Leaf springs

[Al Coutts]

I've disassembled one of the rear springs - the gaiters were intact and in overall pretty good condition seventy year old cowhide. Unsurprisingly the contents were also in good nick - some very light surface rust but lots of grease visible on bearing/sliding surfaces.


This manufacturer's data plate was still very legible. (I have rubbed it with some thinners to dislodge the rubber that had vulcanised to the face).


My question is what is the forum's advice as to what to do before I nail it back on - do I paint it, do I smother it in grease, reassemble and wrap it in new gaiters or something else?

Thanks again!

[Christopher Carnley]

Lubricate all the leaves with hub grease, I like to put a bit of Coppaslip in it.
Binding the springs in Denso tape makes them firmer.
Clean the gaiters with Decosol or some other p/h neutral soap, and then rub in plenty of neats foot oil.
Being an agriculturist you will know the word.
If you intend reducing the leaf count, only leave the small bottom one off.
Are the threaded bushes worn?

[Al Coutts]

As usual very helpful Chris - neatsfoot oil, I do know. I think my gaiters will need to go the saddler for some TLC, though!

[Christopher Carnley]

Have a go at mending them with string LINEN twine and 2 curved needles.

[Stephen Blakey]

Al,

The original springs were designed to support the weight of formal coachwork, up to three bloated plutocrats on the rear seat and their luggage in the boot.

I'm not usually one for going around making categorical proclamations, but can say with some confidence that if you put the standard springs back on, unless you propose to reinstate the conditions above, you will have issues with ride height and spring rate. If you look at the coachbuilders chassis drawing, the springs are almost straight in the static condition.

On my R type, I've removed two leaves and have wooden lowering blocks; currently 5". As the build progresses, the idea is to keep reducing the lowering block height until the car eventually achieves its final weight and I will then try to get the leaves recambered to achieve the correct ride height without lowering blocks, possibly by reducing the camber by the same amount as the final incarnation of the lowering blocks. Every time I've tried to subcontract work on this car, it has either ground to a halt or been unsatisfactory so I'm approaching the spring re-cambering with some trepidation.

My take on your question is same as the Irishman giving road directions; you shouldn't start here.

Just my two penn'orth.

Stephen

[Christopher Carnley]

Do you think that you may have overthought this item, as I keep remembering how Toad had messed about with the springs by taking leaves out believing that his gross mass affected it?
He was unhappy with his monster creation, in more ways than one, but I rebuilt the springs to the full 9 leaves and it was really good.

Re-cambering may adversely affect the rear shackle attitude.

[Stephen Blakey]

I don't have any personal experience of leaf springs on a MKVI special so my response was based on second hand evidence. Many MKVI specials have reduced camber and leaf count. For example those of the Bradley brothers (the almost first MKVI special), Alan Padgett, Tony Tomlinson etc etc. I'm sure these people didn't go to all that trouble for fun. Incidentally, the first and last of these recambered the springs cold with a big hammer, Landrover style, while there are posts on this forum where Alan says it should be done hot. I can see advantages and disadvantages with both approaches.

On the R Type it's a no brainer as the rate is even higher and the static camber is so great that you'd need a ladder to climb up into your special.

It's going to take Al several iterations to get the springs right and I wouldn't criticise him for starting with the standard pair (and some wooden lowering blocks). Hopefully he will give us the benefit of his experience when the time comes.

[Al Coutts]

Geoff S, building a Mk VI Special in Shropshire and I have been talking about leaf springs and how we may modify them. He has lots of great ideas that I intend to plagiarise once proven!

And of course we'll share our findings!