Leaf Springs here - should I paint them?

[stovens]

Just got my new leaf springs and was wondering if I should paint them and with what?

[Mike52]

Steve, I think a nice Flamingo pink would look good, we see a lot of that here in sunny Florida

Mike

[cffisher]

OH YEA!!!Flamingo pink will get-er done

[stovens]

Yeah, not the day glo pink, but a little more chartruesse?
Seriously is rattle can ok, or should I invest in some enamel and hook up the air sprayer? Mind you it won't be a show truck! Also do you have to take them apart and spray each one or do you think just the exposed surfaces?

[pat mccarthy]

OH YEA!!!Flamingo pink will get-er done

only if you paint the rear end turquoise blue .... thats the trucks rear end not yours

[cffisher]

seriously I'd use a rattel can, color your choice but that pink just sounds neat

[pat mccarthy]

i was not kidding about the turquoise blue rear end with pink springs .....ok yes i was ....but not the seafoam green rear end

[Mike52]

Steve, sorry to get off on the wrong track, back to being a little more serious (if that's possible ). If they were mine and the intended use was a DD, I'd shoot them with my favorite brand of rattle can paint and no disassembly required.

Mike

[pat mccarthy]

wash them down with lacquer thinner wipe dry run over with a red 3m pad blow wipe with lacguer thinner or 330 wipe dry buy a rattle can of etch primer then what ever color you like

[stovens]

Thanks guys. Pat I have rattle can etch primer, and the local hardware store has red 3m's, so all I need is a rattle can of enamel black paint!

[IC2]

When I did my T-bucket (and before the monoleaf) I disassembled mine, smoothed all of the edges plus rounded the ends, primed with DuPont Variprime (would use epoxy now) then shot them with black Imron. When I reassembled them I used a better (real !!)center bolt plus lined them with Posie's poly liner so they would slide better.

B-u-u-t I will say Flamingo pink really sounds better

[pat mccarthy]

about 13 years now when i was painting cars /semi,s big stuff full time and part time air planes. i did some very basic testing of etch primers and epoxys primer . variprime came out one of them on top so there not many epoxys that lock in as the etch is it a acid etch . i would not pass it by for lets say PPg DP just will not stick as good to plane steel and no way close on alum i have paint jobs out there that are getting to 20 years old were i use varprime let the thinner gas out for a day or two then a lite sand then Dp 40 then K2

[406Rich]

I agree with Dave, thas what I did.....

[roadster32]

On the springs with the Poly buttons i like to powder coat them satin black, lasts very well

[angrystroker]

I am just adding information, these shots show what can be done with simple Rustoleum and a brush. The parts were painted on the car, the reason for the uses of a brush no overspray. They have been painted and driven 6 years maybe, I have used this trick for many years on a Harley I have. Will it last 10 years or more no, but a refresh is super easy. Wipe it down with miner spirits and add a fresh coat, I do not expect suspension parts to hold a new look forever because of the environment they live in. With that in mind I keep it simple and easily repaired.

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