Haven’t had anyone ride in my ’50, other than my “big old wife” since I brought it home
in 2005. So it was kind of hard to compare notes with other Stovebolters. So today I
stopped by a busy ‘Bolter’s shop who I meet here a couple years back and dragged him
away from his nearly finished GMC resto-rod, too take a spin around the block with me.
It was a rough five or six mile ride and we talked about the possibility that the
vibrations/shaking and rough ride I was experiencing might be due to shocks. He also
told me about a ’55 that he had and a late 40’s which he’d worked on, that rode like new
vehicles after lubing the leaf springs.
Since I’m the eternal skeptic, in the back of my mind I was thinking that might make a
little difference but not enough to account for the way this truck has been acting for the
past decade.
Reason I’d never lubed the springs even after I disassembled, cleaned and rebushed
the fronts, is because I’d read articles about over working the springs causing
premature fatigue and failure. Also I thought I’d read something by Mike Eaton about
not greasing leaf springs as it would cause the alloy to degrade.
Well…a short search of the tech section at the Eaton Detroit site refreshed my memory.
Seems the grease thing only applies to alloy 5160 in use after the mid 50’s, and he now
is endorsing the use of Delrin liners and buttons.
So…this buddy of mine gave me a can of agricultural chain and cable lub, which is a
light penetrating type oil. I spent a while soaking and wiping down the springs when I
got home and took a ride into town to see if I could notice any difference.
Ohhhh, myyyyy God!!!!!!
This old truck felt almost as good as my 2014 Silverado, taking into
consideration that it had a beam axle and leaf springs up front. I swung into the yard,
left it running ran into the house, grabbed sweetie face by the arm and said, I need five
minutes of your time. Back out on the road I told her, now don’t string me along, do you
notice any difference in the way it rides????
What did you do, she asked?? Just lubed the springs I sez! That’s all… she sez, it rides
like a new truck.
Now, time will tell, but in the meantime I’m gonna order me a case of that agricultural
chain and cable lub, and make it a regular part of the routine to lub up the leafs.
Thanks ctheusa buddy, you made my day.
Denny Graham
Riding smooth in Sandwich, IL
Last edited by cletis; 05/21/2015 3:44 PM. Reason: language
