<div style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 16px"><DIV>&nbsp;I also was saved by suspension work.&nbsp; Just before leaving for a cross/around country trip last year, I had/did major rebuild work on the suspension, replacing everything that was questionable and putting in the urethane bushings.&nbsp; Out on the road, many list members sent me up and down and around every curvy, heavy altitude change, scary, beautiful road from Nebraska to California and some back again.&nbsp; Thank you very much.&nbsp; But there were some real surprises and some other unpredictable drivers.&nbsp; I can easily think of 2 or 3 instances (one in particular down a crazy hill with a hairpin turn)&nbsp;when, if I had not kept the suspension up to snuff, I would have lost control, gone over an edge or into oncoming traffic.</DIV><DIV>The Vanagon suspension is a wonder of engineering, but only if one keeps it in shape.&nbsp; It is not only how fast one can go (engine upgrades), or slow (big brakes), but also how one can swerve and maneuver to avoid.</DIV><DIV>&nbsp;</DIV><DIV>Dave B.</DIV><DIV>&nbsp;</DIV><DIV>&nbsp;</DIV><DIV style="BORDER-TOP: #bcbcbc 1px solid; MARGIN: 5px 0px"></DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; FONT-FAMILY: arial; COLOR: #000000">On 09/26/13, <SPAN>David Clarkson&lt;dvdclarksn@AOL.COM&gt;</SPAN> wrote:</SPAN><DIV>&nbsp;</DIV><DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; FONT-FAMILY: arial; COLOR: #000000">Not intending to be overly dramatic here but I think that the work that <BR>I recently did may have saved my wife's, my dog's and my own life not <BR>to mention saving me from totalling our 90 westy. I had failed Va. <BR>state safety inspection for a premature, in my opinion, lower control <BR>arm bushing failure. I purchased new bushings and also decided that the <BR>van was way overdue on having the mushy, sagging springs replaced on <BR>all four corners. The Bilstein heavy duty shocks and struts only had <BR>about 15,000 miles on them and seemed to be performing well so they <BR>were adjusted to the new springs after their installation. I replaced <BR>the springs with the progressive design springs from one of our list <BR>vendors. About a month later I was traveling with my wife and dog in <BR>the car at about 55 mph (the posted speed limit) on a straight stretch <BR>of 2 lane highway (1 lane in each direction). All of the sudden out of <BR>the corner of my left eye I saw an SUV burst into the road about to <BR>t-bone me at a right angle from the left. I instinctively swerved to <BR>the right on the small bit of asphalt at the intersection and back onto <BR>the road all while never losing speed and ending up in front of this <BR>vehicle. It was a miracle that the van handled and responded the way <BR>that it did without rolling. I can only attribute this to the <BR>suspension that was recently replaced and properly adjusted (front <BR>struts). I was overcome with relief and anger that this person almost <BR>killed us but we did not wreck. It took all that I had not to pull over <BR>and confront this individual but decided I needed to be civil and <BR>abstain from road rage. I still should have called 911 and reported him <BR>in case he was somehow impaired. No, our vans were built long before <BR>antilock brakes, traction control systems and airbags; but when <BR>properly maintained systems like the suspension and tires can allow <BR>these vehicles to handle in a very nimble and predictable manner. Thank <BR>you nimble and safe Westfalia for keeping us safe. You shall soon be <BR>rewarded with body work, fresh paint and seals. Replace those worn <BR>suspension components folks it's not just a comfort measure!<BR><BR>David Clarkson<BR>Equipment Consultant<BR>Southern Automotive Garage Equipment<BR>sageautoequipment.com<BR><A class=parsedEmail href="mailto:dvdclarksn@aol.com" target=_blank>dvdclarksn@aol.com</A><BR></DIV></div>