Hi,
What do you think of wrapping leaf springs? is it a good idea and if so what with and how is it done?
I'm just refitting mine with new shackle pins and re bushed shackles. see photos of the massive wear in the bush and pins. the shackle on the left has a new bush, on the right shows the wear.
I seem to recall that having greased the springs, one wraps them in cotton or canvas then binds them in cord using an series of half hitches (french whipping). The whole process is slow, messy and tedious, and unless you are doing a huge mileage I'm not sure that it's worth the effort.
I don't suppose I will do massive mileages so perhaps it won't be worth it.
Doesn't it keep oil on springs and stop squeaking?
It can look attractive, I have seen some high end motors that have tailored leather. For low mileage usage I think it pointless.
There is another chain of thought to yours though. That of that the binding is to stop dust getting in. In the days of old many road surfaces were poor and dust would contaminate the lubricant used and create grinding paste, wearing the leafs quicker than wanted.
I've seen leather ones on other cars Col and they look good. Maybe there are standard sizes made as the leaf springs were bought in.
Being oily I can see why the road dirt will stick to them and act like a grinding paste. I'd worry a wrapping would cone loose but leather covers would be secure. I'll look into it.
I've used Wefco gaiters on a few cars. They were available not only for 'high-end' cars but offered for Austin Sevens.
In my view, they are excellent, in design, manufacture and appearance. They are made-to-measure for both quarter or semi-elliptic. Their design involves leather with an inner lining (felt-like) that holds the lubricant - some cars have oilers and grease nipples within the leather design, some use automatic greasing. The latter came from a company called Jeavons, who not only made the gaiters but supplied special grease guns (company now long gone).
The more well-known company for spring gaiters is Wefco, who were part of the Wilcot company. Wefco gaiters, I think, do look excellent and last 'half-a-lifetime' (photo below on a Rolls). The Wefco design uses strong, waxed(?)laces, which cross over to fit around flattened metal 'hooks', plus straps with buckles. You may find difficulty in tracking down Wefco but they still were supplying as recently as mid-summer this year.
They look great, I bet they're quite expensive to be so good.
I've been looking at Denso tape wrapped to seal in grease. They may not look as good but serve the same purpose if they stay wrapped!
I'll check out Wefco. Thanks.
I've just read about someone who wrapped theirs in denso tape then with home made gaiters from an old leather jacket.
I like the idea and look of gaiters and properly and tightly wrapped should keep any water out.
I think this is the way I'll go.
Until tomorrow and I change my mind.😂
Thanks for your input everyone.
Just to complicate this thread I would point out that one of the desirable characteristics of the leaf spring is self damping. Obviously by virtue of the friction between the plates sliding over each other. Less important on the more modern cars with effective dampers and A.C. certainly wrapped their springs in Denso tape in the fifties and sixties, however maybe worth noting in the case of earlier A.C.s ?
Yes, understood, Barrie. I jack the car up, using a position that the leaves separate to some degree, then use graphite grease and push between the leaves using a palette knife. The gaiters are then used to cover again and keep out the dirt, grit, salt etc.