Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 07:37:24 -0400
Reply-To: "kenneth wilford (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "kenneth wilford (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Front-end workout
In-Reply-To: <CAFnDXk3++cKMdp=L3mB8xeSMpbR7sK-C_sb4OOMEoywbbnTpww@mail.gmail.com>
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I highly agree that suspension work is the thing that Vanagons need the
most at this point. It is a difficult job to do so most people put it off
forever. I have been dealing with a recent uptick in people needing front
end restorations on their vans. Because they put the work off, it makes it
even more difficult when the time comes to do the work (frozen bolts
needing to be cut off, etc). I would recommend having two people because
it makes it so much easier and faster to get done. One person can do it
but you have to get creative and it takes extra time.
However one of the best things you can do for your van is to do a complete
suspension rebuild with all new bushings, shocks, etc. I did this on a
Syncro Vanagon a couple of years ago. We did everything, and installed Old
Man Emu shocks on the van. That thing rode as good as new when it was
done. I don't think I had ever ridden in a nicer riding Vanagon! So it is
brutal but there is the reward of a great ride afterward and also probably
not having to do the work again for at least another 10 years.
I made a few Youtube videos about my adventures in front suspension land.
You can check them out by searching "kenwilfy" in Youtube.
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
On Thu, Sep 19, 2013 at 7:54 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
> Just finished up a nearly week-long marathon of front end work. Replaced
> the brakes, a caliper and line, bearings, and all bushings right down to
> the steering rack with polyurethane and on the inner ones, Flennor OEM
> style rubber. Also complete all-around spring replacement with two GoWesty
> front springs. New metal sleeves on the anti-roll bar drop links (NLA,
> almost didn't find any, mine came from Canada) and the whole enchilada.
>
> There is nothing on a vanagon I have not had out in my hands now except for
> the five-speed transmission. This front end work is the most extensive,
> painful and and exhausting things I think you can do by yourself (I did
> call upon the wife twice to put force on a along prybar) on a Vanagon. It
> makes a new engine R and R look downright trivial, cost is not all that
> much different either. Even painting the car did not take so long.
>
> Whew. Tomorrow I will bleed the brakes and see if it was worth the effort.
> I could not have put it off anyway, I was beginning to hear metal on metal
> at 3479000.
>
> I tried some poly bushings on an MGA restoration some years back and didn't
> care for them all that much. But the stuff that is sold by T3 Techniques
> for the Vanagon was irresistable. If you replace nothing else with poly,
> shuck those rubber radius arm bushings and go with the T3 Techniques setup.
> Genius.
>
> http://t3technique.com/
>
> They have about everything you ever dreamed of for suspension, etc. Bus
> Depot had the best buys on brakes, shoes, etc. GoWesty had the springs I
> sprang for.
>
> BTW I pulled all of this over last weekend and took the parts around
> several local shops to have the old rubber bushings pressed out and new
> ones in. Got quotes like $250. Went to harbor freight and bought their
> cheapest 4wd joint press for $75.00 and did it all with that in about an
> hour and a half. A total of eight bushings.
>
> Jim
>
--
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
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