Shocks, springs, and tires work as a system.  Long time back I bought
passenger Michelin X tires for the van - obviously a poor choice in
hindsight.  I tried to fix the handling issues by putting on stiffer shocks.
Having stiff shocks and soft tires made matters noticeably worse.

Karl Wolz

|-----Original Message-----
|From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]
|On Behalf Of Don Hanson
|Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 7:18 PM
|To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
|Subject: Re: Shocks for 2WD
|
|  Here is something to be aware of on "adjustable" sport
|shocks like Konis,
|etc..  Most of those only adjust on "rebound"....    And most
|of what is
|perceived as 'nose dive' under braking....it is usually the
|rear end lifting just as much (or more) as the nose diving....
|
|  Shocks and springs work together as a system...The shocks
|dampen the movement of the vehicle and the wheels, in concert
|with whatever rate the springs have...They do nothing to hold
|the vehicle up....they simply slow down how fast it reacts to
|the forces....Swerve sharply and the shocks will resist the
|inertial forces that cause body lean or roll.
|
|  I got some decent ones from NAPA...Monroes...for $20
|each...they work just great on my tin top...
|
|  Don Hanson
|
|On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 4:11 PM, Dennis Haynes
|<d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:
|
|> Truly defective shocks can make themselves known in other
|ways. Shocks
|> do stop dive, only the rate at which it happens. I find it
|amazing how
|> original shocks can for years and 100,000 miles or more but once
|> replaced they become consumables. The Bilsteins are among the better
|> ones out there. I like the HD especially with the 225/55-17 tires.
|>
|> Dennis
|>
|> -----Original Message-----
|> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
|> Behalf Of Todd.Last
|> Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 4:43 PM
|> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
|> Subject: Re: Shocks for 2WD
|>
|> How long do they usually last?
|> I have them on my van and they pass the bumper bounce test,
|but  I am
|> getting quite a bit of dive when braking - so I am wondering if they
|> are due for replacement.
|>
|> Todd
|> '88 Westy
|>
|> On 8/24/2011 11:55 AM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
|> > HD Bilsteins ..that's all I ever run .
|> > they're great.
|> >
|> >
|> > ----- Original Message -----
|> > From: "george jannini" <georgejoann@GMAIL.COM>
|> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
|> > Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 7:43 AM
|> > Subject: Shocks for 2WD
|> >
|> >
|> >>  I'm needing an opinion or three. <G>
|> >>
|> >>  I'm looking at the Billsteins, but I'd like some input.
|HD or Touring?
|> >>
|> >>  Mostly highway driving broken up with sprints up and
|down the Blue
|> >> Ridge Parkway, or The Tail of The Dragon, just a couple of our
|> >> favourite rides where I have been known to (ahem) test
|the suspension.
|> >> Currently running KYBs, that were seemingly installed
|forever ago,
|> >> 270 something miles on the bus.
|> >>
|> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deals_Gap,_North_Carolina
|> >>
|> >> George/ATL
|> >
|>
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