Section : Suspension

swingspring gaiter

Posted By : Jackie Forsythe, 21-Aug-2005, 09:38am

• swingspring gaiter

  Posted By : Chris Taylor, 22-Aug-2005, 01:44pm

  I too liked the idea of a gaiter to keep grease in and muck out of the swing spring. Would be a good idea for all leaf springs, but there is probably even more relative movement between leaves in a swing spring due to the one fixed leaf.
  So I made one! Used old hood material from my Herald and secured with velcro stitched to the fabric to hold the thing together when wrapped round the spring.
  Actually two gaiters required, as no way you can cover over the centre part around diff mounting.
  Fabric is cut into relatively simple shapes, using a paper or cardboard pattern if I recall. You might also be able to keep fabric "tube" closed and secured in position with a series of plastic cable wraps.
  It would also be possible to sew a fabric tube (tapered) and slide over from the hub end, but that would mean taking the spring off the car probably.

  • swingspring gaiter

    Posted By : Dave Cox, 22-Aug-2005, 02:04pm

    Also thought about doing this whilst 'refurbing' my rear suspension,but due to time limits, never got round to it.
    My idea was to get an old inner tube, probably a motor cycle - size would be about right, cut off 2 lenghts slightly longer than diff to eye dimension and secure each end with large cable ties....would keep the greased spring clean inside and would be a few years before the rubber perished!!
    
    Regards
    
    Dave

• Swingspring Gaiter

  Posted By : Paul Southwell, 06-Feb-2006, 10:25pm

  i am fitting a swing spring on my spitfire 4 and have assembled the box on the spring , should i have greased the leaves ? i have looked in all the manuals but cant find the answer, also where i purchased the kit say that when they fit them they dont grease the leaves.
  help
  paul.

  • Swingspring Gaiter

    Posted By : Mark Stradling, 06-Feb-2006, 10:41pm

    I believe you are meant to grease them with (waterproof) graphite grease.
    
    Well, I've never bothered and can't imagin many of the previous owners did (or the main dealers for that matter). After 20 years there was some, wear where the leaves end rub, but nothing close to causing a failure. The spring was shagged in the usual way (lean to the drivers side) so I replaced it and didn't bother greasing the new one.

    • Swingspring Gaiter

      Posted By : John Davies, 07-Feb-2006, 09:13am

      In Ye Olde Dayes, when men were men and cars had cart springing, some stuff called Denso Tape was used to cover the springs. It's a fabric tape impregnated with a waxy, greasy substance to retain grease and keep out grit and water. Amazingly, you can still get it, because it's used to cover underground pipes and underwater steelwork, or you can buy it at Frosts: http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8.... Perhaps because it is still used in the real world, it is amazingly cheap even from that emporium.
      
      John

      • Swingspring Gaiter

        Posted By : Colin Lindsay, 07-Feb-2006, 12:09pm

        Yep, the grease impregnated tape is still available from plumbers' merchants and works very well on the rear springs.

        • Swingspring Gaiter

          Posted By : Paul Southwell, 07-Feb-2006, 09:35pm

          thanks for the quick replys lads , by the sound of it grease is not really needed .
          but i was told today by my dad that years ago part of a service used to involve applying a penatrating oil to the leaf springs ( but by the sound of it that was also back in the good old days ) ,
          and as luck would have it if i do need some of that wonderful denzo tape ,they have got plenty in the stores at work .
          cheers
          paul.