Newish rusted leaf springs, touch up options?

I installed these HD general springs last year at this time, with my OME lift. They are the perfect spring rate for my needs and have been completely squeek free with zero settling. However they are one year old and all ready look very rusty..

We don't use salt on our Washington roads and my frame looks fine. I'm not to overly worried about them breaking on me. But I would like to touch them up with something to give them a darker black look like when they were new... Anyone have any ideas or opinions based on what you see here? Thanks.

 

Is there some kind of downside to just hitting them with some undercoating or rustoleom spray paint or something along those lines?

 

Take em apart, paint em, put em back together.

 

I might end up doing this as its surely the right way to do it.. However I'm hoping they will last and can just be hit from the sides for looks.. Unless there's some more realistic serious risk of catastrophic aventually failure..

 

That won't take care of the rust though. You'd have to sand it off.

 

I've never done it but I might try this. Phosphoric acid to neutralize the rust, rinse thoroughly to neutralize the acid then let them dry completely. Then spray with chassis black and after that dries apply a persistent oil that will penetrate into the areas where the paint can't reach. Or skip the acid step and use a rust converting chassis coating then finish with the oil.

 

That's a good tip, I hadn't heard of chassis coating before.

 

I sprayed mine inside and out with Fluid Film when I had them apart for my AAL install.

You can get Fluid Film locally at Lowes, next to WD-40.

 

I agree and plan on doing my whole frame with Fluid Film in the fall, using a kit I got from Kelly Sports. The best part of using the kit rather than spray cans, is you can get deep into the boxed frame, where the frame rots from the inside out.

 

http://www.eastwood.com/paints/under-car-coatings/chassis-frame-paints.html
http://www.por15.com/
http://www.vhtpaint.com/high-heat/vht-roll-bar-chassis-paint