Ben, you sound mostly right - but, at the risk of being comic for discussing this clearly unorthodox practice, on the safety side I have observed: 1) the cheap clamps, after breaking, can be found hanging on the springs - they don't appear to project. The ping sound is really more like a "boing" sound and is sourced in the spring. If a heavy duty clamp breaks, I am abandoning the project. 2) preloading the front (with this compression technique) brings down the overall ride height, which is a second goal that seems to concern the '85 ish users. I can get in my garage! Other vans may want to preserve ride height, thus spacers are the way to go. 3) From the springs perspective, I don't think the spring can tell if it is being compressed by me, with 400 more lbs, siting in the front, or a tenacious steel band, holding a couple of coils together. 4) I am saving for new springs - but I have so much more buy for this Van! thanks! ----- Original Message ----- From: <BenTbtstr8@aol.com> To: <mcnock@easystreet.com>; <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 5:40 AM Subject: Re: leveling van ride height /cheap way to do it
> In a message dated 1/2/03 1:03:57 AM Pacific Standard Time, > mcnock@EASYSTREET.COM writes: > > << Problem: I have an 85 westy with a sagging rear end. > > My fix: > > 1) bought "high torque" SS hose clamps McMasterCarr 1" - 2 1/4 inch > extended range - 5/8 wide, extra thick band. (5 for $8). >> > > Andrew, > > I would be less worried about how long they would last as I would be worried > about my wheel wells withstanding the impact of those clamps once they "ping" > off. Since your front seats are on top of those front wheel wells, isn't your > solution akin to sitting on the barrel of a ballistic weapon? How about > passersby? Couldn't one of your breaking hose clamps "...shoot (their) eye > out..." as they said in that Christmas BB gun story? > > Spring (pardon the pun) for newer springs or slip a piece of shaped nylon > cutting board under the sagging culprit instead. The latter has been > discussed in this forum many times. In that solution, your vehicle's springs > are working with you instead of against you. > > BenT > <A HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/bentbtstr8/myhomepage/index.html">Vanagon > Cafe</A> > |
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