Rigid Back End

got this effect when we fitted gas shocks to SWB. otherwise I expect springs have rusted up siezed, going to try Motor cycle chain lube on one of ours if the world ever dries out around here and lets us get on with it.

The message from "Mark Williamson" contains these words:

Anything other than new greased springs give little difference shocks/no shocks on a vaguely smooth road

Can anyone advice how long the shocks should

IIRC it's in the manual

Well I jacked it up on the chassis today and sure enough the road wheels lifted straight off with no give at all.

Giving them a good kick extended them downwards slightly so it appears that the springs have seized.

I have found the various arguments fro and agains lubricating the leaves, but as it is i have to do something because it simply isn't fun to drive. Going to be an occasional toy so periods of standing for a bit then driving. Suspect if it was an every day vehicle the problem would not have arisen.

Two questions:

1. How to free up seized springs (safely)
2. Suggested Lube products and how to apply?

My thoughts for the first are to get the ramps out and try deliberately cross axling her either way, to get things moving, guess i will apply whichever lube whilst cross axled is that opens the leaves up a bit.

Any better ideas??

MW

On or around Mon, 7 Mar 2005 18:12:22 +0000 (UTC), "Mark Williamson" enlightened us thusly:

you won't like it...

take the springs off, strip them down, clean, grease and re-assemble.

about the only way to really achieve results, I suspect. do 'em one at a time, obviously.

Greasing the springs will make the operate much more freely, and may show up that your dampers are no good - a stiff leaf spring has tons of self-damping.

Austin Shackles composed the following;:

Or, for the price, it might just be time to get new springs and dampers ....

Heheheh, BTDTGTTS.

It's even worse when it's the fronts that are seized ... there's even less positive steering than usual, and we know how positive that can be .. ;)

You've got two conflicting needs. Something to stop it rusting, and something which doesn't make dust stick and act as an abrasive.

Graphited penetrating oil might be as good as anything readily available. I used to get it from the local John Deere dealer, aerosol cans. The graphite gives some lubrication when the oil itself has mostly evaporated.

Whatever you use, you need some way to get the springs working. Got anything heavy you can put in the back? Any local builder who'd let you carry a few bags of sand or cement to a site, for instance? Though the price it is at a proper builders' merchant, you could buy your own.

Take measurements before you start. Then you'll have a chance of seeing of anything is happening.

Before you start applying lube, get off as much dirt and rust as you can.

On or around Mon, 7 Mar 2005 18:28:18 -0000, "Paul - xxx" enlightened us thusly:

well, yeah. lot easier. still worth lubing them, evenso. and having done so, put gaiters on them to stop them crudding up.

either that or splash out on some parabolics.

My first LR was a S3 that had stood for a long time. When I got it road worthy I took it round the block and nearly lost my fillings, the springs were solid. I sprayed them with wd40 and old engine oil and took it off roading, later the springs were slack and the suspension was working. Never had a problem after that

-- Jon

Thanks all for your advice.

Austin you are of course correct, but i dodn't have the time to do it properly, so it was the oil spray, and then bounce it around off road.

Definetly an improvement. Sadly, i'll have to do more off road work in it to see if there is further improvement. Oh drat!

MW