Date:         Thu, 11 Jul 2002 01:17:09 +0100
Reply-To:     Clive Smith <clive.harman-smith@NTLWORLD.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Clive Smith <clive.harman-smith@NTLWORLD.COM>
Subject:      Re: Trying Syncro Springs in 2WD
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

David,

Its not clear to start whether you just fitted 2 or 4 springs, but on
balance I imagine it was just 2 on the rear.
'I've got loads of ground clearance now as the rear end is now higher than
the front. ' - ah!, reading between the lines it appears that, although
unsaid, you are trying to simulate lowering the front - ?
'I enjoy the better handling although I'll have to see about how it does
with rough roads, but so far so good.' - whenever you change the
roll-centres of the vehicle the handling (and over/understeer) will change -
quite dramatically. With this (guessed at) combination the vehicle will tend
to oversteer more, 'turning-in' quicker; this is why dropping the front
(slightly) has the same effect, the roll-centres then slope down towards the
front - watch the rear doesn't break away easier in wet/loose conditions.
'I plan on making an extra heavy duty rear bumper that will hold my KLR650
' - what is one of them please, motorbike?
' I just hope my shocks will be up to the task.' - I can't see why you
should be concerned particularly about the shocks, as stiffer springs will
reduce overall displacements - and comfort. Stiffening the shocks at the
rear will tend to exacerbate the rear-end breaking away - although not
something to be too concerned about in a vanagon unless very highly powered.

Manufacturers make many compromises during vehicle design and setup, the
engineers having a very good understanding of the chassis characteristics
and how suspending it will affect ride, steering, handling and roadholding
under a wide range of loading. For this reason, almost any modifications
will almost certainly reduce safe and stable behaviour under some of those
loadings. In Germany the TUV are very hot on this aspect, right down to
small changes of wheels and tyres - some vehicles are quite tolerant, others
have been known to be highly sensitive and dangerous with just a small
change in tyre aspect ratio.

I've been amazed at how well my syncro and T3 transporters steer and handle
as standard for a 1.5 tonner, making me wonder whether suspension setups
varied between the US and Europe, noting the fascination with modifying this
aspect of the vehicle over there.

Clive Smith
'88 Syncro Transporter

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Wilhite" <dnmwilhite@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 12:52 AM
Subject: Trying Syncro Springs in 2WD


> I recently purchased some Syncro springs on ebay and have installed them
in
> my 84' Westy.  The Syncro springs were 1" longer in length than the stock
> 2WD springs, but about 19mm in diameter versus 17mm for the 2WD.  Before
> spring swap, distance from fender to center of wheel was 16 3/4".  After
> swap distance from fender to center of wheel is 19 1/8".  I've got loads
of
> ground clearance now as the rear end is now higher than the front.  I'll
> have to ride around some more before I decide whether to keep it this way
> or not.  I enjoy the better handling although I'll have to see about how
it
> does with rough roads, but so far so good.  I plan on making an extra
heavy
> duty rear bumper that will hold my KLR650 so the stiffer springs will be
> good for that if I ever get around to it.
>
> I would rather have dropped the front end to make it level instead of
> putting these springs in, but I wasn't able to obtain any shorter springs
> for the front, so I thought I would try jacking up the rear.  I just hope
> my shocks will be up to the task.
>
> Later
>
>
> David Wilhite
> 86' Syncro GL (For Sale)
> 01' KLR 650
> 84' Subaruvanagon