original slip paint formula. I mixed some in 2002 and painted my leaf springs with it. It worked/works.
See: www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/19078.html

I have found traces of the original stuff Ford used, usually on the out-of- the-weather rear spring, and usually between leaves that did not nest as closely as they should. Whatever is used, it will not last long before requiring replenishment. Pressure points between leaves will soon displace the lubricant. The old time tools made to lubricate springs invariably used a charge of chassis grease as the lubricant.

With the occasional use many T models see today, repeated spring lubrication may not be required.

Allan from down under.

The action of the spring leaves against one another works to remove any lubricant used. Graphite resists this action better than oil or grease alone. Road dust and muddy water seem to be as good at getting between spring leaves as lubricant is at getting out.

after painting grease between the leaves

23ford wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 05, 2025 11:50 pm

after painting grease between the leaves

While painting with the graphite enamel mix could be considered painting, you should not just used paint between the leaves. Paint does not allow the leaves to slide like they need to even with grease.

The graphite/enamel/mineral spirits mix does harden and provides great slickness between the leafs. After applying, assemble the leafs together and tighten, then clean off any mix on the outside edges, tops and bottoms of the assembled springs with mineral spirits and paint with a gloss black paint of your choice. I brush painted mine with gloss enamel since it goes on nice and smooth with a brush and is somewhat flexible. Also, it is the paint Ford would have used.

jiminbartow wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 07, 2025 11:53 am

The graphite/enamel/mineral spirits mix does harden and provides great slickness between the leafs. After applying, assemble the leafs together and tighten, then clean off any mix on the outside edges, tops and bottoms of the assembled springs with mineral spirits and paint with a gloss black paint of your choice. I brush painted mine with gloss enamel since it goes on nice and smooth with a brush and is somewhat flexible. Also, it is the paint Ford would have used.

100% This is how it was don't by Ford for the T, think that info is in the Ford Service Bulletin's. The Model A and later didn't use anything between the leaves, just bare metal, grease was not even recommended.