Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

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Lowell
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Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by Lowell »

I do not think that my rear leaf springs are working correctly.

Should they be oiled somehow?

If remove the rear wheels so that the axle housing is held up by the wire ropes, will the
leaves separate a little?

Could I spray WD40 to loosen things up and then try to add oil that might be wicked in?

Would a stream of compressed air help?

The rear springs are rather soft --- should they be that way, or are they weakened with age?
Lowell Brown
1966 Gold 330 2+2 Series II
DWR46
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by DWR46 »

Lowell: If the rear springs are original, they should have black plastic liner material between each leaf. This material is designed to provide "lubrication" between the leaves and reduce noise. Generally, when the springs are in full droop position, there is still very little clearance between the leaves. The plastic liner is not supposed to be oiled, but to operate dry. You can try to spray some WD-40 where you can as I doubt that you will hurt anything. Ultimately, you will need to remove and dismantle the springs. This is a dangerous job without proper tools, so be very careful. The natural shape of the springs is quite curved and they must be held in the extended position when they are removed and installed in the car. You can purchased new liner material and clean the springs before installing the new liners. We are doing this job on a 330 LM right now and for the race car, we are polisihing the leaves so they will slide more easily on the liners to get better suspension operation. The street cars all had the liners, but many of the Comp cars used polished leaves and no liners for better suspension reaction. In the case of no liners, then the leaves are greased to enhance the ease of movement.
250GT
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by 250GT »

The rear springs are rather soft --- should they be that way, or are they weakened with age?
Lowell Brown
1966 Gold 330 2+2 Series II
Lowell

You probably have the problem that the rear hangs too low , due to aging happens often.
You can elevate the rear by the adjustable Koni's.
See TomW 250gte side
330GT rear is imo the same as 250GTE

ciao
C.

see below
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250GT
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by 250GT »

As I look at the picture you could made a higher/bigger spacer on the tension bar" table"

C.
John Vardanian
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by John Vardanian »

Also, the later cars have grease fittings at the two end bolts.

john
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330GT
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by 330GT »

Lowell wrote:I do not think that my rear leaf springs are working correctly.

Should they be oiled somehow?

If remove the rear wheels so that the axle housing is held up by the wire ropes, will the
leaves separate a little?

Could I spray WD40 to loosen things up and then try to add oil that might be wicked in?

Would a stream of compressed air help?

The rear springs are rather soft --- should they be that way, or are they weakened with age?
According to the owner's manual, the leaf springs should be disassembled every 10K km, cleaned with gasoline, oiled and re-assembled.
Picture2.jpg
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However, I don't know of anybody doing that.
Regards, Kerry
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http://www.parrotbyte.com/kbc/ferrari 250 PF Coupe 1643GT, 330 GT 2+2 8755GT, 308 GTS 23605
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tyang
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by tyang »

330GT wrote: According to the owner's manual, the leaf springs should be disassembled every 10K km, cleaned with gasoline, oiled and re-assembled.
Picture2.jpg
However, I don't know of anybody doing that.
That's one service interval I don't think I heard of anyone following. Imagine me suggesting it to all my customers when they brought their car into our shop!?

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
Lowell
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by Lowell »

According to the owner's manual, the leaf springs should be disassembled every 10K km, cleaned with gasoline, oiled and re-assembled.
Picture2.jpg
Picture3.jpg
However, I don't know of anybody doing that.[/quote]

I thought that I had read that some place, but could not find it in the owner's manual --- I guess that I did not look hard enough --- and I also looked through the repair manual and did not find it.

Recently I did grease the purchases.

This all started after I took a friend (who races and is very sensitive to car handling) on a ride on a twisty mountain road. He said that he thought the rear of the car was bouncing too much on the corners.
Lowell Brown
1966 Gold 330 2+2 Series II
John Vardanian
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by John Vardanian »

It would be the wrong thing to do to oil the leaf springs. Can imagine how nasty they will look after road dust settles on them? Anyone seen the prehistoric leather diapers that the early British cars had for the leaf springs? They'd fit tightly around the entire length of the spring and they had a zerk fitting. One would empty a couple pounds of grease in the diaper until grease started to ooze out the corners. Nasty, nast, nasty.

john
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Lowell
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by Lowell »

John Vardanian wrote:It would be the wrong thing to do to oil the leaf springs. Can imagine how nasty they will look after road dust settles on them? Anyone seen the prehistoric leather diapers that the early British cars had for the leaf springs? They'd fit tightly around the entire length of the spring and they had a zerk fitting. One would empty a couple pounds of grease in the diaper until grease started to ooze out the corners. Nasty, nast, nasty.

john
Ah, but you want my rear to bounce?
Lowell Brown
1966 Gold 330 2+2 Series II
DWR46
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by DWR46 »

As I suspected, the factory worker who wrote the Owners Manual for the 250 GTE just copied the section from the earlier 250 Inside Plug Manual. However, he FAILED to copy ALL the instructions. The Inside Plug Manual states essentially the same instructions for lubricating the springs, BUT goes on to say " Operation to be carried out only on the leaf springs without polyethylene inserts." So if your car has liners, NO lubricant.
250GT
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by 250GT »

This all started after I took a friend (who races and is very sensitive to car handling) on a ride on a twisty mountain road. He said that he thought the rear of the car was bouncing too much on the corners.

Lowell Brown
1966 Gold 330 2+2 Series II
Lowell


Bouncing is translated my me for jumping
this jumping is mainly eleminated by the Koni's
not in the first place by the springs.
I would tip on worn shocks.

C.
Lowell
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by Lowell »

DWR46 wrote:As I suspected, the factory worker who wrote the Owners Manual for the 250 GTE just copied the section from the earlier 250 Inside Plug Manual. However, he FAILED to copy ALL the instructions. The Inside Plug Manual states essentially the same instructions for lubricating the springs, BUT goes on to say " Operation to be carried out only on the leaf springs without polyethylene inserts." So if your car has liners, NO lubricant.
Dyke is right, of course.

After I looked at the springs with a good light I could see the inserts.

Also, his remark jogged my memory: I do remember the inserts being mentioned in a workshop manual.

The shocks are quite new, but I will check them --- this is the reason that I started the other thread.
Lowell Brown
1966 Gold 330 2+2 Series II
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tyang
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by tyang »

Lowell wrote:
DWR46 wrote:As I suspected, the factory worker who wrote the Owners Manual for the 250 GTE just copied the section from the earlier 250 Inside Plug Manual. However, he FAILED to copy ALL the instructions. The Inside Plug Manual states essentially the same instructions for lubricating the springs, BUT goes on to say " Operation to be carried out only on the leaf springs without polyethylene inserts." So if your car has liners, NO lubricant.
Dyke is right, of course.

After I looked at the springs with a good light I could see the inserts.

Also, his remark jogged my memory: I do remember the inserts being mentioned in a workshop manual.

The shocks are quite new, but I will check them --- this is the reason that I started the other thread.
You can adjust the shocks for rebound, and sometimes they may need one turn stiffer to eliminate the bounce. 2+2s tend to "float" a little more that the Berlinettas. I believe the ride in the 2+2s should be a little softer, since they're more for luxury than performance. People have a tendency to set the shocks too stiff causing the car to "crash around" on the bumps. It's all a matter of taste.

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
John Vardanian
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Re: Oil Rear GT330 Leaf Springs?

Post by John Vardanian »

Tom, when you say adjust the shocks, do you refer to the lever shocks. How do you adjust them. I know there is a twist screw there, but how do you know how it works in relationship to resistance? Thanks.

johnare you talking ab
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