Date:         Thu, 4 May 2000 00:28:20 -0700
Reply-To:     Steve Schwenk <steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Schwenk <steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM>
Subject:      Syncro Springs Order
Comments: To: "syncro@onelist.com" <syncro@onelist.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Ok, i am ready to place the spring order
with Betts.  One thing that could cause
further delay is $$$.  I need to give a
50% deposit to get the order placed.
Any proposed solutions to that problem
would be most welcome.  The sooner i get
the $, the sooner the order can be
placed.

The cost will depend on how many springs
are ordered, but figure $125 per front
spring and $150 per rear spring, or $550
for a complete set, if 5 sets are
ordered, about 50% of what the stock VW
syncro springs cost.

The specs will be roughly as follows:

Ride height:  19.7" inches (bilstein
shocks) to 19.3" (stock shocks).
The mean ride-height of the vw spec of
acceptable range is is 19.6"  Most
syncro westys (with 100k miles more or
less) are at about 18-18.5", resulting
in a loss of an inch or more of usable
suspension travel and free ground
clearance.

Spring Rate:  About 5-7% stiffer than
stock, and 2-4% softer than the first
run.

The goal:  make the springs long enough
to restore the van (westy) to its spec
ride height (with an average load weight
wise) to obtain optimum suspension
performance (and recapture about 1-1.5"
of suspension travel and ground
clearance), but keep the suspension
supple and keep the spring rate low
enough so that is not too stiff for the
shock rebound damping, but increase
stiffness enough to get rid of the
pitching, wallowing and wind-shear.  (If
put on non-westys, these springs will
achieve more ride-height, but still
within specs, and will be on the firm
side, but not harsh.)

I spoke with the engineer today and have
done enough calculating and testing that
i am ready to place the order.

There were 6 people interested, Michale,
John W., Bill D., Coyote (rears only?),
T.J., Larry H......If you are ready to
put up a down payment so we can place
the order, please contact me at your
earliest convenience.
steve