Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 00:02:46 -0500
Reply-To: Derek Drew <derekdrew@RCN.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Derek Drew <derekdrew@RCN.COM>
Subject: About VAG Alloy Rear Spring Seats For 16" Models
In-Reply-To: <001101c1998e$285d6660$6601a8c0@vista1.sdca.home.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
OK Ok I can't stand reading these posts any more...
Yes there are indeed special factory spring seats for the base of the rear
spring. These are factory VAG parts, and as far as I can tell, they have
never been discussed in North America or on this list. I've had my set for
about six months now.
Previously, we all assumed that the 16" model and 14" model had the exact
same height, but because of these 16" spring bases, the fact is the 16"
vehicle sits slightly higher (weight being otherwise equal).
These spring seats are for the 16" model only and instead of plastic are
made of a special metal / alloy.
I will make an announcement to the list about these in about a month or so
and distribute them to all interested parties, but in the meantime to see
what the special 16" alloy spring seats look like, go here to my pic:
http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/vanagon/images/16springseats.JPG
(Yes, that's my back yard and garage in the background).
In addition William, if you were to dig deep enough into the archives, you
will see that many of us have raised our vehicles in the rear simply by
buying and installing extra "doughnuts"--the rubber round rings that sit
over the rear springs. The vehicle comes with just one up there, but I
bought another 3 per side for a total of four, and have been driving around
that way for 10 years with no mishaps or regrets.
The metal spring seats in the picture I post up above in this email
probably provide a little bit less lift than the rubber doughnuts. But for
some reason just looking at them inspires a great deal more confidence than
looking and the flimsy plastic seat bases on our North American vehicles.
When you are thinking of shimming your springs, think of putting material
over them just as well as under them.
Why did VW make a special 16" spring perch out of metal? The answer is not
yet apparent but as usual somebody on the list or me will figure it out
over time and report.
I like the little extra lift that perch gives and the extra confidence it
inspires, but the full story is not yet on what other benefits they may
have or why they were introduced.
At 08:20 PM 1/9/2002 -0800, you wrote:
>After my trip to the VW graveyard to find stock spring seats I found them
>not even taken off the vehicle yet AND they were only about 1/8 inch thick
>anyway. An unproductive journey.
>
>I wondered on the way home if anyone has ever switched springs on the back
>from left to right and visa versa to correct for the sway to the left?
>
>Because the front springs are so much more work, new springs seem like a
>better idea there, or using a 1/2 inch plastic kitchen cutting board to make
>a custom made leveling shim for the front left as one archive post suggested
>(For front 5 & 3/8 diameter with 3 & 1/2 hole in the center.) I found
>archive measurements for the back shim also made from a 1/2 inch plastic
>kitchen cutting board (6 and 1/4 inch diameter and 1 & 3/4 inch center
>hole.)
>
>Has anyone on this list ever switched springs on the rear to correct for the
>sway?
>
>William Polowniak
>1989 Vanagon GL
>1988 Mercedes 300 SE
________________________________________________________
Derek Drew New York, NY & Washington, DC
derekdrew@rcn.com 212-580-6486
Email me for viscous couplings
'90 Syncro Westfalia...
...seen off-road at
http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/Syncro_Madness_Area.htm
Note: most valuable Vanagon sites on the planet (for owners) are:
http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?S1=vanagon
http://gerry.vanagon.com/files/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro
http://www.vanagon.com
http://www.syncro.org
My syncro list postings consolidated
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/messagesearch?query=212-580-6486
My refrigerator article:
http://www.vanagon.com/info/articles/Refrigerator/Reefer_Madness.htm
My article that shows how to deal with insurance companies:
http://gerry.vanagon.com/files/auto-insurance-madness.html
To view Wolfgang's incredibly informative wheel article
http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/fitbigtiresonvanagon.htm
To view Tim Smith's incredibly useful gearing calculator
http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/syncrotireandgearratios.xls
To view two articles about how to think about improving your gears at
transmission rebuild time
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/message/7207
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/message/7221
To view some 16" Trailing Arms that enable much larger tires see
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/syncro-org/files/Wheels%2C%20Tires%20%26%20Gearing/Wheel%20%26%20Tire%20Photos/16_Inch_Trailing_Arm.jpg
To view the only perfect 16" rim for T3 Vanagon Syncro see
http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/vanagon/images/perfectwheel16s.jpg
http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/vanagon/images/perfect16wheel.jpg
SYNCRO OWNERS WHO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD:
You only get to change your ring and pinions once every 10 or 20 years
because that's how long the average syncro transmission goes before
its next rebuild. Start planning for higher number ring and pinion
sets NOW!
