UHMWPE tape for springs
Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 12:57 pm
here you go ferris
(in the words of tim pink from difflock) UHMWPE is its full abreviation, stands for Ultra High Molecular Weight PolyEthelyne. Coefficient of friction is nearly as low as PTFE, wear restance is very high. Putting the tape between the leaves reduces the interleaf stiction (resistance to initial movement) making the ride softer. The important point is that it actually works. I used it on the racer about 6 years ago, I tested 1 spring with it against 1 spring without. The spring without took about a 30kg load before it would start to move, the spring with took less than 10kg.
If you go down this route ensure that you get the tape with acrylic adhesive, I would also suggest that all paint is cleaned off the springs, they are degreased & then painted with acid etch primer. With my tape the acrylic bond to the paint was stronger than the paint bond to the spring steel & it eventyally pulled the paint off!
http://www.mcmaster.com/#uhmw-polyethylene-tape/=5vgyfy
http://www.lewis-mason-plastics.co.uk/products.asp
http://www.tapecase.com/c.214.1.1/uhmw-pe-tape.aspx
(in the words of tim pink from difflock) UHMWPE is its full abreviation, stands for Ultra High Molecular Weight PolyEthelyne. Coefficient of friction is nearly as low as PTFE, wear restance is very high. Putting the tape between the leaves reduces the interleaf stiction (resistance to initial movement) making the ride softer. The important point is that it actually works. I used it on the racer about 6 years ago, I tested 1 spring with it against 1 spring without. The spring without took about a 30kg load before it would start to move, the spring with took less than 10kg.
If you go down this route ensure that you get the tape with acrylic adhesive, I would also suggest that all paint is cleaned off the springs, they are degreased & then painted with acid etch primer. With my tape the acrylic bond to the paint was stronger than the paint bond to the spring steel & it eventyally pulled the paint off!
http://www.mcmaster.com/#uhmw-polyethylene-tape/=5vgyfy
http://www.lewis-mason-plastics.co.uk/products.asp
http://www.tapecase.com/c.214.1.1/uhmw-pe-tape.aspx
Or there is some on ebay but they only sell it by the meter.