Date:         Fri, 19 Jun 1998 23:46:17 -0700
Reply-To:     Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Subject:      Re: Pre-loading Rear Springs re Syncro Suspension (long)
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Michael Sullivan wrote:
>
> >> I think that the spacer lifts the van some, but I also think it
> compresses the
> >> spring a little too. The result is that with the spacer, the spring
> is slightly
> >> more compressed ... it is pre-loaded... over what it would be
> without a spacer ...
> >> with the same weight in the van, etc.
> >
> >nope, with a spacer the spring is still being compressed the same
> amount
> >due to the weight of the body/frame which hasn't changed. in this
> case
> >there isn't really preload...i was wrong yesterday. inserting the
> >spacer 'opens' the suspension and extends the shock and the spring
> isn't
> >compressed any more than w/o the spacer.
>
> Riddle me this: if the spacer were 12" thick would it compress the
> spring? I think it would. Of course it would compress the spring if it was 12" thick. As long as the spacer dont
exceed the shockabsorbers outward bumpstop, it should not compress the spring more than
usual.

Therefore, it stands to reason that a 1"
> thick spacer would, in fact, compress the spring by some amount, IN
> SPITE OF THE WEIGHT BEING THE SAME!
>
> This riddle is not intended to offend or contradict anyone in anyway.
> Rather, I think there is a lot of annectdotal evidence/reasoning being
> thrown around by everyone. The wholey ignorant "I" tends to believe
> there is some validity in what Steve says. And clearly, Derek has more
> experience than anyone else on the list -- but even he could be
> mistaken in some of his beliefs.
>