UHMWPE between leafs

[BGKYK5]

Anybody running UMWPE in their leaf springs? How thick of material did you use. Just pads at the ends of the leafs or all along the leafs?

A CK5 search on "UHMWPE" results in exactly 4 hits (maybe 5 now ), two of which are about fairleads and the other two don't mention thickness.


Edit: I am looking at item 76445A764 at McMaster.

 

[dremu]

The local plastics place sold me a roll of tape; I think it's actually HDPE (yeah, the cutting board material) which is definitely slippery I went lengthwise, as it's a fairly long roll (think duct tape). Unfortunately it's 2" wide tape (if the springs are 2.5", anyway, it's a bit thin) but on the limited testing I've done it does its thing.



-- A

 

[BGKYK5]

Yeah, I can only find UHMWPE in 2" and 3" widths. I could cut down 3", but I think I would just use 2" and call it good.

 

[obijuan]

1/4 inch on each side aint gonna hurt. i would also just do it at the ends whre the leafs actually move.

 

[twoslo4five0]

is there a place online to buy this stuff??

 

[BGKYK5]

See link in first post.

 

[jms]

Yeah, I can only find UHMWPE in 2" and 3" widths. I could cut down 3", but I think I would just use 2" and call it good.

Talk to jekbrown. IIRC he had good results with it.

I've used the 3" wide UHMWPE tape, I think it was 0.060?? I just cut it to size once it was on the springs.
Anyway, it started to come out on the first trail run. Not enough to require tightening the u-bolts, but nevertheless. That was on a stock rear spring pack where the leaves were freshly painted, and had new teflon end pads. The tape basically didn't stick well. I didn't use it on the front since I got new springs at that time anyway.

My take is that if your spring pack is in good shape, and not rusted into a single hunk of ferrous oxide, the flex is fine without UHMWPE. The springs on my truck easily flex into the bump stops. But keep in mind, I only wheel in the land of no rust...

The UHMWPE tape has come in handy for a few other uses, but I won't go thru the trouble of putting it into a spring pack again. Then again, I've got new rear springs now...