Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2011 20:10:50 -0500
Reply-To: Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Front Spring Replacement
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Howdy List,
I wanted to add a few details from my front-spring replacement experience to
the general knowledge base.
My van is a 1983 Air Cooled Westy. It is running stock wheel and tire
size. The shocks are Al-Kos from the Bus Depot. The van is usually
operated with moderate loads. The tool box, two house batteries, extra
propane tank and camping-living equipment make up most of the constant
load.
I was unhappy with the ride height of the van and with the fact that the
drivers side was noticeably lower than the passenger side (especially up
front). The van was comfortable on the road though a bit soft up front
under braking and cornering. When much gear was added in the back there was
a noticeable sag in the rear level.
I added 3 layers of cutting board material to each of the rear springs and
rotated the rear springs side to side while I was at it. This put the rear
end at a good level but made the sagging front even more obvious. I then
installed Moog 5660 springs in the front. The Moog springs were $57.43 with
free shipping from Amazon and I received the correct springs (not the 5662
that was reported by some that ordered these springs from amazon). The Moog
springs were about 1 inch shorter than the stock springs that I removed but
the coil wire is a bit thicker. Installation was pretty straightforward and
I used ratchet straps to partially compress the springs for removal and
reinstallation. If you use ratchet straps to compress the springs be
careful since the straps could slip on the springs. Soft rubber pads in
between the webbing and the springs should keep the webbing from slipping
but be very careful. Replacement of the front springs took a little over
one hour per side but could have taken longer if I had run into more rust
etc.
The result of these changes are that the side to side levels are now within
a quarter of an inch. The ride height up front is about 1 inch higher than
it was and in the rear I gained a bit less than one inch. Looking at the
van, the front end seems a tad too high (in relation to the back at least).
Hopefully I'll get used to this, or it will settle a bit but it could be
that the Moog 5658 springs would have been a better fit or that I should
have gotten new springs in the rear or added more spacing.
On the road the van handles much better in cornering and braking. The
increased firmness up front is apparent but doesn't seem great enough to
compromise ride comfort. The alko shocks don't seem to have any trouble
keeping up with the stiffer springs. Overall I'm very glad to have a more
level and firmer riding van and would recommend these changes for folks that
want to play around with the height and handling of their vans without
spending much money. I have been considering spending a lot more on 4 new
springs all around but for around $60 I've probably gotten most of the
performance improvement that would come with a more expensive setup.
Happy 2011,
Jonathan Poole
'83 AC Westy