Date:         Thu, 16 Mar 2006 20:10:55 -0800
Reply-To:     Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: sway bar wiggling
Comments: To: Wesley Pegden <wes@cs.uchicago.edu>
In-Reply-To:  <441A1652.4010803@cs.uchicago.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

The first time I changed the shocks on my 84 I did the shocks up with the
suspension at full droop, and I noticed a 'clonking' sound when the shocks
reached their full extension after a big bump. I had the same thing on the
passenger side last time I changed shocks on my 86. The fix was to re-centre
the top bushing and to tighten it with the wheel on the ground. The top
mount isn't really a fixed point, and I had to 'find' the true centre those
times.

You may have something else going on, but if you have recently changed your
shocks, it might be the same as my experience.

Good luck,

On 3/16/06, Wesley Pegden <wes@cs.uchicago.edu> wrote:
>
> Jake, can you elaborate a little on what you mean? I did do the
> retighten the nut with the car on the ground, but it didn't help.  Is
> this what you mean?
> -Wes
>
>
> Jake de Villiers wrote:
> > I have had a noise like that. It was caused by the shock hitting the
> > inside of it's housing. The top needs to be done up when loaded to
> > ensure proper centering. It worked for me!
> >
> > On 3/16/06, *Wesley Pegden* <wes@cs.uchicago.edu
> > <mailto:wes@cs.uchicago.edu>> wrote:
> >
> >     I've been trying to diagnose a popping noise that happens when going
> >     over big bumps, that seems to be coming from the front of the van,
> >     maybe
> >     from the passenger side.  I went under the front today (again), and
> >     notice that I can wiggle the stabilizer bar back and forth just
> >     slight.
> >     Is this normal?  Also, I noticed that while the end of the
> stabilizer
> >     bar is flush with the stabilizer link bushing on the driver side, it
> >     sticks through the bushing a good 3/4 of an inch on the passenger
> >     side.
> >     Is this normal?  Could this be related to my problem?
> >
> >     Thanks,
> >     Wes
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Jake
> > 1984 Vanagon GL
> > 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> > www.crescentbeachguitar.com <http://www.crescentbeachguitar.com>
>
>


--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com