Tech Question - Leaf Spring Rust

Mike,

I purchased some custom lowered springs from you this past summer.

They came unpainted and I put them on my car without painting them.

Over the weekend I was putting her away for the winter and noticed that the springs were rusting.

Should I be concerned about the rust and if so, what should I do about it?

Matt

PS. they are by far the best springs I have ever bought and I have been restoring cars for nearly 20 years.

Matt,

First off thanks for the kind words, we do try our best.

Now for the rust.

Other than being ugly, there is no harm with the rust you see on the springs.

However, if you need a winter project and you want to make them look better, take them off and spray paint them.

Many folks powder coat their springs and a whole bunch of people also just paint them.

But no matter which route you choose to take do not cover the inside of the leaves.

Why?

Because the paint/powder coat on the inside of the leaves will wear off causing the centerbolt to get a bit loose.

Looseness in the centerbolt area of a spring is the leading cause of spring failure.

The next question is, "If I don't paint/powder coat the inside of the leaves, won't rust show there?"

Rust forming in between the leaves of springs on a vehicle that is driven is a natural occurrence.

As the springs flex, the leaves rub against each other which produces a very small amount of wear.

The result of this wear is metal particles which in time, rust.

I go into more detail on this web page, Powdercoating and Chroming Springs.

-Mike