help please i'm confused

[montypsx]

hi, i bit ago i put a thread on here about which shocks to put the front of my 71 dorma it has 3" drop spindles on the front and low profile tyres with gsf coilovers the rest is standard you all said (but a few) to go with gaz coilovers 150lb springs so i've measured them and they are about 400mm center to center

so now i have the cash i started to ring round for the best deal but this is where i'm confused :?

i rang alex at vw heritage and he's told me not to put coilovers on it as these will work against the torsion bars and the anti roll bar and it would make it unsafe on the road, he then said ajustable gaz shockers are what i need, so i told him lenght of the shocker with the camper sat on its tyres (400mm or 15 1/2") and he said this was incorrect and they should be shorter and 400mm must have been its fully extended lenght :!: and they dont sell any that lenght and to re check my measurement.

i have rechecked it and it is correct please help

cheers phil

 

[mattd1984]

Have you removed the shock and sat the van back down on its wheels. Rock it around a bit then measure the point from the 2 eyes where the shock would normally fit.

 

[montypsx]

no should i do this

 

[mattd1984]

Yes you need this measurement. You can then use this to work out what size shocks you need. Check the VW Heritage or Machine 7 site for more info.

 

[montypsx]

thanks for the info but do i need coilovers all you guys say yes but heritigde says no. cheers

 

[mattd1984]

What issues are you having with your ride?

 

[montypsx]

none my old shocks are leaking and need replacing and i've got a few nuggets in the pot so i thought i'd up grade whislt i can afford it

 

[Alex VW Heritage]

no should i do this

Yes Please Phil,

The sprung shocks will works against the sprung torsion bar, they should not be used in conjuction. the only guys I know of running sprung shocks are not running all the leaves in their front beams so are beefing the spring pressure back up by fitting the coil overs.

You said your van is stock height standard beam just with the drop spindles added, you should be able to just add a decent set of shocks and slightly lower pro tyres than stock and it'll ride like a dream boat.

This bus pictured (yes i know its a late but same principle) has exactly the set up you have spoke about. (The rear has had a 1 spline rear drop and again some new good qaulity shocks)

Hope this helps,

Cheers

Alex

 

[mister]

Quite a few people (myself included) with stock beams and 3.5" dropped spindles have moved to Gaz coilovers to stop rubbing at the top of the arches.

With regular shocks, KYBs and spax adjustables, I had quite bad tyre rub whilst running 175/65 R14 tyres at the front. The move to Gaz coilovers has pretty much eliminated the rubbing.

You could try even lower profile tyres but this will bring your beam quite close to the road and you will have another problem :roll:

Alex is correct in saying that the coilovers work against the torsion bars, as it does make for a slightly bumpy ride. But in my opinion its better than having to dodge every bump in the road.

There is a long thread about it here:

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=45111&hilit=gaz" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now that's your evening reading sorted out...

 

[ozziedog]

I have a virtually identicle set up with Transporter Haus spindles etc etc. I used the standard shocks for a while but had issues, I then went to the cheapo coilovers and I might as well have left them off, then I went for gaz adjust coilovers as per that thread ^^^ and have nothing but grooviness to report. Eith the standard shocks, well they were not in the working area plus rubbing issues, the cheapos didn`t actually work for more than a week, plus rubbing issues, and the new dudes have come up trumps, with no rubbing etc, the ride may be slightly harsher but so slight but you be pushed to notice you aren`t in a stock bus. At the end of the day it would seem like a little spring assistance is required as you no longer have the original suspension travel of a stock bus.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, But Alex is a god :mrgreen:

 

[Alex VW Heritage]

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, But Alex is a god :mrgreen:

:lol: Cheers Dude, but that I am not, I'd have thought the two springs working against each other would have made a very sketchy feeling ride, I like a van I can drive with one hand lightly on the wheel, I was thinking if you hit a pot hole with torsion leaves plus the spring that you'd end up with the steering being very twicthy and being pulled from your grasp?

But I am not running the transporter house upside down spindles and you guys are, so you'd be better placed to give exact advise than me.

 

[Moseley]

I can't see how the 2 would be working against each other? Although they are linked in different places, they are still both springs that do the same job. I.e. I'd have thought the overall effect would be no different to adding a couple more leaves to the OE suspension.

 

[Alex VW Heritage]

I am no engineer but we have people here who are, and they say it's down to spring harmonics as one would be affected before the other.

 

[sparkywig]

Just my tuppence worth, I'm running KYB GR2s with dropped spindles on a king and linkpin beam, and the ride/handling is excellent.

 

[Moseley]

I am no engineer but we have people here who are, and they say it's down to spring harmonics as one would be affected before the other.

Hmm, still not understanding that - both springs are under compression (preloaded) when the bus is on the ground, so there are no spring harmonics in effect (neither spring will be in a 'stretched' state).

 

[ozziedog]

The way I have it planted in my head is :roll: That you have reduced the suspension travel because you has lowered the bus, if you still use the same amount of suspension travel, then you is gonna bang your tyres on the tops of the arches because you ain`t got the clearance that you used to have. To `lessen' this effect you could then reduce the size of your front wheel or tyre to regain a little clearance, then you hit the incorrect speedo problems and the eternal argument about tyre walls and commercial versus low profiles etc etc etc which most of us has done at some time or another to one degree or another :? (not you stocky dudes though :msn4: ) Now if you ain`t got the travel and you is still gonna hit them bumpity bumps then you need to stiffen your suspension a little and this is the easiest way,, without regaining travel through altering the wheelarches with tubs and things. Yes it is firmer because you are adding to the spring pressure required to smack your wheel / suspension up in the air, and by adding to the springing your suspension shouldn`t compress so easily.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,It sounded a lot clearer when I first thought about writing this :lol: :mrgreen: :msn4: :mrgreen: :lol: