Leaf spring buttons

[vanree35]

I know this question has probably been asked before but I can't find it.
Does anyone know where I can get the teflon buttons to fit into my rear leaf spring on my Mk3 Spitfire?
Various suppliers can supply the rubber ones but I'd like teflon/nylon.
I can get them from ebay from America for about £30 inc postage but I'm sure there must be a place in England I can get them !
I know I can get teflon rods but I haven't got access to a lathe to work them down.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[CHRIS211083]

Read this:
http://www.triumphspitfire.nl/rearspringpads.html
The dutch triumph spitfire club have what you are after, use google to translate the site.

[Freek76]

http://www.spitfire.nl/Clubshop.aspx
You want the:
"teflon set voor bladveer"

Use the link at the bottom of the page to place an order.

[Paudman]

Dankie!

[GT6 M]

Why dont you just make em your self,
just used the Glue from a glug gun, and put into a mould, or into the actuall spring holes, and put together, a leaft at a time
its pretty ressiliant this type of glue, and will be a bit cheaper than buying in,

Marcus

[Nick Moore]

Will these teflon buttons work in a rotoflex spring?

[CharlieB]

I turned some up on a lathe using nylon bar of the correct diameter (18mm x 5mm thick IIRC), I'm sure you could use a saw if you're careful.

[Casper]

http://www.hobbyplastic.co.uk/materials-8-c.asp for stock.
I'm working on this myself.  Rubber buttons are 20mm dia, but triumphspitfire.nl use 30mm
I have just received 20mm bar and, while I will be able to do it - I would recommend 25mm minimum.  BTW, I am using nylon as the economy route.
C.

[99176]

As nylon does not compress 25mm dia will not seat in the recess.
I use 21dia x 5mm thick. i get my bar lengths from www.directplasticsonline.co.uk they have any number of plastics and PTFE.
I use on both swing spring and roto. Make the friction faces of the spring as smooth as possible (especially on swing spring) and treat surfaces with water resistant grease (I use Aqua-Sil from Rocol). Wrap with tape and 'jobsa goodun'.

[CharlieB]

My swing spring required 18mm diameter buttons, I guess it varies from spring to spring?

[vanree35]

Many thanks for all the advice, I think I'll go for the Dutch option

[Richard B]

Looking at the Netherlands Club option the top piece has a diameter of 19mm to locate in the 20mm recess. The 30mm diameter end takes the wear from the movement of the next spring.

Now to find some Teflon  ;)

[Nick Jackson (2)]

Does the rotoflex rear spring have these buttons?   I only say that as I'm in the process of dismantling mine and there's no evidence of recesses and buttons after removing the top three leaf springs.

[Nick Jones]

The Vitesse roto one does......  At least..... that assumes the one on my car is a proper roto spring........ :-/

Nick

[Blubayou]

For my two penneth, I used tap washers held in place with silicone mastic on one side.

Very cheap, ride height as it should be, should last as long as the originals  :)

I seem to remember using eight, think there are only 6 originally?

[Nick Jackson (2)]

Well Nick Jones, Mark Bland and I inspected two supposedly original GT6 rotoflex rear springs tonight and one had the buttons and the other nothing at all between the leaves.  

[Richard B]

97679 wrote:

and the other nothing at all between the leaves.  

But did it have the recesses for the buttons?

[Nick Jackson (2)]

No, the leaves are perfectly flat and there's no evidence of anything that used to sit between the leaves.  Admittedly I've only managed to get the top 3 leaves off set far, but on the other one that hasn't been taken apart yet the recesses/buttons are clearly visible.

Aside from buttons/recesses the two springs are identical in size, curvature and fixings.

[Richard B]

I wonder;

two different suppliers?
the specification changed during production?
one of them was non-OE?



To quote Velvet Underground "the possibilities are endless"

[uksnatcher]

I used this on my swinger, cut them into approx 1 cm lengths and used a file to taper the edge on one side to seat in the spring with a blob of silicone sealant/glue just to hold them in place, then used a silicone based spray grease to ease slide....sorted and look the same as installed 2 years on  :)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30MM-DIA-BEIGE-POLYPROPYLENE-ROD-X-300MM-LONG-/360147455044?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item53da760c44

[rlubikey]

The rubber buttons flex in shear, lowering the friction inherent in a leaf spring. PTFE it turns out, is the wrong material. It may have a reputation as the lowest friction substance but apparently it doesn't do well in this application. PVC is much better and oil-loaded PVC better still. Look in Mr. RadioSpares emporium. (Other emporiums exist ... etc.)

The Spitfire.nl buttons are way too thick I think. 5mm heads may be OK for bringing a severely sagging spring back to life. I reduced that figure to 1.5mm and even that might raise the back a bit thick with a good spring compared to rubber buttons.

Richard