Mods you would or wouldn't do again

[jebiga41]

Not many done but a few to start

Ones I would do again
Mefro 15's
Ortec wheel carriers cheaper and cheerful
Insulated the van with Thermawrap
Big mirrors especially the convex one


Not sure of
Polybushing

[toomanytoys]

14" Doka...... 1992, 1.9 DG
It came factory fitted with power steering and electric mirrors, double diff locks...
Ive done..
15" mercs... (yes a little soft but cheap... I do want a set of Mefro's to replace them though...)
Set of Blackstar Guyanes....... Great in the cruddy stuff.. but bloomin noisey on the road.. prob try something less aggressive...
Monroe van magnum shocks on the front... great...
TD alloy spacers under the rear springs (mine is a petrol...) great.. lifts it nice..
Some spacers on the front springs.. (busman ones) lifts it a lot.. but great (added some spacers for the shock top mount to prevent topping out)
Made a big alloy bash plate to protect the gearbox and engine... great.. go over anything without worrying about the box...
Gearbox rebuilt by Aidan... of course.. great...

Stuff thats in a box/garage to be fitted....
Uprated CV joints
Bricky's AVO longer rear shocks
Headlamp relay kit
Decoupler kit...
Tristar rear windows..
Air con kit...
new set of ball joints etc...

Uprated 2.1/2.2 WBX... (a pile of bits in the garage ready to be assembled....)

[syncropaddy]

Things I wouldn't do again
Wouldn't do the poly bush thing again as I dont think its worth it
Get married - tried it once, cost a fortune.
Wouldn't put uprated springs on a standard van

[axeman]

what is up with the polly bushes? only asking as i have just replaced all of the bushes and ball joint on the front suspenshion. used all vw rubber.

neil

[syncropaddy]

just replaced all of the bushes and ball joint on the front suspenshion. used all vw rubber.

neil

My opinion is based on ' if VW/Styer didnt do it then it didnt need it' theory and I reckon that the only poly bush you need is the rack mountings. The rest of the range makes the van too hard

[Simon Baxter]

Thing about Poly.
It's expensive.
It's harder than rubber (Shore 80)
Generally easier to fit.
Lasts longer.
Some bushes available in poly that aren't in rubber (Ever tried to get 23mm ARm drop link bushes, or even 19mm ones!!?)
Plus, the lower arm inner bush is susseptable to being munched, Poly a bit more resilient to it.
Horses for courses.
Rack bushes are brilliant, but due to their very nature they will pass more vibration back to the driver.
Depends on what you want, for a road van driven hard, brilliant, for a road van that needs it's bushes replacing anyway, brilliant, for a van you are going to keep for a good few years, brilliant, syncro, I would, but that me, I don't find them too hard, or harsh and with a wibbly wobbly syncro then any help you can give them to stay in a straight line the better, but they won't suit everyone.
Tell you what though, in 4 years I've never had anything from Powerflex returned under warranty, and I'm sure you can't say that about some GSF bushes!

[jebiga41]

As i said not sure on the poly front although i would say that the pros probably outweigh the few cons they have, have done all my front in poly and does really stiffen up the ride and i think does very well on the road, on autobahns and motorways it really came into its own and I think compensates for my suspension that is yet to be renewed. Also are very easy to fit which and do last longer which is a big plus.
I do find that i can feel every vibration in the road tho which is where I'm unsure, also read as regards overlanding due to the fact that as is more rigid than rubber will pass these vibrations up to chassis and suspension components which can cause additional damage whether this is true or not not sure. Rubber seems to be the choice there especially as regards to corrugated roads in Africa. Although whether my van sees african roads is hard to say at the moment but hope it does one day.

[Simon Baxter]

There is a softer, yellow compound that I can get the bushes made in, same cost.

Shore rating of Poly bushes as follows.

Black - 95!!
Purple - 80
Yellow - 70

Unsure what rubber is, I seem to remember quoted of between 50 and 60.
Quite happy to get some made in yellow if needed.

[sonic23]

I would definitely not fit the Syncro.org lift springs again (think they came from Van Cafe in the end).......they'll probably work for most peeps, but in my experience, not good on a heavy camper. The back is beginning to sag after only 2 years, and it's feeling very spongy.

Looks like it's going to have to be a set of Seikels, when i get the dosh

Rich

[axeman]

only asking there sceams to be mixed opinions about them. i opted for vw ones that came from TPS (vw) simpy becouse they are local and and everything was in the next day. not all of the bushes were worn but as the front end was in bits is sort of made sence to do it all in one hit, and if the origional one had lasted 20 years hopfully i willl get anouther 20 years out of them.
had to get some of the sleaves made up by an enginer though.

swings and round abouts i recon.

neil

[syncrosimon]

I have a full set of polybushes and am very happy with them, no harshness that I can detect.

My favorite mod is my Sterling Alternator manager, twin battery set up. This has work faultlessly and has made the hook up cable a 'leave at home' item.

New standard suspension on the front (including all bushes and joints) has made the syncro drive in a completely different way, really nice and smooth.

The wind deflectors on the front windows take some getting used to, and not so sure will stay on the van.

[jed the spread]

i have just replaced all of the bushes and ball joint on the front suspension. .

neil

Have you

jed