[TR] TR4 Spring Liners

[Randall]

> I'm about to undertake a rear suspension overhaul and remember a
> discussion about adding liners to the leaves, as seen here
> <https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Leaf-Spring-Liner-with-Lip-1-3-4-
> Inch,2079.html> . Can you share your experiences and thoughts about adding
> the liners? They are not expensive, so the question is whether or not they
> are worth the trouble.

Been kind of a long messy story for me; I'm still not sure what to think.

Long time ago, I talked to a local spring shop about adding liners to the
front leaf springs in my motorhome, and was told they did not recommend it.
They claimed it would lead to the springs breaking and instead recommended
adding a leaf.  I was not pleased with the result, it did nothing to improve
the ride.  But I never went back and tried the liners on it.

Years later, I added liners to the rear springs on my TR3A and it made a big
difference in ride.  But, the original springs were pretty badly rusted
between the leaves and of course I cleaned up all the rust, painted and so
on, so perhaps not a fair comparison.  Never noticed any trouble; but years
later when parting out the wreck, I discovered a broken leaf.

Did the same thing on my current TR3 in 2009 or so.  In 2015, part of the
spring fell out on the pavement!
https://i.imgur.com/VyCT6aK.jpg

After discovering that the new springs I bought were way too stiff; I
installed another pair of original springs without liners, and now they are
badly sagged and I strongly suspect have another broken leaf (or two). 

So, all the broken leaves may have more to do with how and where I drive (my
route home from work was extremely rough and I often wore out the bump
stops) or maybe just with the age of original springs.

But my next set (thanks, Joe!) will be going in without the liners.

-- Randall