Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 16:48:26 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: alignment
In-Reply-To: <97bf82910909021428w4f3ba440n646479ebd4367ab4@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Not sure whether this applies to Vanagons since I have yet to align mine but
I have done plenty on other german independent suspension cars and you
*must* "settle the suspension" before you do any alignment on those
suspensions. If you do not, you get really wrong alignments. If you use a
jack or lift one end of the vehicle the suspension will not return to it's
'relaxed' normal driving settings until you drive around for a mile or
two...
The shop manuals (for P-cars) caution right in the proceedure for alignment
against using a jack to lift the vehicle for any adjustment during the
alignment process and yet commercial alignment shops who aren't familiar
with this will often just do it anyway...giving you a worse alignment than
before they got the vehicle.....once you drive it away and it reaches it's
'resting' alignment.
For a Westie or a Vanagon the weight aboard for an alignment most likely
has a big effect. The driver of a vanagon is positioned right directly on
top of the left front wheel... Think about 150 to 250lbs (if you're
American grin.) sitting right on one 'corner' of the vehicle...Gotta affect
the stance of the vehicle, as should a full or empty propane and water tank,
and normally carried load.
If the shop you choose jacks the van up somehow during your
alignment...I'd insist that they allow me to drive a few times around the
block and put it back on the rack for a 're-read of the specs or go to
another shop who will agree to NOT lift a part of the vehicle during the
job..
Don Hanson
On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 2:28 PM, Michael Snow <slowmachine82@gmail.com>wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 4:32 PM, Trooz<trooz@roadrunner.com> wrote:
> > Bentley makes no distinction in the alignment specs between a van and a
> > Westy. Is that correct?
>
> Pages 44.2 and 44.3a of the Bentley list alignment specs according to
> weight. One set for empty (passenger van) another for half full, and
> another for fully loaded. A Westy is at least half loaded, and that's
> what I tried to align my van to when it had the stock suspension. As
> Dennis notes, bushing wear makes things difficult. I have been
> several times when the van could not be aligned to the specs because
> it was at the limit of the adjustment range. My van now has all new
> ball joints and bushings, new taller/stiffer-than-stock springs, and
> cutting board shims to level the body. In this condition, I have it
> aligned to the empty specs. If I were working with stock springs, I
> would at least try to level the body to adjust for "westy lean" and
> any excessive sagging in the rear.
>
>
> --
> Michael Snow
> 1982 Westfalia 1.9TD
> http://slowmachine82.blogspot.com/
>
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