Date:         Thu, 10 Jun 2004 22:33:18 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Why are campers higher at the rear?
Comments: To: Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I think we can all take it as a fact that springs on any car may settle in
10 to 20 years.
Whether they settle left, right or forward towards the rear is going to be
an endless discussion.
The way your Van sits can be attributed to springs, shocks, alignment, wear
of rear or front suspension parts and even tire width and weight of the
sidewall.
If it drives OK just accept that it might lean a little or hang funny but is
still within acceptable limits if it will hold alignment and pass safety
inspections.

Stan Wilder


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Demarest" <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2004 10:10 PM
Subject: Re: Why are campers higher at the rear?


>          Hmmm... I thought I saw a (fairly recent) post on this list that
> said they were supposed to sit *higher* in the front, to aid stability
when
> the weight shifts forward during hard braking.
>
>          I suspect that the rear will settle some over time, since the
rear
> has the constant weight of the engine, and several hundred pounds of tools
> and spare parts under the rear bench (or is that just my westie? :-)
>
> Tim
>
> At 12:17 PM 6/10/2004 -0600, Simon Reinhardt wrote:
> >I looked through the archives, OK?
> >My question is this: Why do most of the campers I've seen (and
> >especially the syncros) seem to sit lower in the front?
> >ETKA doesn't show any difference in part # between camper and passenger
> >vans (at least not for syncros).
> >It doesn't seem like the weight distribution would explain much- the
> >bulk of the extra weight is between the wheels.
> >Does it have something to do with improving the aerodynamics of the
> >top? Then why is there no different part #?
> >Besides curiosity, I ask because I have a set of passenger syncro
> >springs I'd like to put on my camper to improve the front approach
> >angle a little...
> >
> >Befuddled,
> >Simon