Hot Rods Best way to coat a spring

What's the best way to coat a leaf spring paint or powder coat

 

Will doing so change the spring rate?

 

I had a mono leaf from Durant and they reccomende powder coat. No problems with the finish or the spring. 4 years and 27000 miles on it when I sold it.

 

spring rate won't change only heat or re-arching will do that

 

And what about coating it together or apart?

 

I powder coated the clutch springs in my shovel and they have held up, not a bunch of miles on it though - dont think powdercoating is gonna get hot enough to change the temper of the springs-

 

What would powdercoating heat do to springs with the teflon buttons?

 

Teflon buttons will melt in a powder coat oven, they get to 405 degrees.

 

I've always just painted mine after blasting/wire wheeling.

 

I wire-wheel, coat with grease.

 

I have done both.
painted the springs on the '62 and powder coated the springs on the '47 coupe.
Dis-assemble, clean, either blasting or wire wheel. I prefer aluminum oxide blasting for springs.
Remove all heat sensitive materials, take to the powder coaters, specify color, then pick up, assemble and you will have a surface that is much stronger than paint. Powder coaoting is a durable finish.

 

it's traditional:

 

I like Rustolem spray bomb paint on springs. Their is no film to peel and if the spring is prepped well, the paint is just there.

 

I'll have to try that.

 

Thanks for your tips. This is a new spring going on my last project ,Ya, Right and I intend to showcase my newly built baby hemi, my polished stainless front suspension and brand new Winters quickchange in a modified roadster so I need the rear spring to "look good"

 

What??? Its not like rustoleum soaks into the metal. Its just paint like any other paint. It may contain some type of rust inhibitor but it still has a film build that will peel if not properly prepared.