Restoration Detail - Copper Plated Stuff??

[Woj]

I had a problem years ago with a car that kept burning through front wheel bearings. The shop I was taking the car to decided to put ground straps from the spindles to the chassis. They said that static electricity from moving front wheels/bearings could create arcing that might pit the bearings and cause the premature wear.

I wonder if this may have something to do with these copper components, maybe used to disperse static electricity? Just a thought.

Phil Woj

[SS427]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Woj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I had a problem years ago with a car that kept burning through front wheel bearings. The shop I was taking the car to decided to put ground straps from the spindles to the chassis. They said that static electricity from moving front wheels/bearings could create arcing that might pit the bearings and cause the premature wear.
</div></div>

When I was a mechanic in the 70's and 80's this was a fairly common problem. They make a coil type spring steel that sits on the end of the spindle and makes contact with the dust cover and that seemed to cure it. Odd deal for sure.

[Verne_Frantz]

Rick,
In the early '60s (my era) they were called static collectors and were installed on all cars with a factory radio. (along with the appropriate ground straps and capacitors.)

I believe the copper plating of some nuts and bolts was just the suppliers way of meeting the rust proofing spec from Chevys engineers.

Verne [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]