Steve, I think I sent you this before, but I saw a post on the list saying
measure the springs, so I dug up the info.

Ch

'89 SyncroBeast Vanagon - Soon to come - New Shocks for the Syncro!
'87 16V GTI
'80 850 Yamaha Special
'87 16V GTI w/ hale damage - parting out - body gone, parts remain
'89 16V GTI w/ toasted motor
'86 Scirocco (8 valve w/ auto) - SO's - now w/ it's own hale damage

Prior Lake, MinneSnowta  -  Summers here and with it, Mosquitoes!

****************************
SPRINGS
Interesting.  Here are the measurements I made on the springs.

The Syncro has 150,000 miles, the CARAT had about 37,000 miles when rolled
into a soft snow filled marshy ditch at about 70 mph.  (oops)

REARS           SYNCRO          CARAT
Length                          1 inch shorter, approximately
Major Diameter  6 1/4           6 1/2   Spring coil diam
Minor Diameter  23/32           24/32   Spring wire diam
full Coils of wire      approx. 5                       approx. 3

So the SYNCRO REAR springs are longer, with two more coils, but made of
thinner diameter wire, and have a smaller major diameter.  I'm not sure if
that makes them softer than the CARAT springs or not.

FRONTS          SYNCRO          CARAT
Length                          1 inch shorter, approximately
Major Diameter  5 1/4           5 1/4   Spring coil diam
Minor Diameter  10/16 (5/8)     11/16   Spring wire diam
full Coils of wire      Same, both have approx. 7 coils.

Both springs look identical!  The CARAT's wire diameter is again slightly
larger in diameter.  Both have 7 coils.  I suppose the CARAT's are
stiffer??

I would doubt that the shorter length of the CARAT springs front and rear
is due to sag.  The CARAT had barely 37,000 miles at it's demise.  Some day
I may find a way to measure spring rate.  I hope to get into my old
employer to use the press and measure compressed length against pressure.
[text/enriched]
Steve, I think I sent you this before, but I saw a post on the list
saying measure the springs, so I dug up the info.

Ch

'89 SyncroBeast Vanagon - Soon to come - New Shocks for the Syncro!

'87 16V GTI

'80 850 Yamaha Special

'87 16V GTI w/ hale damage - parting out - body gone, parts remain

'89 16V GTI w/ toasted motor

'86 Scirocco (8 valve w/ auto) - SO's - now w/ it's own hale damage

Prior Lake, MinneSnowta  -  Summers here and with it, Mosquitoes!

****************************

<fontfamily><param>Geneva</param>SPRINGS

Interesting.  Here are the measurements I made on the springs.

The Syncro has 150,000 miles, the CARAT had about 37,000 miles when
rolled into a soft snow filled marshy ditch at about 70 mph.  (oops)

REARS           SYNCRO          CARAT

Length                          1 inch shorter, approximately

Major Diameter  6 1/4           6 1/2   Spring coil diam

Minor Diameter  23/32           24/32   Spring wire diam

full Coils of wire      approx. 5                       approx. 3

So the SYNCRO REAR springs are longer, with two more coils, but made of
thinner diameter wire, and have a smaller major diameter.  I'm not sure
if that makes them softer than the CARAT springs or not.

FRONTS          SYNCRO          CARAT

Length                          1 inch shorter, approximately

Major Diameter  5 1/4           5 1/4   Spring coil diam

Minor Diameter  10/16 (5/8)     11/16   Spring wire diam

full Coils of wire      Same, both have approx. 7 coils.

Both springs look identical!  The CARAT's wire diameter is again
slightly larger in diameter.  Both have 7 coils.  I suppose the CARAT's
are stiffer??

I would doubt that the shorter length of the CARAT springs front and
rear is due to sag.  The CARAT had barely 37,000 miles at it's demise.
Some day I may find a way to measure spring rate.  I hope to get into
my old employer to use the press and measure compressed length against
pressure.  </fontfamily>