Date:         Tue, 23 Aug 2005 16:51:10 -0400
Reply-To:     Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Subject:      Re: Lowering vanagon springs
Comments: To: John Reddick <SVYOLO@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2005082316295634@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

John

Well, it isn't just steel rod... it's spring steel with the correct alloy
and heat treatment to support the weight of your van.

Once you heat it, bend it and let it cool, the metallurgical properties are
going to be pretty random. Best case, it works fine... slightly worse case,
the spring breaks... absolute worst case, the spring breaks at a really bad
time and rolls your van.

I know the heat-em-up-and-bend-em lowering method was real popular with the
original lo-riders out in California... but a vanagon is both heavier and
more top-heavy than most of those. Your van, your risk... but I don't think
I'd do this to mine.

Tim


At 04:20 PM 8/23/2005 -0400, John Reddick wrote:
>The lowering springs lower the van about 2 inches.  I just want to lower
>the front about an inch.
>     What is wrong with bending a spring a total of 3/4 to 1 inch. The
>whole thing is nothing but a big long bit of bent steel rod.  It is cheap,
>mild steel, not a piece of the Ark of the Covenant.  If I screw it up, I
>can always get more springs.