Since I've finished my wheels now, its on to the front axle. What is everyone's thoughts on what to put between the newly reconditioned springs? From what I can tell there are several choices other restorers have done before me.

1. Nothing between the individual springs.
2. Paint and a lubricant like a light grease.
3. A graphite lubricant.
4. A poly-slide spring liner.

Or what else. I've heard pros and cons on each one. What to my fellow restorers say?

Mike

Where Are You From? Oviedo, Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65 4 door sedan

If you are planning to show your car, I would stay away from the poly glide strips as they are not original equipment and the material would probably be noticed. Most likely the springs were assembled without any lubricant applied to them. Your car, like mine, will not be a daily driver and it would see little wear on the springs.

Where Are You From? Hyattsville Md

Do You own a car built by Durant? D75

Mike - The springs will move and slide against each other slightly, so they should be lubricated slightly.The springs might squeak more(unless it's our hips). High end cars had laced up leather gaiters to not only protect them from road debris, but to hold in grease.The graphite grease idea like never-seize may last longer in this application. And you were supposed to pry apart the spring leaves and force in some grease(try that!).I think the individual leaves should be painted, because rust stains will show through eventually. The solution of putting teflon strips between the leaves has always sounded like a good idea for a long term solution. But as the above poster says they might show on a judged car. plus they will make the springs slightly taller(probably not a problem in our cars). But in regards to the point mentioned above, for the use we typically put our cars through, what is overkill?

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1930 6-14

Hi Mike,

I once took the springs apart on my Model A Ford and plan to do the same thing on my Durant model 619. As Ross said the springs will move and should be lubricated. Many years ago I attended a seminar focused on rebuilding the springs on a Model A Ford. While I feel those springs may receive more wear and tear that ours, all leaf springs move and as a result wear the surface of the spring below and around the tip of the spring above it. The worn areas in turn can limit travel of the springs and create even more wear.
The seminar pointed out several areas to look at.

Sagging springs: If the springs look as if they are sagging, you may want to have them re-arched while everything is apart. The Ford guys have specs they tell them the correct distance for end to end of the spring, the shorter the distance the higher the car will sit on the springs. To my knowledge we Durant/Star owners do not have similar specs, but the springs can be adjusted an inch or two higher as part of the arching process.

Paint or not: The springs should be painted and lubricated. While at that seminar I saw a product of interested that did both. They have a paint that contains graphite and I heard good things about it from some of the other owners there. If it were me, I would still add grease between the springs.

Teflon strips: Teflon strips between the leaves works very well, in fact this is what I did to my model A Ford. It didn't need much as I only placed strips in between the bottom two leaf springs and trimmed the edges so as not to show as much. After putting everything back together and taking the car out for a drive, the loud speaking disappeared completely and the ride improved as the springs were allowed to move more freely.
If you will have the car judged, then you may not want to install the strips, but graphite paint would work.



Rick