

| Subject: | Westy Lean |
| From: | David Boan |
| Date: | Mon, 8 Feb 2021 18:35:46 +0000 |
Dear Vanagon-Types In the last year I added a spare tire mount to the driver side of the rear bumper of my 85 Westy and upgraded my house battery to an AGM, which is heavier than the previous lead acid battery and it also sits on the driver side. Measured at the rear wheels, the driver side is 5/8" lower than the right side, measured empty and no driver, except for a full tank of gas. In retrospect, I should have put the spare tire on the other side. It is the Westy World heavy-duty bumper and spare tire rack, and they are rather heavy. I am thinking of moving the spare tire mount to the right side to help counter the lean. Because the spare rides on the bumper I think the impact of the weight is multiplied by the leverage created by sitting beyond the axle, so moving it would seem to have an impact. I do not know the actual weight of the spare tire mount. So, two questions for the wisdom of the group. Does a difference of 5/8" seem significant and worth trying to correct? The only comment I found in the archives or on Samba was that it could matter in extreme conditions, but what about otherwise? I see a lot of comments about lean being common, bnut how much lean is common? And does my logic about moving the spare seem reasonable? Also, I have the GoWesty progressive springs in the rear, and will have them in the front when I get to it (front springs are still original). Thanks in advance. Dave B. Boise
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