Paint a front spring ???

I have a new spring from speedway, with the slide buttons, do you guys take them apart and paint them, if so what will stick and not wear off. thanks

You can take it apart if you want, but nothing is going to stick where the springs slide. There is just too much friction. As far as what to use, go with something light as it will be prone to chipping. I recommend a good etching primer and some semi-flat black rustoleum...

Galvanize it.

No seriously though, nothing is going to last very long once the spring starts moving. My original thought was powder coating, but even with the plastic rub pads it will wear eventually.

I don't know, mine has been on the road for 2 years and no scuffing yet. I did the routine of disassembling it, epoxy primer, then Urethane enamel top coat. Mine has slider buttons too and those help. In fact, I just disassembled the springs on my 27 that I painted 20 years ago the same way, also with sliders, and they were still presentable.

The leaves really don't slide all that far, maybe a quarter inch each would be my guess.

I painted each leaf individually.............



And after putting in the buttons and assembling them they look like this....



Don

Spring paint

Thanks guys, last night I took it apart and etched primered it with 2 coats, and then 2 coats of rustoleum flat black, will add a few coats of satin or gloss tonight.

Wow that gold color is hot!! I like.

"Don, I have ANIMAL CRUELTY on the line, something about using your cat for a jack stand????????"

2muchtorque said:

"Don, I have ANIMAL CRUELTY on the line, something about using your cat for a jack stand????????"

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Well, I tried to get the dog to do it but he was running to get me another beer from the fridge.

Don

donsrods said:

Well, I tried to get the dog to do it but he was running to get me another beer from the fridge.

Don

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I can believe a cat being trained to be a jack stand, but there is no way you can train a dog to bring you a beer.....................They'll always drink it first.


Bad Dog!

No, he's a recovering dogaholic. Been sober now for 3 years.........that's 21 years in dog years.

Don

donsrods said:

No, he's a recovering dogaholic. Been sober now for 3 years.........that's 21 years in dog years.

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I know humans use the 12 step program... did u're dog go through a 24 step program?!?

BoB

Tripper said:

I know humans use the 12 step program... did u're dog go through a 24 step program?!?
BoB

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No, he keeps telling me Rehab is for quitters!


Don


Hehe, and all Lowandratty wanted was to know how to paint his spring. Sorry Dude.

Don, why dont you, the family and your pets move over to the east coast, like by me and Gastrick, and we can see if we can get your pets some help

Spring paint, cat jack, dogaholic

No problem Don I love to look at pictures of your work, even if the animals get in on it, thanks for all the sugestions, I did paint it with some good etching primer and some good old rusto paint, we will see if it holds up, heck its a rat anyway, ( we dont need no stinking paint ) there going to ask what color is it going to be when your done anyway.

REaint springs ?

LOWANDRATY said:

I have a new spring from speedway, with the slide buttons, do you guys take them apart and paint them, if so what will stick and not wear off. thanks

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It's ok to paint the outside of leaf springs but painting the inside of where the leaves touch is a no no, they are not painted from the factory for a reason. They are supposed to rub and rust it's just the way springs are supposed to work, no lube no paint. I know there will be folks here saying I don't know about springs so look up any leaf spring manufacturer such as Tulsa Spring co.and ask them. Like I said you can paint the outside and clean off any rust that is visible and offends you otherwise your spring could bind up and cause problems

Not sure where you got that info, but I have been running painted springs for 40 years and never had any problems, especially since slider buttons came into being. Even before that I might have gotten a little scuffing from where they move on each other, but nothing significant.

Sometimes these factory "experts" don't know what works in the real world. They would also tell you to not chrome springs, but we all know those are being run on a lot of cars with no problems.

Not to argue against what you posted but I know different from actual road experience........and I drive my cars a lot........like every day for 7 years on my 27 and the same spring is going back on it now that I am rebuilding the car. And it is once again a painted spring.

As for binding, my cars ride like the proverbial Cadillac.

Don