Location: Nottinghamshire. UK

Hi Ruairidh,try a company called "heatshrink online" there a Uk based company and are a minefield of this product,I think they might do some large enough. Worth a try!

Location: Bawtry,Doncaster

Location: Norfolk Platterland - well nearly

Ruairidh,

I bought 60mm ish diameter glue lined heat shrink on ebay. The glue lining means its extra thick with the intention of adding a bit more damping. The lengths it was supplied in (probably 1.2m but I can't remember) are long enough to get one rear spring and half the front spring out off.

Had a look on ebay... LINK

Regards

Rob

Location: The 3D shed,Tewkesbury

Location: Shropshire

Hi Ian,

will keep you informed as to durability, no real loss if it doesn't work, but you never know until you try.

Ruairidh Dunford

Hi Ian,

will keep you informed as to durability, no real loss if it doesn't work, but you never know until you try.

Location: Shropshire

Hi Ian,

yes, that is true, but, as you can see, I have a brand new front spring ready to fit and I am making the most of the opportunity.

The rear ones will simply require me pulling out the spring pins, slipping it over the spring and replacing the spring pins, no real effort really and if it doesn't work I can Denso them.

Many thanks for your longevity wishes, much appreciated!

Not sure that heatshrink will do what you want. One alternative approach I noted was on an 1933 MG K3 single-seater I worked on many years ago. It had been given as a birthday present (!) to the Hon. Ponsonby-Crunch or some such person by his parents.

The whole chassis had been chrome plated (yes really) including, if memory serves, the road springs.

The springs on this model had trunnion mountings at the front(?) with hangers at the rear. Trunnions need to receive a good dollop of grease on a regular basis and to keep the springs in good nick and the grease from flying everywhere, the springs had pigskin covers fitted which were laced so that they could be removed and re-fitted easily.

Modern materials could prove better than pigskin however the covering method may be worthwhile considering.

Location: Lincolnshire - Nr Market Rasen

Vin,

"The whole chassis had been chrome plated (yes really) including, if memory serves, the road springs."

Isn't there some problem with hydrogen embrittlement on the chassis and especially the springs?
My metalurgy was never good

Tony.

Location: Melbourne, Australia.

My humble and insincere apologies in advance to those who find this stultifyingly boring but here goes anyway:

Hydrogen embrittlement could be a potential problem in a Cr/Mo (Chrome/Moly) type steel but with a chassis I would think that this is not the case, or, if the pickling process was not controlled as it should be.

Also, the heat-treatment that a material receives prior to chrome plating could have an effect but once again, I think this would not be an issue.

Fact is that the car was still racing in 1969 / 1970 (the last time I worked on it) and as far as I know, may be racing still.

Knowledge is power section:

One advanced feature that this and other MG's of that period had was centralised greasing viz: on the bulkhead was a 'manifold' block with about 10 (for the rivet counters out there, this number will be seized upon as I am probably incorrect but I care not a jot) grease nipples. From the underside of the 'manifold', a small copper tube led away from each nipple to things such as spring trunnions. A small grease gun was clipped to the bulkhead and from this, each nipple was given a couple of strokes on a regular basis thereby meaning that you could grease the car wearing whilte overalls and stay Daz white. Nice touch.

Location: Lincolnshire - Nr Market Rasen

Ruairidh,

Just out of curiosity, did the heatshrink survive the jaunt around the West Highlands?

Rob Rayner

Location: Salty Cheshire with the nights drawing in.

Slap plenty of grease between the spring leaves, the wrap the lot in Denso Tape.

I sometimes look at equipment that is outside in the elements and which has been treated with grease / denso tape and even after some years it is fine, as long as it has been applied well.

Also, at Lincs show a couple of weeks ago, many of the 1920 / 1930 Rolls Royces on display had their springs wrapped thus.

Grease / denso doeas it for me everytime and, you dont have to remove any bits from the car to apply it...

Location: Near Lands End.

Still providing excellent service, even in the snow.

Following the example set by our own dear R.D. I bought some of the heat-shrink for a rainy day, which arrived recently.

However I thought I would try a slight mod to the original scheme, put forward by R. I greased and then Denso tape wrapped the springs, then applied the heat shrink. My thought is that if the heat-shrink fails (please note the gauge of this material in the attached photo) which I doubt will happen, then the spring will still be protected by the Denso tape. Incidentally the Denso wrapped very well over the spring variations, I gave it a 50% overlap and pulled-up tight on each pass, the tape amalgamates well and needs no end fastening.

Hope this might be of interest

The heat shrink before being shrunk



Lithium based chassis, suspension grease applied



Denso tape wrapped



Heat shrink applied, heated and duly shrunk



I used a heat gun, quite some time and heat was needed to fully shrink the tube, fully shrunk at the ends and left a little loose in the middle

Location: Oxford Town in the afternoon

Here is one for you.
I have just been to Keyline builders merchant in Basingstoke. I walked in and asked if they had any Denso tape. I was treated with great suspision by the three staff, they were looking at me a bit strange, then one said O.K. where is the camera ?. Wot, What camera . They were convinced that I was a set up ,as the Denso rep had just left after trying to get them increase their stock from 14 rolls. They had just, within 10 minutes said that nobody ever comes in and ask's for Denso tape these days.
Anyway if you want it ,it's at Keyline @ £6.23 in Vat.
Derek

Location: Northwest Hampshire ,

Excuse the ignorant foreigner but what material is Denso tape please? On the photo it looks like some sort of impregnated fabric.
Renaud

Location: Sunny Brittany

You have hit the nail on the head,another English saying ,meaning you are very correct. it is used mainly for wrapping steel pipes that need to be buried. It is very sticky and impervious to water. Have just fitted my new rear springs to the Opal and covered them in Denso.
Derek

Location: Northwest Hampshire ,