Any ideas for challenge priced leaf spring liners?

So we're starting to look at the rear suspension of the XJ-R for $2011 and are planning to disassemble the leaf packs, de-rust, paint and put some sort of teflon or equivalently useful material liner to make em work smoother. we have a pile of worn plastic stock type pads but i was thinking of putting a teflon sheet strip between each leaf, or perhaps just pads on the ends like stock.

ive found some leaf spring teflon liners for more than challenge friendly prices, so i was wondering what other materials in sheet or roll/strip form work well for this and where i might look to find it. i found a roll of plastic liner for a decent price on ebay, anyone used this type?

Hot rodders have been using electrical tape for years. Of course, that doesn't necessarily make it a great idea...

Woody wrote: ...Of course, that doesn't necessarily make it a great idea...

LOL this needs to be the title of a thread where people get to fill in the preceding ... I'm sure on this board some life-threatening, painful, distasteful, horrible, zombie-like pictures or situations would appear.

let the insanity ensue...

What about that plastic stuff you used in the back of the Jeep to cover the battery and other things? Do you have any strips of that left?

that was 1/16" pvc sheet. hadnt thought of that, but just thinking out loud wouldnt that be too soft compared to PTFE/teflon type which i'd think would be both harder/more durable and slippier?

Teflon can be bought in sheet form. Buying a sheet and cutting it yourself would be a lot cheaper than premade I bet.

In reply to DILYSI Dave:

yea thats what i was thinking anyway. its just kind of expensive for sheet long enough for the full length spring unless i'm just looking in the wrong place... or thinking of too thick a liner? i'd like to keep the material cost under $50, preferably cheaper.

36 x 12 x 1/16" is $50 at McMaster. I'm betting it's a LOT cheaper at a local plastic place.

Also - might try HDPE / UHMW. I bet it would work just as well, and it should be cheaper.

EDIT - 36 x 12 x 1/6 UHMW = $10.
48 x 24 = $30.

Go to Goodwill and see if they have any of those flexible cutting boards? This is looking from a Challenge perspective, not a "best possible option" perspective.

Moly grease?

Got any old leather belts ?

You can buy a paint at your local farm supply which contains graphite.

It's for painting grain chutes and things like that.

I've used it on leaf springs on 4x4's with good results.

Shawn

In reply to Trans_Maro:

that stuff sounds pretty interesting. did you use the stock plastic pads or some sort of liner in addition to the paint or just the paint?

Platic milk jugs. OK, stop laughing. Cut them up into strips, place as many as needed between the leaf, place next leaf on top. Repeat as needed. Not the best solution, but, how long do they have to last for the challenge? You could even glue one side to a leaf spring. Reassemble the springs. Done.

Keith's idea is excellent, too. Wally World sells really thin plastic cutting boards, that are remarkably strong and flexible. Also slippery--used one in a fiberglass mold. Cut into strips and apply.

DILYSI Dave wrote: 36 x 12 x 1/16" is $50 at McMaster. I'm betting it's a LOT cheaper at a local plastic place. Also - might try HDPE / UHMW. I bet it would work just as well, and it should be cheaper. EDIT - 36 x 12 x 1/6 UHMW = $10. 48 x 24 = $30.

I would go with this.

Spiral cut strips from a plastic trash can might work

I think paint and grease will work along with maybe wrapping the leaves with a cloth or something ala AC Cobra transverse leaf.

With the weather getting colder, the kids will soon be out on the toboggan slopes. One variation that I remember well for its ability to inflict pain was the "Flying Carpet": It was just a sheet of hard plastic about 1/16" thick. While my memories of this product and the words "suspension" do not exactly fit, I think it would do a great job for what you want it to do.

Either buy one at Walmart, or I am guessing that it should not be too hard to appropriate one from some concussed kid at the bottom of the slope.

WilberM3 wrote: that was 1/16" pvc sheet. hadnt thought of that, but just thinking out loud wouldnt that be too soft compared to PTFE/teflon type which i'd think would be both harder/more durable and slippier?

You already own this stuff. Use it plus some grease you have on hand at no extra cost to your budget. If it doesn't work out you can try something else.

High tech solution is Graphite filled Torlon sheet. Pricey, but oh so effective.

Teflon is too squishy.

http://www.cmwraceparts.com/proddisp.php?pn=AFC70371-25

Not easy to cut with hand shears but cuts nice with power shears.

This was a 1979 IHC Scout, there were no pads at all, just metal-on-metal.

Shawn

Just put some grease between the leaves.

triumph5 wrote: Platic milk jugs. OK, stop laughing.

2 Liter bottles was actually my first thought. Milk jugs dry out and get brittle.

Keith wrote: Go to Goodwill and see if they have any of those flexible cutting boards? This is looking from a Challenge perspective, not a "best possible option" perspective. Moly grease?

Ikea Cutting boards...

If you reduce the inter-leaf friction, you will have to add that damping back somewhere. I would guess the factory shocks were designed for the friction in the spring.