Workshop Basics
Transform your classic’s handling and ride quality for £0
How to give your old leaves their spring back.
Crusty old leaf springs don’t compress in a smooth and progressive manner. This results in a harsh ride and flawed handling. Buying and fitting a new pair of springs is the default solution. Often, though, a couple of hours of cleaning and lubrication will restore crusty springs to as-new condition. The transformation can be remarkable.
Like other parts of your car’s suspension, leaf springs benefit from periodic cleaning and greasing. Over time, however, grease is pushed out from between the leaves – and rust and debris take its place. The leaves therefore don’t slide against each other as intended. Seizure can lead to breakage as the flexing is concentrated in small areas near the spring eyes on the top leaf.
Once the springs are off the car, servicing them is a simple and quite pleasant task and you shouldn’t have to repeat the operation for many years. It’s a good idea to replace the eye bushes at if they’re in anything other than perfect condition.
Change bonded steel-and-rubber bushes while the spring’s in pieces. Use a press or wind them in and out using a long bolt and two large sockets. Clean and lightly grease the eyes before fitting the new bushes. Don’t use a vice as a press – it may shatter under the load. Split rubber bushes can be pushed in and out by hand. Use a little silicone grease to prevent future corrosion of the spring eyes and bush pins.