Date: Sun, 14 May 2006 16:51:49 -0700
Reply-To: Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Bilstein Shocks
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
There has been some discussion on shock absorbers recently so I thought I'd
add my recent experience. A little background first.
Most of the time that I was driving my '85 Westy (about six years) I was
quite ignorant about Vanagons, especially some of the finer points like
tires and shocks. In the last year before the '85 was totaled in a rollover
on a FS road, I had gone to correct tires (what a difference) and had new
shocks put on. The new shocks were as big an improvement as the correct
tires. It had become a much, much better vehicle to drive.
So one of the first things I did when I bought my '90 Westy was have new
shocks put on. I ordered KYB's from one of the online vendors. It turned
out I really didn't need them at the time, I found the receipt from the PO
for new KYB's put on just 27,000 miles before I bought the van. Oh well,
peace of mind. And the KYB's ran great on smooth roads, very stable,
especially in cross winds (with good tires). But, they were harsh on rough
roads and also transmitted road noise (and the harshness) on roads like the
sections of washboard along I-5 around Seattle. Especially the fronts. After
reading what a lot of others had to say, I ordered a set of Bilstein's for
the front and had them put on just before a long trip to California and back
last month. Very nice. Much nicer ride, quieter than the KYB's, but still
very stable. I liked them so much that when we got to California I stopped
into Van-Café in Santa Cruz (where I had ordered the front shocks) and had
them put Bilsteins on the rear. And now even better. Just days before,
Phil Zimmerman and I had negotiated two very winding, narrow, up and down,
twisty roads, and for several hours each time. The afternoon after putting
on the rears we ran up to Fremont Peak Campground for the night and back out
the next morning. Another narrow, twisty, steep road. And the improvement
was very noticeable. The best term I can come up with is more 'sure
footed', that's the way the Westy feels now. And running back North on Hwy
101 (all one day with really nasty wind) all the way to Astoria, it was the
same. At one point I commented to Phil "I've got a highway cruiser", it's
that much better.
So if your Vanagon is due for shocks I can endorse the Bilsteins. I bought
from Van-Café because shipping is faster for those of us on the West Coast,
plus I like the people there. Peter worked me into the morning schedule to
put on the rears without any previous warning, did the same a few yers ago
when I had the Big Bumpers put on.
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