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Date:         Wed, 9 Jan 2002 23:14:07 -0800
Reply-To:     Steve Schwenk <steve@SYNCRO.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Schwenk <steve@SYNCRO.ORG>
Subject:      Re: [Syncro] About VAG Alloy Rear Spring Seats For 16" Models
Comments: To: David Marshall <david@volkswagen.org>
Comments: cc: Syncro@yahoogroups.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

There is a bit of difference between a 1/2" alumnium perch and a 2" thick hunk of steel! And note they did not go stiffer on the spring rate, but the damping of the shocks...even though spring rate remained the same no less. Plus you raised the front end with taller springs, VW did not with the 16', so where are the similarities?

I am dying to see if/how they raised the front end. If they did and used thicker spring rubber caps, that would be great! It will show that for the 16', VW did with plates and spacers exactly what my springs do. A modest increase in ride height front and rear. It would be cheaper to do it that way than to design and make a separate spring. steve

David Marshall wrote: > > I sit here in silence... still hearing echos of people slamming me for even > suggesting using shims in the rear and not in the front... strange strange > strange I say. Now we here that there are shims in the rear and everything > is stiffer and more controlled on a Syncro 16... say... sort of sounds > like... > > Aw heck - who am I fooling... I'm just goofin' around. > > David Marshall > > Fast Forward Automotive Inc. > 4356 Quesnel Hixon Road > Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3 > mailto:info@fastforward.ca <mailto:info@fastforward.ca> > http://www.fastforward.ca <http://www.fastforward.ca> > Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160 > > . Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions > . Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation > . European Lighting for most Volkswagen models > > -----Original Message----- > From: Derek Drew [mailto:derekdrew@rcn.com] > Sent: January 9, 2002 9:03 PM > To: developtrust > Cc: Syncro@yahoogroups.com; VANAGON@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: [Syncro] About VAG Alloy Rear Spring Seats For 16" Models > > 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%20Gea > ring/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! > > If you would like to modify your subscription settings (including > unsubscribing), visit: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro > Please remember that rude or offensive language is not allowed on the Syncro > list. Please try your best to resolve differences privately and keep them > off the list. > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > If you would like to modify your subscription settings (including unsubscribing), visit: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro > Please remember that rude or offensive language is not allowed on the Syncro list. Please try your best to resolve differences privately and keep them off the list. > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/


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