To answer Steve's question:

I installed the front spacer (only on the left)  above the "dampening
ring".
Bently 40.2 .  Used the rubber dampening ring as a pattern to shape the
vinyl spacer. Now the spacer rests where the dampening ring used to be,
and the dampening ring fits snug in the vinyl spacer. Took some sculpting
of the vinyl washer to get the parts to fit snug .
It raised the left front 1/4 inch. Any more and the dampening ring starts
to stick out of the mounting. Didn't want the spring to pop out.
This is on a 2 wheel drive.
The optima added quite a bit of weight to that side.
The van does handle nicer on right turns. Less rolling.
But I think spring travel is pretty much the same.

On the rear the factory doughnut still contacts the spring.
The vinyl spacer is sandwiched between the doughnut and the
car body. Basically same as in the front.

Motorbike tension adjusters are similar in their effect.
With nobody sitting on the bike, the spring might be extended all the
way, limit of travel. (On a vanagon that almost never happens)
Now you tighten the adjuster and you compress the spring, but not
raising the height of the bike, but just increasing the tension on the
spring. (with nobody on the bike)
Once you get back on, the bike will of course sag less, since the
springs are now more stiff. ?????
Does this mean a vanagon is like a motorbike with someone big
sitting on it ????  imho

Harald
90  not leaning westy.

Steve wrote:

> I am very interested in where
> you
> put the front spacers you made.  Could you briefly describe where/how
> and
> how thick.  Does the front end dive less as a result?  Doesn't the whole
> van feel/perform better with balanced suspension?
>
> It sounds to me like you have in fact pre-loaded your springs.  Did you
> just pull out the rear donut and put your spacer behind it?  If so, same
> thing.  You thus made that spring a litter stiffer doing that.  Even
> 1/16
> of an inch will make a difference (on my bike, the adjustment is made in
> 2mm or .08" increments).
> TIA
> steve