Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2007 00:54:53 -0400
Reply-To: Sudhir Desai <sudhir.desai@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Sudhir Desai <sudhir.desai@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Some ride height and suspension observations..
In-Reply-To: <71d9cdf90709032123s7c3b1afexa6c3b9955d831248@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
One easy way is to do an MSDS 350/G50 engine solution. >:D
Sudhir
On 9/4/07, Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com> wrote:
> Don, you might find it very educational to weigh your van on the nearest
> highway scale, front first, then the total.
>
> There is a surprisingly high front weight bias on the Vanagon which accounts
> for the pathetic traction in slippery conditions. If you have any ideas on
> how to rectify that be sure to post them.
>
> On 9/3/07, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote:
> >
> > Today I began working on the traction issue with my 84..Unlike
> > me..because
> > I usually wait till there is snow on the ground before I try to address
> > issues like poor traction, etc..but I recalled last fall, trying to back
> > up
> > on slick grass to get into my shop with the van, and also chaining up to
> > make a silly little hill.. I lived in the Rockies for over 20 years and I
> > NEVER had to chain up..but with the van, I can't even make my driveway
> > when
> > it gets slick...
> > A few observations: First, the rear suspension travel is pretty
> > pathetic,
> > at least on my 84 it seems to be. Didn't measure it for 'droop', but it
> > seems like the rear wheels only have a few inches of travel. So I'm
> > guessing it takes very little to lift a wheel or at least greatly
> > diminish
> > the weight on a rear corner...
> > I had a feeling my van was not very well balanced, corner to corner.
> > I've noticed that the right rear wheel always seems to spin with
> > ridiculous
> > ease in low traction situations. I could see, with my carpenters eye,
> > that
> > the left front seemed a bit low and the right rear seemed high..So, I took
> > my tape and did a 'quick and dirty' check. Indeed, the left front was
> > low,
> > the right rear was high..by about an inch..Now, I know measuring body
> > panels
> > is not accurate, but I think this van is so wacky that it gave me a place
> > to
> > start..
> > Now all the previous ride height adjustments I've made have been on true
> > coil over suspensions, and what I wanted was to lower either the right
> > front or the left rear, in order to even up the load on all four
> > wheels...Like cutting off the legs of a rocking table, right? Looking at
> > the front suspension..no deal there..Too complex and not any provisions
> > for
> > adjusting the ride height (or the load on wheel)..So, to the back I went,
> > thinking to extend the spring, at least for now, on the right rear, the
> > one
> > that has almost no load on the wheel...Actually lowering the left rear is
> > what I wanted, but that was not looking easy at all.
> > So, I jacked it up under the bottom of the a-arm, compressing the spring
> > at the right rear. Clamped the coils and released the shock, then dropped
> > the A-arm, making some room at the top of the spring to add two 1/8"
> > aluminum plate donuts as spacers..
> > We shall see if that improves the traction any, by putting a more even
> > load onto the rear wheels...actually kinda like sticking a matchbook under
> > the kitchen table to stop it from rocking...
> > Not quite as precise as putting my Porsche racecar onto four digital
> > scales and adjusting the coil overs to within a lbs or two, corner to
> > corner...but maybe now I will be able to back up on grass, at least as a
> > start...
> > Don Hanson
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Jake
> 1984 Vanagon GL
> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>
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