Re: Time for a Spring Over

[bearbvd@domain.elided (Greg Hermann)]

  Should I disassemble the spring pack and do anything special
>to it?
>
Tom--

I kinda like to disassemble them, and clean them up till shiny with a
braided wire cup wheel in the grinder. Be sure to keep the wire moving
along the length of the leaves, not across them. This treatment is almost
as good as shot peening. Once all leaves are cleaned up and bright, paint
both sides of each with black roofing mastic--the kind with no fibers in
it. (The stuff that there are lots of politically incorrect names for!)
Then--put 'em back together.

 I like to use a rosebud to heat the bends in the clips before
straightening them (so as to get the leaves apart). (Straighten the bends
in the clips while they are dull red at the corners you are straightening.)
This way the clips will not break. (Let them cool down slowly.) Bending the
clips back after the springs are reassembled (bend them back with no heat)
will put some strain hardening back into the corners of the clips, and they
will then stay put just fine.

The mastic drips out some, and looks a little messy for a while--but:

1. It flat puts a stop to any moisture getting between the leaves--so no
more corrosion in there, and, even better, no more stress corrosion
cracking (and consequent breakage) of any leaves.

2. The lubricating effect of the mastic between the leaves has no effect at
all on spring stiffness, but takes virtually all of the HARSHNESS out of
them--your ride quality and suspension compliance will get unrecognizeably
better--with no bad effects on the handling !! In fact, your handling on
bumpy, washboard roads will improve noticeably.

(You may even find that you want to go one setting stiffer after doing this
if your shocks are adjustable!)

Regards, Greg

BTW--MANY THANKS to whoever gave me the contact info for Brabnod's Mountain
Gear--Turns out that Don Scoggins, the owner, lived in my part of Colo for
a number of years. Even used to work for my mile down the road neighbor!
Stay tuned--there might be some REALLY interesting stuff coming out of his
shop!!

For one thing--he is making shafts for an outfit in Carbondale, Colo.,
--Off Road Designs-- who are making a kit to mount the low range reduction
bos from the front input of an NP 203 T case to the front input of an NP
205!! Compound low range (and appropriately strong) for NP 205's!! With the
Binders' divorced mount case--all you would need is to shorten the center
driveline!

Also is using Eaton/Fuller/Roadranger gear, splitter synchro, and air
shifter parts to  build seriously strong two and four speed auxiliary
trannys for light/medium trucks!

Other things of interest, too. Like I said --stay tuned!

Greg