DENSO TAPE, GREASE and LEATHER ON SPRINGS

[Dennis Nicholas]

I have decided the way to go with my new front spring and old rears.

The new front leaves are painted all over with KBS Coatings RustSeal (a very tough paint).
I will grease between leaves with constant velocity (CV) lithium based grease containing MOLYBDENUM DISULPHIDE -- a very slippery additive in the grease (basically flat plates of lubrication molecules). Have used Moly before especially in steering box to transform steering.  The Moly is very persistent and does not disappear/dry out.

Round the assembled springs I will wrap DENSO tape to keep out dirt/water and keep grease fresh.  Over this I will fit home made leather covers made from old leather jacket (sleeves).  Leather jackets available in charity shops so you can even colour co-ordinate to your car!  The leather will be held in place with copper wire removed from old electrical cabling (60 amp).  (Leather kept subtle with grease or waxoil?)
Using Denso means springs can be got at without removing any pins/shackles as compared to using heat-shrink-wrap.

Can anyone tell me how long a roll of DENSO I need to do both rear springs (standard A7) and a big 7 front?.  (rough spring lengths 18" each rear springs and 15" each side of front spring.........finger poised ready to order (ebay).

Dennis

[Steve Jones]

A 10m x 50mm role did mine with some left over to do another set of rears - although it does depend on how much lap you allow.

Steve

[Dennis Nicholas]

Was that allowing 1/2 overlap....i.e. 2 turns gives 1.5"cover?

[Bob Culver]

The topic has been debated before. Some claim entrapped water led to very serious rusting.
A broken rear main leaf on a Seven is not uncommon and very disabling, but visible cracks usually devleop long before. A case for retaining exposed.

[JonE]

with a bit of simple needlework leather jackets can also be returned to the charity shop as gilets. Everyone's a winner.

[Colin Wilks]

"The leather will be held in place with copper wire removed from old electrical cabling (60 amp).  (Leather kept subtle with grease or waxoil?)"

I treat the leather gaiters on the steering swivel joints of my old land rover with copious quantities of vaseline prior to fitting. This works well. Not sure how the copper wire will age exposed to the elements and can foresee a nasty blue stain emerging over time. Leather shoelaces or waxed cord might provide a more aesthetic long term solution?

[Dennis Nicholas]

The topic has been debated before. Some claim entrapped water led to very serious rusting.
A broken rear main leaf on a Seven is not uncommon and very disabling, but visible cracks usually devleop long before. A  case for retaining exposed.

Exposed is surly guaranteed ingress of foreign matter?.......I do not want to be frequently dismantling springs to clean.

Entrapped water? .....difficult to see how it gets in passed leather and Denso Properly fitted and passed the grease properly applied to cause rust.

My old, second hand, front spring treated with grease but only leather bound had no dirt and no water ingress after many (70,000ish) miles inspite of trials use and all weather road use.  It is just well worn and I fancied a nice new one to guarantee safety at high speed and no maintenance to my end of life.  It was old and part worn where the leaf ends rub when I first fitted it mid 70s so has lasted the miles well (MCC trials in all weather - through fords on local roads etc.).

I do now have the luxury of being able to afford some luxuries  (SKIng????  K = kids) 

Dennis (in wet,  muddy but beautiful Devon)

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"The leather will be held in place with copper wire removed from old electrical cabling (60 amp).  (Leather kept subtle with grease or waxoil?)"

I treat the leather gaiters on the steering swivel joints of my old land rover with copious quantities of vaseline prior to fitting. This works well. Not sure how the copper wire will age exposed to the elements and can foresee a nasty blue stain emerging over time. Leather shoelaces or waxed cord might provide a more aesthetic long term solution?

Understand the nasty blue stain ref.  The wire I used stood up to the elements and no staining......you just have to be careful when applying to not get work hardening of the copper leading to breaking.....rude words.... and having to start again or splice in and continue.  Will however look at cord/shoelace...........hey mighty long shoelaces......do you wear thigh boots?            
Thinking about it the wire may actually have been from an old motor winding as it is a bit brown lacquered.

Dennis

[Dave Wortley]

I greased and Densoed mine then wrapped them with sash cord from B and Q. It was easier to do than leather gaiters. I bought a set of Wefco gaiters for my chummy 50 years ago but after about 35 years of use they had had it. I think they are still available( for a price!) We have discussed this before on the forum and no, binding the springs with cord doesn’t make the springs stiffer.

[Robert Foreman]

As I have stated before without claiming anything. I broke a rear spring on the RN after being wrapped in Denso tape and wrapped with the Denso 'waterproof' tape. This is probably due to running the car throughout the year in all weather's including snow  plus the dreaded salt. 
   Now the replacement springs are left unwrapped and the leaves thoroughly greased with graphited grease and then slideway oil for maintenance. 
   Photographs below look like something dragged out of the harbour.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Nasty stuff Robert!

Were they brand new when you fitted them?