

| Subject: | Questions about Vanagon springs |
| From: | Jeffrey R |
| Date: | Thu, 27 Jun 2002 15:47:57 EDT |
Having just installed the Syncro.org springs in my 83.5 Westfalia I have a few questions. 1. Why do they sag on the driver's side and is this a bad omen for the future? (I understand there is more weight on the drivers side--but my thought is a stronger spring would compensate-- I have a limited understanding of the situation and my guess is it's not that simple. Stronger spring must equal harder rider--right?) So... 2. Then, as a follow up question about extra weight on one side: Do all vehicles sag on the driver's side, say if there's only the driver in the vehicle. Or do the springs and suspension compensate an keep the vehicle level? 3. Would or did the stock Vanagon with the Westfalia full-camper package lean a 1/2 inch to the driver's side when it came off the lot? And if it didn't lean, if New stock VW springs were installed in my Westfalia would it sit level. (and then again would it still be level with only a driver in the bus? And if it did sit level how long before it didn't? My sagged when I bought it 5 years ago. But I don;t know when the sag sarted.) 4. What is the cost of stock springs from the VW dealer and what would be the cost with a list discount offered by heros like Rennie at Peyton Cramer VW in Torrance? In short, my bus is about 20 years old and the springs never performed great as far as crosswinds and passing 18-wheelers and the like. The 5 years or so I've had it it always swayed from side to side quite a bit in wind, when turning, and even when stopped in traffic to make a left turn while car whizzed by on the right- back and forth with each car that passed. It sagged to the left since I owned it and the sag got worse in that time. The rear started to sit down and sag a bit more noticabley over the last year. When I removed the original springs in the rear the thinner part of the spring at the top and the bottom were clearly completely useless as they were collapsed down to the thicker spring (the original VW coil springs have a variable thickness, I assume for some ride comfort benefits and the obvious deficit of collapsing.) I've only had the Sycro Org spring in for a few days. So I'm drawing my conclusions and questions with limited use--and really not conclusions at this time but questions. And this is not to say it's a negative conclusion. I'm just hashing out some thoughts. The bus definately corners more upright and changes lanes better on the highway and definately doesn't react with the same sway as the old springs when an 18 wheeler passes and the like. It seems to take side winds better and tracks straighter. (I just installed Agilis 61) The rises and falls in the highway seem to hit the driver harder on the driver's butt at about 60MPH--i.e. when the pavement meets a bridge's concrete. But these may be (relatively) extreme pavement height differences as I was driving at night I couldn't accurately see the upcoming bumps in the roadway--and maybe the CA freeways (the 101 between Ventura and LA) have reacted to the heat with inordinant swelling. I'm running 2 year old KYB G3's on the front which probably isn't my best choice, under any conditions, and especially with the new sycro.org springs. Would Bilstein's soften up the bumps a bit or the opposite? ( I have the other KYBs--the white one's I can't recall the model--on the rear.) Thanks, Jeff 83.5 Westy LA,CA
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