07-16-2016, 09:48 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Ophelia,Va.
Posts: 219
|
Spring bolts
Just blasted the disassembled springs for my 39 pickup restoration and noticed the grease grooves in the leaves. How does one inject the stuff? Also, I will be replacing the center bolt and will check the strength of various bolts. I am leaning toward an AN aircraft bolt but need to know the direction of stress for selection of proper type bolt. Shear or tension?
|
07-16-2016, 09:54 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: elmira,ny
Posts: 1,517
|
Re: Spring bolts
On my '41 the original bolt had a grease fitting to force grease between the leaves.
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
07-16-2016, 10:00 PM | #3 |
Member Emeritus
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 16,132
|
Re: Spring bolts
If you want to lube the spring you will need the original nut with the grease fitting. The spring bolt requires very little strength there is almost no load on it once the spring is installed. It's main function is to hold the spring together when it is not bolted in place and to center the spring when mounted. The spring lube is not grease but a special spring lubricant. Grease will make a mess out of it and plug the grooves.
Note: edited to correct, there is not a hollow bolt, it is lubed through a special nut with grooves in it. Last edited by JSeery; 07-17-2016 at 09:39 AM. |
07-17-2016, 05:08 AM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Ophelia,Va.
Posts: 219
|
Re: Spring bolts
Where would I find such a proper bolt and spring lube?
|
07-17-2016, 07:54 AM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: (Not far enough...) Outside of DC
Posts: 3,387
|
Re: Spring bolts
Hi Everyone, JRHASZARD, Roy Nacewicz at http://www.fordscript.com/ford_bolts/products.html has them, see the bottom of page 12 and the top of page 13 in the first catalog.
__________________
-Jeff H Have you thought about supporting the Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum? |
07-17-2016, 08:05 AM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Near Rising Sun, Maryland
Posts: 10,858
|
Re: Spring bolts
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
__________________
John "Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts". Albert Einstein Last edited by JM 35 Sedan; 07-17-2016 at 08:23 AM. |
07-17-2016, 08:19 AM | #7 |
Member Emeritus
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 16,132
|
Re: Spring bolts
Guys, you can not use grease to lubricate these springs! Earlier post by Kurt in NJ:
"It's not for grease, it's for spring lube, once greased with grease the passages will be clogged and the lube won't flow to the tips of the leaves, spring lube is about 75% light oil(atf)25% talc, and originally a bit of ground asbestos(used in a dedicated grease gun, shaken before use)" "The center bolt nut has a passage, the spring leaves have a notch next to the centerbolt, the leaves have a shallow depression in the center to guide lube to the tips----grease won't flow like the thin spring lube all the way to the tips of the leaves where the lube is needed most." |
07-17-2016, 09:09 AM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coral Springs FL
Posts: 10,950
|
Re: Spring bolts
For what its worth, You might want to replace the fabric/canvas anti squeak spring pad with a piece of .090 aluminum sheet metal. It won't rust. It won't hold water and it won't squeak. I did mine 40 years ago and it's still working fine.
|
07-17-2016, 09:23 AM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Shelton, WA
Posts: 3,800
|
Re: Spring bolts
I have never seen a hollow spring bolt. I have seen sacks of NOS bolts from a friend's collection of parts from 3 Ford Dealers stock which he bought out. The fronts are smaller in diameter then the rears and have a square head to fit into the x member. The NUT is special and has 2 grooves to allow lubricant up through the gap between the bolt and the hole. You might check with All Ford Parts in CA as I think he bought many of these after my friend passed away. There is a Sorensen video of the factory putting the tin covers on springs and then lubing them via this nut after the spring was assembled.
|
07-17-2016, 09:37 AM | #10 |
Member Emeritus
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 16,132
|
Re: Spring bolts
I believe deuce roadster is correct, the nut has the grease fitting. I will modify my original post to correct it (senior moment).
If you are not concerned about being 100% original and/or using the spring lubricant these parts are not needed. The original bolt had a square head, I assume you could modify a bolt to fit the square opening in the frame crossmember. The parts book calls it out as a 5/16-24 x 5 1/2 bolt. Last edited by JSeery; 07-17-2016 at 09:48 AM. |
07-17-2016, 09:44 AM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Massillon, Ohio
Posts: 783
|
Re: Spring bolts
I have been using grease in the spring bolt of my '41. What is a brand of spring lube I should use? Also, should I try to clean the grease out as best I can? Still learn'in I guess.
|
07-17-2016, 09:50 AM | #12 |
Member Emeritus
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 16,132
|
Re: Spring bolts
I'm not sure where you can get the spring lube or what would work as a substitute. I don't use it myself, I use spring liners. I would suggest you start a new tread and ask where you can find something that would work. It would be interesting to see what folks are currently using.
|
07-17-2016, 10:32 AM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Near Rising Sun, Maryland
Posts: 10,858
|
Re: Spring bolts
I used the term "grease" very loosely in my last post. Not necessarily meaning a standard low cost grease in a tube where the oil bleeds out and leaves a thick hardening soap like material. What I have used in the last few years is John Deere Corn Head Grease, and when I recently disassembled the rear spring on my avatar 35 fordor that had JDCHG applied to each leaf during assembly in 2013, it was still there between each leaf doing a great job of lubing.
__________________
John "Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts". Albert Einstein |
07-18-2016, 07:17 PM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Ophelia,Va.
Posts: 219
|
Re: Spring bolts
Fellers, many thanks for all the very helpful comments and shared wisdom.
|
07-19-2016, 08:36 PM | #15 |
Member Emeritus
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 16,132
|
Re: Spring bolts
Another option for spring lubrication (not using the zerk nut) is SLIP. It is applied to the spring leaves during assembly.
|
|
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|