Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:48:47 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: How do you when your springs need to be replaced?
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A wolfsburg/carat can ride and handle just fine,
even with a light road.
which tires and wheels ..
and decent shocks of course, are about 75 % of it at least.
my personal 87 Wolfsburg..
drives like a perfectly nice riding and handling sport car....
very quiet inside too ...sweet van.
I wouldn't dream of putting on the taller GL springs..
come ride in mine ..
it's sweet.
14 inch wheels and tires btw..
there's not a lot you can do with those ..
One set up that works pretty darn well is 1895/75 R 14 LT's ..
hard to find lately .
the LT , C load range is PERFECT..
they're a bit narrow ..
the common Cooper Discovery in that size ..
is the best all around 14 inch vanagon tire I've ever found.
quite, smooth, semi-agressive tread.
Sometiems I run the 27 X 8.50 R14 LT in the rear..
those are a bit hard to find ..but those work real nicely for 14's ..
either rear only, or all four corners.
you're common 185 R14 C ...in C load range..
nice ..
in the D / 8PR commonly sold now ..
as I've said..
they are not very good in front..
sure .....'weight wise' ...it's a truck tire practically and you're in fine
shape there..
but for 'feel' and what I call 'nimble handling' ..
and good smooth feel in the steering wheel, plus good 'turn-in' .the suck in
the front.
and with 14's ..
they are going to be either ....mushy feeling in turns..
or too harsh and stiff.
more or less....vanagons do not have to drive like trucks that go in
straight lines,
and they do not have to be understeering pigs either.
but with 14's you can only get so far, and that's not very far .
scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2011 10:45 AM
Subject: Re: How do you when your springs need to be replaced?
> On Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 10:08 AM, Robert Stewart
> <robertmstewart@mac.com>wrote:
>
>> I have an 88 Wolfsburg GL. It has new front and reach shocks on it
>> replaced
>> about 2 years ago. It also has all new front bushings upper and lower.
>> For
>> the rear shocks it has Koni Red's at the middle level setting and on the
>> front it has Boge's on them.
>> I have ridden in my friends Westy with the taller springs and the ride
>> is
>> amazing compared to my short springs.
>>
>>
>> Robert
>> Upstate NY
>>
>
> Try adding a load to your van, see how it feels. I'm not familiar with
> the Carat springs...but when my GL is empty, it is pretty harsh riding and
> with a load it is much nicer...These are, basically, cargo vans after all
> so
> they were designed for optimum driving with a cargo load...
> If you do go with longer softer springs, you will get more body sway and
> lean. No way around that, though through careful tuning of your whole
> suspension, you can arrive at your best compromise, given the original
> design of the van's suspension.
