Can someone give me some suspension advice

[Bullifamilie]

My van is desperately in need of new shocks, so while I’m at it I want to upgrade the suspension. I’ve been searching back through posts but I’m keen for some more input.

My syncro is a Panel van with a middle row of seats and sleeping platform over the seats, we primarily use it for over night camps and do most of our miles on dirt tracks and beach.

Living out here in Western Australia limits my choice of components but my wife is off to Germany in a few weeks so she could collect some bits for me.

My current plan is to change the shocks for Old man Emu (available locally) but I’ve heard people say they work best with heavy campers. Is mine light/heavy (1485kg without camping equipment)?

I also want to raise it a bit, I’m thinking 30mm, from what I read this should be ok for standard drive train and geometry adjustment. My van currently rides 470-475mm wheel centre to arch, is that low or average for a 20 year old un-modified van?

Should I stay with the standad springs and use spacers?

Should I replace my front springs with locally produced front springs because I’ve been told my current ones have probably sagged significantly and then use spacers?

should I get some springs made locally ($500-$600 but ‘m not sure how good/what quality)?

or should I get my wife to get some whilst in Germany? If so which ones, as some people would say many of the springs are too stiff for all but the heaviest of vehicles.

I know there are alot of variables but I need some direction.

[Aidan]

if in doubt then keep it standard with 20mm max lift, imho, I'm running that set up on a fairly heavy sunroof caravelle with big on board lpg tanks and it's great, I have only experienced the SA Bilsteins and the standard Boges and prefer the boges and they should do the next 20 years

[syncropaddy]

Hi, Im running a standard Multivan with standard springs, Trailmaster rear shocks and Boge Fronts. I have spacers to give a 2" lift. I use standard CV joints front and rear and run without ball joint spacers. You are running light so I would try for standard springs but if you cannot get those I would look at replacing them with units from either Syncro services or Brickwerks

[Bullifamilie]

Thanks for the replies.

Went and talked to a spring maker yesterday. He said he would make me some and his price was very reasonable but he really didn’t want to. He reckoned their might be as much as a 10% error in the springs which comes from a difference in material properties.

Also talked to a suspension shop who said if I brought my springs down then they would send the apprentice through the store room and find something similiar. I don’t fancy he approach.

I’d like to buy the trailmaster springs from syncro services but I think I should save some money so I’ve decided I’ll go for spacers, somewhere between 20 and 30mm still pondering the exact lift. Think I can safely go for 30mm (comparing measurements from a caravelle with OME and 30mm lift).

Damper wise I’ve ordered Old Man Emu following several recommendations and the fact I can buy them from a shop locally. If I’m not happy I’m sure I can sell them. Very much looking forward to the new dampers.

[futbus]

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[garyd]

Hi,
it is interesting to hear what height of lift kit people have fitted but it is not giving the full picture.

Like Bullifamilie, my syncro springs have sagged over the years to the point where the front hub-arch distance is right at the bottom of the figures given for tracking adjustment - 475/480. If I were to fit a 20 or 30mm lift kit with these springs the height would still be within the 'normal' range of that table.

I would suggest that there is at least a possibility of achieving the same result by fiting new, standard springs. Can anyone confirm that - or disprove it? Brickwerks have front springs at £31 a side - much cheaper (and insurable) than lift kits. Are standard rear springs available anywhere?

The one advantage of lifts kits, or at least of shock extenders, is that they allow a greater amount of suspension 'drop' when crossing uneven ground. This is probably where the CV joint limits start to become an issue. Can anyone say what is the maximum hub-arch height (and equivalent rear height) that standard CV joints will cope with?

So, I guess to give lift heights more meaning, can you also please add what the resultant hub-arch distance is?

thanks
Garyd

[..lee..]

fitted 2 pairs of baxters rear springs in the last couple of months both to empty diesel vans both with the standard diesel alloy lift plates. rear ride height was 500mm to both as fitted.