I notice that many coil springs sold now come with a vinyl coating vs powder coat. Won't the vinyl coating retain moisture and cause rust?
Coil spring finish question
- Thread starter 007
- Start date
- Status
It could, conceivably, if it could get to the base steel. But the same hazard exists with a chip in the powder coating. Meanwhile, we have fully-functional, bare-metal springs that have been operating successfully for more than a hundred years. I doubt that corrosion could do anything deleterious to a spring beyond giving it an ugly spot.
Originally Posted By: Defiant
... I doubt that corrosion could do anything deleterious to a spring beyond giving it an ugly spot.
Umm... How about causing the spring to eventually break due to localized weakness. Of course, that may be after many years and miles but still. I know a favorite breakage point on Mustangs is inside the spring pocket on the a-arm because moisture builds up there and doesn't drain easily. Like I said, though, it takes years.
... I doubt that corrosion could do anything deleterious to a spring beyond giving it an ugly spot.
Umm... How about causing the spring to eventually break due to localized weakness. Of course, that may be after many years and miles but still. I know a favorite breakage point on Mustangs is inside the spring pocket on the a-arm because moisture builds up there and doesn't drain easily. Like I said, though, it takes years.
It's going to take quite a lot of surface rust to burrow far enough into a quarter-inch (or more) of spring steel to cause a stress riser. You'd see much more failure due to rock dents and debris strikes if they were so delicate.
Powder coatings are polycarbonate, and more flexible than steel. Powder-coating lead bullets is becoming one of the latest uses. It stays on the bullet through firing, barrel friction, and often target impact.
As for Mustangs, I'm too brick-headed and closed-minded to comment. Odd that if it's a known issue, Ford hasn't seen a need to address and correct the shortcoming.
Powder coatings are polycarbonate, and more flexible than steel. Powder-coating lead bullets is becoming one of the latest uses. It stays on the bullet through firing, barrel friction, and often target impact.
As for Mustangs, I'm too brick-headed and closed-minded to comment. Odd that if it's a known issue, Ford hasn't seen a need to address and correct the shortcoming.
Surface rust-corrosion and vibration are key to spring failure.
However with the huge diameter of the wire like suspension springs its not
really a big deal compared to a .120" diameter small engine valve spring.
In a highly overstressed air rifle spring it's a serious issue.
However with the huge diameter of the wire like suspension springs its not
really a big deal compared to a .120" diameter small engine valve spring.
In a highly overstressed air rifle spring it's a serious issue.
Originally Posted By: 007
I notice that many coil springs sold now come with a vinyl coating vs powder coat. Won't the vinyl coating retain moisture and cause rust?
It does retain moisture (& salt residue), I've had several Ford cars do this. My mom's old Mercury Tracer wagon broke the rears on BOTH SIDES because of this design!
I notice that many coil springs sold now come with a vinyl coating vs powder coat. Won't the vinyl coating retain moisture and cause rust?
It does retain moisture (& salt residue), I've had several Ford cars do this. My mom's old Mercury Tracer wagon broke the rears on BOTH SIDES because of this design!
Buying new springs all around which was the reason for the question.
I spray mine down with Fluid Film (non-aerosol) FWIW. Haven't been doing it long enough to report on it though.
Back on topic. It seems Moog spring are vinyl coated and AC Delco are powered coated from what I can see.
- Status
