Date: Tue, 8 Jun 1999 17:50:07 -0700
Reply-To: "Steven X. Schwenk" <Steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Steven X. Schwenk" <Steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM>
Subject: Re: Syncro Springs List Purchase Homework Assignment
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
No criticism intended David...as you note, this stuff is pretty subjective and
the same spring may be great for one application, but too stiff for another.
steve
David Marshall wrote:
> Just to clairify things for the group. The springs that I offer are 11.7%
> stiffer than the "pink" Syncro springs and lift a Syncro Westfalia 4cm,
> lighter vans like a 7 passenger or my Double Cab will go up 5cm. The
> springs that I can offer are not cast in stone, they can be what ever you
> want them to be. The comment that they are too stiff is just a comment
> from only a few people, the vast majority of people found a great
> improvement to the ride quality and handling of their Syncro.
>
> Personally I don't care if the list decides to go with Steve's springs or
> with my springs. The Fast Forward lift kit will always be available for
> those who want it and if enough people want something different (4 or 5
> people) then I can get a custom batch made up at a special rate for the
> Vanagon list.
>
> At 10:49 08/06/1999 -0700, Steven X. Schwenk wrote:
> >Here we are thus far...thirteen, including me. Plus,
> >Mark D. and Bruce W. want two sets....which means a
> >potential of 15 sets of springs, which likely will
> >bring the price down under $50 a spring. If we ordered
> >only two sets, the price would have been $117.35 per
> >spring. 5 pairs were $55.74 per spring. Yesterday
> >they quoted price for 7 pairs at $51.25 per spring. I
> >suspect that if we dpouble the order, the price will
> >drop at least another couple dollars.
> >
> >We have enough people to get two or three different
> >springs made for different applications, if necessary.
> >We need to break down into groups. Westy & Non-westy
> >is one possible group. Some want taller and firmer
> >than others. We need to get a handle on what everyone
> >wants.
> >
> >My goal is approximately 10% stiffer (but there is some
> >confusion on whether the Marshall tall springs were 17%
> >stiffer or 11.7% stiffer....and we are basing the 10%
> >on the assumption that the Marshall springs were too
> >stiff....hopefully we can get one of those springs over
> >to Betts for testing). As for height, I want vehicle
> >height to be what VW determined the best height for
> >suspension performance (so we get full use of available
> >travel without premature topping out or bottoming
> >out)...and will be doing some measuring here and on
> >other non-westies to nail this down, but right now it
> >looks like an inch or less above what the typical
> >syncro westy is. Now is the time to voice your
> >preferences.
> >
> >HOMEWORK:
> >
> >Everyone please wrtite back and tell me
> >
> >(1)what van you have...westy or non-westy, double cab,
> >etc.;
> >(2) what is your preference re % of stiffness and
> >vehicle height;
> >(3) what is the current amount of sag on you van at the
> >front?
> >
> >To get the sag, place van on level surface and measure
> >from the bottom of the wheel well to (1) the center of
> >the dust cap and (2) bottom of wheel well to the bottom
> >inner lip of the wheel/rim... (not sure which one we
> >will use yet so please take both....the top of the
> >inner lip of the wheel is easier to measure but we may
> >have steel and alum wheels to deal with.
> >
> >Vehicle weighs would be helpful, too....even if just
> >the VW specs....for westy, non-westy, double cab, etc.
> >
> >Bear in mind that you will not get full performance out
> >of the new springs unless your shocks are working
> >good. the shock and spring do very different things,
> >but work closely together, so one will affectr the
> >performance of the other. Shock brand will not matter
> >since we are only increasinbg stiffness a modest
> >amount. If you increase stiffness by any significant
> >amount, you have to change re-bound damping, but that
> >will not be a problem here....have already discussed
> >this with the engineers and will address it more once
> >the data comes back from everyone.
> >
> >Please do the homework, and then we can determine
> >whether we need to get more than one type of spring
> >made.
> >steve
> >
> >
>
> -- David Marshall - Vanagon List Admin - Quesnel, BC, Canada --
> -- 78 VW Rabbit, 80 VW Caddy, 84 VW Westie, 85 VW Cabriolet --
> -- 87 Audi 5000 Quattro, 88 2.0L VW Syncro Double Cab --
> -- David's Volkswagen Home Page http://www.volkswagen.org --
> -- Fast Forward Autobahn Sport Tuning http://www.fastforward.ca --
> -- david@volkswagen.org (pmail) or vanagon@volkswagen.org (list) --
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