'85 ride height oddity

[kevtherev]

Am I right in thinking '85 vans for a short time were given a higher ride at the front (taller springs) by VW?
Was it just the fronts or all round?

Did they have a reason for this year, or did they make the change and then change it back lower?

[CovKid]

If they did, mine is one of them. You could get a bus under my wheel arches. Went to 15" wheels and it still doesn't fill them. The only thing I could come up with is that because mine was a Caravelle and would therefore be seating up to 7 plus assorted luggage, they put bigger springs on. If I run with an empty interior though, the angle on the drive shafts is so different, they make a lot of noise - weight on, silence. In my case they're just higher all round. Even other T25 owners notice it. Its like a mock-syncro look.

[ninja.turtle007]

When bought my 85 westy the front was very high and the rear looked normal. It looked and drove really bad until I lowered it with new shocks and springs from Mr Baxter.

[gaz f]

My '85 was like this. The front was much higher than what appears to be the norm on other buses giving as covkid said a look a little like a syncro from the front. When I lowered it the colour code on the original vw springs was green & yellow for the front and just green for the rear.

[ninja.turtle007]

This is how it looked.


Then with -50 Avo's and Bilsteins.

[billy739]

spring colour codes

fronts
2x Blue - Normal.

2x Brown - Carat, Camper, Ambulance.

2x Green - Strengthened, increased payload.

1x Yellow - 30mm lower.

2x Violet - Syncro.



Rear.

2x Yellow - Normal and for increased payload or heavy duty shock absorbers

2x Brown - Ambulance.

2x Blue - Passenger carrying vehicles, Kombi.

1x Green - 30mm lower.

2x Green - syncro.

most vans have ' standard front springs ' blue coded

but for some reason they can have 2 sorts of rears either blue or yellow as above.
from my experience and although many parts can be changed over the years there seems to be no specific pattern on the above types being fitted. i should try and log either blue or yellow and see which i think sags most!

next time your under your van have a look to see which you have.

also the rear seems to take more load , even when accelerating the rear dips

[mrdandandan]

This is interesting, I've got an 85 caravelle gl converted to camper and it sits higher, I always assumed it was just an anomaly.
Gonna have a look at the springs now

I like the higher look, much cooler!
Thanks for all the great info btw, what a club!
Dan

[CovKid]

Thanks Billy - WIKI'd: https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/St ... on_springs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jake1953]

Here's my 1987 panelvan as bought 18 months ago
Despite having added a hightop /panel lined and started with the cupboards, it still sits the same height.(Pictures to follow)
I'm used to it and looks cool to me

panelvan nearside.JPG

[kevtherev]

Are you sure those tyres are correct?
They look a little skinny..

for a 14" you should have 185(80) X 14C

[jake1953]

Hi Kev, just checked the tyres by torchlight. They are- rears 185R x 14C follwed by 100/100Q
The fronts are 185R x 14C follwed by OR(could be PR) 56

[kevtherev]

Fair enoughsky

Ever checked the colour mark on trhe spring?
dang thing looks like it's on stilts

[Simon Baxter]

To add.
Rear spring with blue code are from passenger carrying T3's.
Kombi, Caravelle, Multivan, Westy Etc.
Type No. - 254, 254, 255 and 256.

Vehicles with Yellow coded rears (often 2 yellow and 2 yellow one white etc) are all commercials, badged as transporters.
Pick ups, Crew cabs and panel vans.
Type No. - 245, 246, 247, 248, 251 and 252.

I never did get my head around the yellow rears as they are never a single yellow mark, usually 2 yellow marks or yellow/yellow/white, probably a slight difference between Petrol and Diesel or something, dunno.

[CovKid]

Grateful Simon - WIKI'd

[jake1953]

Checked my springs but couldn't see any colour code . I'll give them a clean but where is the colour dabbed? on one of the coils or where else might I find it?