Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Front suspension bushing overhaul plus
From:Dennis Haynes
Date:Mon, 9 Nov 2015 11:30:13 -0500

Can you send some pictures of the damage? Do you have comprehensive coverage? This may be covered. It is always poor practice to lift at a corner or side with one end off the suspension. A great way to tweak the body and chassis.

Dennis,
From my phone.
________________________________
From: Richard Koller<mailto:brvkoller@GMAIL.COM>
Sent: ‎11/‎9/‎2015 10:23 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM<mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Subject: Front suspension bushing overhaul plus

Thanks to all who provided great advice and parts for my suspension
project. I installed a complete set of front Powerflex bushings from T3.
Once I got the hang of the suspension quirks and it all went together
fairly smoothly. And then disaster struck, I had the van on jackstands up
front and decided to rotate the tires. I foolishly started jacking the rear
thinking all would be secure and didn't realize ( and I should have ) that
the front was also rising off the jackstands. So of course the jack in the
back shifted and down went the syncro. Fortunately I was at the rear and
not in the way of the fall. Unfortunately, I had a bottle jack under the
control arm and the van shifted just perfectly so that it landed on the
bottle jack with the front subframe. One of the side frames hit dead center
on the jack and of course the frame was severely bent. I'm thinking the
subframe is toast and not repairable am I correct? All advice and severe
lecturing welcome.
Foolish ( but not crushed ) Rick Koller