Date:         Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:09:24 -0700
Reply-To:     dylan friedman <insyncro@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         dylan friedman <insyncro@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Syncro bad handling problem
Comments: To: Tom Forhan <fourwdvw@YAHOO.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Tom is 100% correct on this.

df

----- Original Message ----
From: Tom Forhan <fourwdvw@YAHOO.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 8:47:42 PM
Subject: Re: Syncro bad handling problem

The factory weight distribution on syncros is pretty much 50/50.
See http://www.vanagon.com/syncros/technica/car-and-driver/index.html .

Dylan is getting more detailed with suggesting someone with corner balancing equipment, but the idea is the same: see if the vehicle -with its mods- has lost the 50/50 balance.

I use a scale at the local quarry, and its easy: drive the front end onto the scale, and get a weight. Back off, turn around and back the rear wheels onto the scale. Compare the two weights and there you are. If its 40/60 or something it might contribute to handling issues.


--- On Thu, 6/26/08, Bill Kasper <dragonlist@UBS.UCSC.EDU> wrote:

> From: Bill Kasper <dragonlist@UBS.UCSC.EDU>
> Subject: Re: Syncro bad handling problem
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Thursday, June 26, 2008, 2:12 PM
> thanks, dylan.  i don't have my thinking cap on for this
> stuff right
> now, and i guess the obvious just didn't bite deeply
> enough to bring
> me out of it...:)
>
> best,
> bill
>
> On Jun 26, 2008, at 11:09 AM, dylan friedman wrote:
>
> > Bill ,
> > knowing the loads at each wheel will help you dial in
> the
> > suspension and fine tune the ride.
> > if one wheel is seeing much more weight, such as this
> van a
> > converted Westy with a rack on the back, you can go
> with springs
> > that have rates too match and or air ride systems to
> compensate.
> >
> > it is done before every race in many different type
> cars.
> > the scales go under each individual wheel and weights
> are than
> > moved around the car to neutralize any unbalancing
> that may be there.
> > This is done for different drivers and different
> tracks all the time.
> >
> >
> > dylan
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----
> > From: Bill Kasper <dragonlist@UBS.UCSC.EDU>
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 1:39:27 PM
> > Subject: Re: Syncro bad handling problem
> >
> > tom, hey.  a question.  how do you weigh the front and
> rear ends?
> > put the front wheels on, then the rears, then all
> four?
> >
> > what does that tell you?
> > (other than that i am really slow today, and can't
> see the benefit of
> > doing what you're saying...:).
> >
> > best,
> > bill
> > felton, ca
> >
> > On Jun 26, 2008, at 10:21 AM, Tom Forhan wrote:
> >
> > > I'd certainly go weight it, front and rear
> ends,  just out of
> > > curiousity. Quarries, moving companies, garbage
> transfer stations,
> > > its pretty easy to find a nearby truck scale.