painting leaf springs

[fordman]

would it be the best thing to take the spring packs apart and paint each leaf? with por15 of course. or would you just paint the spring pack and not take it apart? on your truck what would you do? money has no affect on my desicion.

[fireguywtc]

I think it's best to take them apart and paint each leaf and all the associated parts. That is what I did when I took mine apart and por 15 them. If you paint them together I think the paint is just going to wear right off a short time later. Also taking them apart and putting them back together wasn't very hard imo.

[FordHam]

Read this info from eaton springs. This site has alot of useful information regarding leaf springs. Especially read his link at the bottom regarding painting vs powdercoating or chroming.
http://www.eatonsprings.com/atqLeafFinish.htm

[fordman]

wow i thought taking them apart and painting them would be the right thing to do. i guess not. i think i will take them apart and derust them put them back together and then paint them. that should work.

[fireguywtc]

Interesting read Fordham. I guess I will just leve with my possible mistake. Good to know for future reference.

[wt4speed#2]

Find a source for spring paint. It is really runny and takes a few brushed on coats if done properly it dries kinda simular to plasticote, kinda translucent. Till it dries it it resembles a tacky cosomoline<sp>

[FordHam]

Hey fireguywtc,

I found that site after I had a new pair of leaves powdercoated. I didn't even bother to ask how hot the baking/curing process was. I'm just going to use them and hope. They are pretty though!

[thebannister8]

i'd take them apart for a spiffy show job..painting them as a unit i think in general would still look really nice

[fireguywtc]

Hey fireguywtc,

I found that site after I had a new pair of leaves powdercoated. I didn't even bother to ask how hot the baking/curing process was. I'm just going to use them and hope. They are pretty though!

Good to know I am not the only one, and I am hoping that since our pickup springs are tougher and thicker then car springs that I should be ok.

Powdercoating is around 400 degrees F. I found it here http://www.ipowdercoating.com/coatoven.html and I know you can bake powdercoat in you home over if it fits.

[fordman]

i'd take them apart for a spiffy show job..painting them as a unit i think in general would still look really nice

i was thinking of just painting them without taking them apart and even cleaning them up. but i can see in just a few months down the road rust running down the sides of them over the paint and making them look rusty again. so cleaning them up will be the least i should do. to bad i couldn't put something in there to keep them from running rust down the sides of the packs.

[Alvin in AZ]

Read this info from eaton springs.
This site has alot of useful information regarding leaf springs.
http://www.eatonsprings.com/atqLeafFinish.htm

Oh man. :/
He needs to get on here and explain what it is that grease is doing bad to the steel. LOL :)
And live with rust? Heck, Ford sez to keep the leaves oiled!
What a crock. :/

That's why I studied steel metallurgy myself, there was so many -conflicting- statements
out there, didn't know what was true and what wasn't. Turns out 90+% of it is crap.
No kidding. :)

Alvin in AZ

[FordHam]

He answers the grease question under another heading in his technical section. Since I bought my springs from his company, I think I will listen to him. Gotta trust somebody and since this guy has spent his entire career with developing/manufacturing springs and is the president of the company, he's as good as I can think of. Notwithstanding self taught metallurgists of course.

[Alvin in AZ]

He answers the grease question under another heading in his technical section.
Since I bought my springs from his company, I think I will listen to him.
Gotta trust somebody and since this guy has spent his entire career with
developing/manufacturing springs and is the president of the company,
he's as good as I can think of.
Notwithstanding self taught metallurgists of course.

But, now that I've taken a metallurgy class, I can brag that I'm pimple on a real metallurgist's ass. :)

The key to this whole thing is... he -sold- you some springs. ;) See it now?
Looks and sounds like hype and jive to me. YMMV?

Let 'im get on here and explain it, where there's feed back.
I'll do my best to agree with him on everything I can.

Alvin in AZ