55.2-59 progress today and questions for the pros

[Black_Sheep]

If blasting isn’t an option get an angle grinder and a cup brush, maybe a few flap discs. After it’s clean a low cost alternative is Rustoleum rusty metal primer and whatever color Rustoleum top coat turns your crank. It can be brushed or rolled on, or thinned and sprayed if you have the means. There are also quality aerosol paints that will do the job. Lots of options...

[1project2many]

Originally Posted by Black_Sheep

If blasting isn’t an option get an angle grinder and a cup brush, maybe a few flap discs. After it’s clean a low cost alternative is Rustoleum rusty metal primer and whatever color Rustoleum top coat turns your crank. It can be brushed or rolled on, or thinned and sprayed if you have the means. There are also quality aerosol paints that will do the job. Lots of options...

I used the Rust-oleum primer/finish method on my frame and undercarriage in 97. The truck has been parked more than driven the last few years so it needs touching up but cleaning and re-coating should be fairly easy.

[Phungki]

Originally Posted by 1project2many

I purchased mine from Eaton but there are other spring suppliers as well. They were priced inexpensively on Eaton's site but the shipping was high.

https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/o...taching-parts/
Select "Other parts" from the LH dropdown menu and "Tip Insert" from the RH dropdown menu.

It appears they want a dealer ID number so maybe they don’t sell to the public?
I can find them at other places but the cheapest I’ve seen is $5 for 4. Seems high for tiny plastic pieces

[1project2many]

Originally Posted by Phungki

It appears they want a dealer ID number so maybe they don’t sell to the public?
I can find them at other places but the cheapest I’ve seen is $5 for 4. Seems high for tiny plastic pieces

I'm not a dealer but I was able to buy from that web site. On my browser I select the correct options from the dropdown menu and the Dealer ID and Password boxes are replaced with a list of available parts.

Eaton priced the items at $1.75 ea but they were closer to $4 each when the shipping was thrown in. Still, they are made of Delrin and are high quality so I am happy with them. These are going into a '99 Suburban which already has sliders. I am building a custom spring pack by using shortened 1 ton 2007 Sierra leaves with a few stock 99 Suburban leaves and I am replacing all the sliders during the build. So again I will be drilling holes. ;-)

[Phungki]

Originally Posted by 1project2many

I'm not a dealer but I was able to buy from that web site. On my browser I select the correct options from the dropdown menu and the Dealer ID and Password boxes are replaced with a list of available parts.

Eaton priced the items at $1.75 ea but they were closer to $4 each when the shipping was thrown in. Still, they are made of Delrin and are high quality so I am happy with them. These are going into a '99 Suburban which already has sliders. I am building a custom spring pack by using shortened 1 ton 2007 Sierra leaves with a few stock 99 Suburban leaves and I am replacing all the sliders during the build. So again I will be drilling holes. ;-)

Ok got it. I had to click on “order attaching parts” from the center option then click “select product group” and select “other parts” to select “tip inset” then the dealer ID went away.
I’m only 45 mins from Detroit, hopefully I can just pick them up. If I need 2 per leaf and about 5/6 leafs per side, front and back. You are looking at aprox 44 or so buttons. At $4 ea. That’s ridiculous

[Phungki]

Originally Posted by 1project2many

You should not paint the flats of the leaf springs if they will be in contact with another leaf. The top of top leaf and bottom of bottom leaf plus the sides are ok. The leaf spring will go together just fine because the center bolt will clamp it together. Make sure to get pads to go between the leaves at the center.

Ok why shouldn’t I paint the entire leaf? Won’t it just start rusting?
Where do I get these pads that go between each leaf in the center? I’m sure I’ll need to find a longer bolt to hold them together too since a pad between each will thicken it in the middle. As far as the pads on the ends go, how far in from each end do I put them? The rears have 7 leafs so I need 12 buttons? I’m putting them on the little leaf on the bottom too?
I appreciate any and all advice
Thank you

[Ironworking]

Phungki, i agree with the previous poster. Clean the frame good and paint it with rustoleum! Probably the best paint ever made for painting auto frames on a budget.

Also, look at this pic. Lower your rear end 2" and all it takes is a tad bit of elbow grease. One of the best tricks i have ever seen. And with the body/bed already off, it is much easier. Not easy, but easier.

I have not ever seen painted springs, except on show cars/trucks. If i just had to have painted springs; i would brush them clean as i can, give them the rustoleum treatment and call it a day.

[Phungki]

Originally Posted by Ironworking

Phungki, i agree with the previous poster. Clean the frame good and paint it with rustoleum! Probably the best paint ever made for painting auto frames on a budget.

Also, look at this pic. Lower your rear end 2" and all it takes is a tad bit of elbow grease. One of the best tricks i have ever seen. And with the body/bed already off, it is much easier. Not easy, but easier.

I have not ever seen painted springs, except on show cars/trucks. If i just had to have painted springs; i would brush them clean as i can, give them the rustoleum treatment and call it a day.

Thank you. I’ll give it six me thought on the lowering. I’m not a fan of cars, mainly because of their height off the ground. I know it looks cooler to some but I can’t see that from the inside 😁.
I have no problem not painting the springs, just cleaning up rust again. I was just curious as to why I was told not to paint them.
Thank you

[Northern 52]

I had a local spring shop make up new springs for me as mine were very rusty and didn't seem to have the same shape. They came painted. New hangers and bushings were also installed. I don't remember the cost but they weren't very expensive.

I have done that for several parts where excess elbow grease would have been required and if the cost was reasonable. Other parts I wire brushed and painted.

Mine is not a show truck by any means as it's going to be driven as much as possible. The ultimate goal is a coast to coast cross country road trip when done.

It's just being built to have some fun on nice days and take my new granddaughter for ice cream and to school when she is old enough.

I am a perfectionist at times but so far, it all looks "good enough" for a 1952 truck and will definitely last longer than me.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Phungki]

Originally Posted by Northern 52

I had a local spring shop make up new springs for me as mine were very rusty and didn't seem to have the same shape. They came painted. New hangers and bushings were also installed. I don't remember the cost but they weren't very expensive.

I have done that for several parts where excess elbow grease would have been required and if the cost was reasonable. Other parts I wire brushed and painted.

Mine is not a show truck by any means as it's going to be driven as much as possible. The ultimate goal is a coast to coast cross country road trip when done.

It's just being built to have some fun on nice days and take my new granddaughter for ice cream and to school when she is old enough.

I am a perfectionist at times but so far, it all looks "good enough" for a 1952 truck and will definitely last longer than me.

Just my 2 cents worth.

I’ve thought about that and my dad even suggested that. But I need to do as much myself as I can. Partially because that was the reason I bought such a project truck and partially for financial reasons. Wire wheeling on an angle grinder doesn’t take that long. I did my entire frame yesterday. It was a long day but I found it therapeutic. I think I’ll just clean them up, put some buttons on the ends and paint what’s visible. I’ll replace the center bolts and U bolts. I might get a roll of that liner material and just do the center sections, basically just spanning the U bolts. That should cut down on any metal on metal rubbing.

[Northern 52]

I think most of work on these projects for the therapeutic value. I know I certainly do.

[dsraven]

budget=wire wheel and rustoleum
endless budget=replace with new stuff and donate the old usable stuff to a friend who is in need of the parts but can't afford anything and will need to sneak the stuff in past his wife
therapy =full disassembly of everything that touches or is in the area of the springs, scrape surfaces then wire wheel, sand each leaf, epoxy primer, urethane paint, then buy new springs, u bolts, hangers, pins and bushings, brake lines, park brake cables etc. install over the course of 2-3yrs.

haha, kidding

rustoleum is great stuff and lets face it, they are springs. they get dirty and wet so bare metal is gonna rust. if the rust paint starts coming off after a long while then it is simply a rattle can or a brush and a few minutes later they look good again. even a daily driver can look decent, it doesn't need to be a show truck to have protection. if you are going for the old truck look that is covered in moss and patina and looks like it came right outta the field but with a huge tire roasting engine then maybe let them rust so they fit the look of the rest of the truck. up to you in the end. to me, when I see an old truck as a daily driver, I see the hard work someone has put into it, the painted springs, the painted frame etc. i think of the hours the builder spent under the truck doing the grunt work. if the springs were all rusty but the rest looked nice and painted etc I would think to myself "why did this guy do all that work and then leave the springs bare in the end".
thats just me though. I spent enough years driving junk so now a days if I build something it is painted. my project will be driven in primer for a bit, if I ever get it on the road, simply because there will usually be a few things that need tweaking before it is right. when it is right the truck will get a full paint job.
again, thats just me. hotrodding is about YOUR desires and what YOU think is cool. it's personal choice. the springs will work whether they are painted or rusty. if you ever wanna get the thing apart later at least use antiseize on the fasteners a let the rest rust away.

[1project2many]

if the springs were all rusty but the rest looked nice and painted etc I would think to myself "why did this guy do all that work and then leave the springs bare in the end".

The trick imo is to paint the springs after they are assembled rather than individual leaves. Eventually you will get rust trails and garbage showing on the sides which can easily be cleaned or painted over with a rattlecan.

[Phungki]

Originally Posted by dsraven

budget=wire wheel and rustoleum
endless budget=replace with new stuff and donate the old usable stuff to a friend who is in need of the parts but can't afford anything and will need to sneak the stuff in past his wife
therapy =full disassembly of everything that touches or is in the area of the springs, scrape surfaces then wire wheel, sand each leaf, epoxy primer, urethane paint, then buy new springs, u bolts, hangers, pins and bushings, brake lines, park brake cables etc. install over the course of 2-3yrs.

haha, kidding

rustoleum is great stuff and lets face it, they are springs. they get dirty and wet so bare metal is gonna rust. if the rust paint starts coming off after a long while then it is simply a rattle can or a brush and a few minutes later they look good again. even a daily driver can look decent, it doesn't need to be a show truck to have protection. if you are going for the old truck look that is covered in moss and patina and looks like it came right outta the field but with a huge tire roasting engine then maybe let them rust so they fit the look of the rest of the truck. up to you in the end. to me, when I see an old truck as a daily driver, I see the hard work someone has put into it, the painted springs, the painted frame etc. i think of the hours the builder spent under the truck doing the grunt work. if the springs were all rusty but the rest looked nice and painted etc I would think to myself "why did this guy do all that work and then leave the springs bare in the end".
thats just me though. I spent enough years driving junk so now a days if I build something it is painted. my project will be driven in primer for a bit, if I ever get it on the road, simply because there will usually be a few things that need tweaking before it is right. when it is right the truck will get a full paint job.
again, thats just me. hotrodding is about YOUR desires and what YOU think is cool. it's personal choice. the springs will work whether they are painted or rusty. if you ever wanna get the thing apart later at least use antiseize on the fasteners a let the rest rust away.

I can agree with this.
Not a show truck and only will be a daily driver on the nice days I’m thinking. After tearing it down to nothing and doing what I can to remove all the rust and doing what I can to keep it from coming back, I need to keep it out of Michigan’s winters.
I got spring buttons, new center bolts and U bolts. I’ll just get the wire wheel going and put some rustoleum on it.
I appreciate your opinion

[evilokc]

slightly off topic. while you have it down to the frame and before you coat it. have you considered putting in any frame strengthening? a few welded in rods at a slight diagonal will do wonders. just keep in mind where all of your part will be living and leave them room. if your using a more powerful motor than it came with it will make a big difference.

[Phungki]

Originally Posted by evilokc

slightly off topic. while you have it down to the frame and before you coat it. have you considered putting in any frame strengthening? a few welded in rods at a slight diagonal will do wonders. just keep in mind where all of your part will be living and leave them room. if your using a more powerful motor than it came with it will make a big difference.

I painted it a couple days ago. They came with small blocks V8s and that’s all I’m putting in it. Nothing radical either. This will just be a cruiser. But thank you for thinking ahead