Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 08:22:31 -0500
Reply-To: wlail@OU.EDU
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Warren Lail <wlail@OU.EDU>
Subject: Re: poor cornering - too much sway (tire update)
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Hi Calle,
I agree with you that the tires are not likely the culprit, even though they may not be C rated. I say that
because I've run these same wheels and tires on my 87 GL with no problems. So I'm thinking it must
be suspension. However, just back in April I intstalled four brand new HD Bilstein shocks on the bus.
But the new shocks did not improve cornering, they just improved the ride.
I'm going to poke around the front suspension this weekend if I can get the time and see if anything is
loose or broken. I'm sure the bushings are worn, because the bus has 223,000 miles on the chassis.
Thanks for the input!
Warren
88 Westy "Billy Bones"
----- Original Message -----
From: Calle Fallberg <calle.fallberg@telia.com>
Date: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 2:09 am
Subject: Re: poor cornering - too much sway (tire update)
> Well, if the body will tilt enough to cut the tyres you donīt have
> to worry
> too much about weak wheelwalls, the major problem has to be in the
> suspension - if you donīt do corners like if it was for a Indy 500
> victory
> :-) ! !
> Just tougher swaybar bushings do not seem to be the cure here,
> take a look
> to see if the bar is attached at all places !
> Then check the shocks for damage, this will often show as oil on
> the piston
> . Also check the coils for breaks !
> Do the check in all four corners, a loose front end is many times
> the result
> of rear shocks with damaged rebound damping !
> The shocks are best to buy new since there is a limited lifespan
> on them,
> you could buy "low quality" cheap but then you probably end up
> replacing
> them again in a year or so, so if youīre going to keep the Vgon
> go for the
> good stuff !
> But if you need to change the coils, take a look at the
> wreckyards, you
> might even find a Vanagon "Carat" suspension which will lower the
> bus about
> an inch !
>
> Calle
>
> Btw, you havenīt got a load of timber up on the roofrack so that
> is the
> problem here ????
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Warren Lail" <wlail@OU.EDU>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 1:17 AM
> Subject: poor cornering - too much sway (tire update)
>
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Thanks for all of the feedback regarding Billy Bones' tendency
> to sway too
> > much when cornering.
> > I failed to mention my tire situation. I am running Firestone
> Firehawk
> > Indy 500 215/70/15 M+S tires.
> > I had these same tires and wheels on Long John while Billy Bones
> was in
> > dry dock and Long John
> > seemed to corner just fine. I'm not sure whether these tires
> are truck
> > tires or not. How do I find out?
> >
> > To make things worse, when Billy dips to the side, as when
> turning into a
> > driveway, etc., his fender
> > dips down and cuts the tread on the outside of the tires. Not
> good. This
> > is almost always limited to
> > the driver's side, possibly because of my weight as an added
> factor (160
> > pounds).
> >
> > New springs are EXPensive! Hope bushings would help before I
> have to go
> > the springs route.
> >
> > Warren
> > 88 Westy "Billy Bones"
> >
>
>
>
