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I took my leaf springs apart, cleaned them up and painted them. Have new hardware and was wondering if there should be some lubrication between the leaves as I put them back together? The manual says lubrication is not done other than "time of assembly". Should I put something like Never-seize on them, or just a good grease?


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Hy Super55, a light greasing should suffice.

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I used the teflon inserts between each leaf. Bought from Jim Carters in a roll. I have assembled the springs but, not on the rd. yet. It looks good and will not pick up road dust and dirt like grease will.
Good Luck.
Mike

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I don't think you want to put grease between the leaves. You need to have some friction there inorder for the spring to work as it was designed. Without friction any weight put on the spring is just going to flatten it out. Any way that is just my opinion Joe B.

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Call a spring shop or two and ask what they recommend, then let us know.

I'm thinking something should be used once when you put them back together the first time, but not much.

Grigg


1951 GMC 250 in the Project Journals
1948 Chevrolet 6400 - Detroit Diesel 4-53T - Roadranger 10 speed overdrive - 4 wheel disc brakes
1952 Chevrolet 3800 pickup
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back in the day they were just oiled
ron

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Grigg,
I am going to stop by a spring shop. I can't find an auto parts nearby that has the centre spring bolt. I'll ask when I go in.


A day without laughter is a day wasted- Charlie Chaplin
When wrestling a grizzly bear, you have to keep at it until the bear gets tired, not when you get tired.

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Most of the old service manuals call for a thin layer of graphite grease between leaves when assembling a stack of leaves, and then no further lubrication. Springs depended on friction between leaves for load carrying capacity.

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The guy at the spring shop said to leave them dry.


A day without laughter is a day wasted- Charlie Chaplin
When wrestling a grizzly bear, you have to keep at it until the bear gets tired, not when you get tired.

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Did you find your spring center bolts?
If your auto parts store doesn't think they can get them ask if they have Dorman products, I've seen spring center bolts on the shelf in Dorman boxes at my local auto parts stores.

Grigg


1951 GMC 250 in the Project Journals
1948 Chevrolet 6400 - Detroit Diesel 4-53T - Roadranger 10 speed overdrive - 4 wheel disc brakes
1952 Chevrolet 3800 pickup
---All pictures---
"First, get a clear notion of what you desire to accomplish, and then in all probability you will succeed in doing it..." -Henry Maudslay-
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I got the centre bolts and the rollers that go on the shackle bolts at the spring shop.


A day without laughter is a day wasted- Charlie Chaplin
When wrestling a grizzly bear, you have to keep at it until the bear gets tired, not when you get tired.

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Originally Posted by Super55
I got the centre bolts and the rollers that go on the shackle bolts at the spring shop.
Good,
But what are "the rollers that go on the shackle bolts"?

Grigg


1951 GMC 250 in the Project Journals
1948 Chevrolet 6400 - Detroit Diesel 4-53T - Roadranger 10 speed overdrive - 4 wheel disc brakes
1952 Chevrolet 3800 pickup
---All pictures---
"First, get a clear notion of what you desire to accomplish, and then in all probability you will succeed in doing it..." -Henry Maudslay-
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Where the three bolts that go through the three u-brackets on each leaf, there is a tube that the bolt goes through. I guess as the leaves flatten it makes the pipe roll rather than wear on the bolts.


A day without laughter is a day wasted- Charlie Chaplin
When wrestling a grizzly bear, you have to keep at it until the bear gets tired, not when you get tired.

1948 Chevy 2-Ton
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 8,877
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Sounds like a spacer for the spring clips, lets you tighten the bolt tight without squeezing the sides of the springs?

Grigg


1951 GMC 250 in the Project Journals
1948 Chevrolet 6400 - Detroit Diesel 4-53T - Roadranger 10 speed overdrive - 4 wheel disc brakes
1952 Chevrolet 3800 pickup
---All pictures---
"First, get a clear notion of what you desire to accomplish, and then in all probability you will succeed in doing it..." -Henry Maudslay-

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