T4 - from Caravelle to Syncro Multivelle

[Marlow]

I'm hopefully adding another 4WD to my garage.

Going to Germoney on monday to buy a VW LT40 4x4. Can't sleep because of the excitement.

/M

[Marlow]

My all terrains turned up for the Caravelle. Also the right hand outer CV-joint needed doing.



And while we're at it, I have this skid pan flying about for a while. Compared to the normal VW mud guard, this protects the oil sump also and it's 2mm steel plate, powdercoated. So a rock will not even have a chance at buggering stuff up.




Skid-pan fit.



And my Yokohama Geolander All Terrains in 235/60/16 fit on 16" Borbet A alloys.

Next up is the offroad suspension.

/M

[dirty-syncro-lover]

nice work would be cool to see some more t4 syncros on here!
wheres the bash pan from?

[Marlow]

nice work would be cool to see some more t4 syncros on here!
wheres the bash pan from?

Bought in Germany from a company called SGS (http://www.unterfahrschutz.eu/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) over a group buy on a german T4 forum. Manufactured in Russia by Metajji Karter (http://www.karter.ru/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

/M

[Marlow]

16" Syncro suspension arrived today from Seikel. Going to be fitted tomorrow.

/M

[Vanatee]

Looking good Marlow - looking forward to seeing it with the raised suspension. As a fellow T4 Syncro owner interested to see what others are up to!

[Marlow]

Oops. Time ran away. So we did only manage the rear today.



Looks a bit funny now. There's a difference of approx 5 inches front to back. The front will be done in the morning.

/M

[Marlow]

Finished the suspension.


5 inches up from before anyhow.

/M

[dirty-syncro-lover]

are they the b6 shocks ? are they longer than the standard shocks?

looks like you can go higher !!

[Marlow]

are they the b6 shocks ? are they longer than the standard shocks?

They are B6 shocked modified for offroad use for Seikel (the supplier) and branded B5 matter of fact

looks like you can go higher !!

Matter of fact, there is a different set of springs from another supplier, that supposedly will give me another 2 inch. They're on the wishlist, but I wanted to go with something first, that has been well tested.

To go higher, I will also have to change my front torsion bars for purple ones. Before I go higher, I'll be upgrading the front anti-roll bar first, as that's not up to Syncro spec yet and probably be looking at a rear anti-roll bar, but with the option of being able to disengage that for full articulation.

/M

[Vanatee]

That looks so much better! Just fitted purple front torsion bars to my syncro kombi - a very involved job as you have to remove the fuel tank, propshaft and lower the subframe. I ended up removing the front subframe completely to access very tight tosion bar bolts, I then refurbed anything that needed it (tie rod ends, upper & lower ball joints, anti-roll bar bushes) plus wire brushed and repainted everything - don't intend doing it again! I work on the 'do it once, do it properly' school of thinking. It rides fab now despite being even higher and matches the HD doka springs I fitted (from Brickwerks). Fitted a stainless steel decat at the same time and it pulls match better 2000-3000rpm.

[Marlow]

Just fitted purple front torsion bars to my syncro kombi - a very involved job as you have to remove the fuel tank, propshaft and lower the subframe. I ended up removing the front subframe completely to access very tight tosion bar bolts, I then refurbed anything that needed it (tie rod ends, upper & lower ball joints, anti-roll bar bushes) plus wire brushed and repainted everything - don't intend doing it again!

That's still on my todo list. My T4 didn't start life as a Syncro, so I also have the lower grade front antiroll-bar. One step at a time, but correct: do it once and do it right.

Fitted a stainless steel decat at the same time and it pulls match better 2000-3000rpm.

Another thing on my immediate todo list. I've replaced the complete exhaust system during the Syncro conversion. I fitted a Fox stainless steel syncro exhaust system. The last bit left of the original system is the manifold and the cat-pipe and that cat-pipe has a hole now. So i'll order a stainless steel de-cat pipe in the next days.

/M

[dirty-syncro-lover]

are the big springs your talking about king springs?

what benefit would the purple torsions have ?

i see the guys on the german forum run a rear sway bar with there lifted syncros wonder if it affects articulation much ?

[Marlow]

The springs I'm on about were manufactured for VW by a danish company. They were intended for military purposes, but then the deal with VW fell through.

They've been sold for the likes of money transporters etc.

The swaybar you are talking about is the OEM VW rear anti rollbar for the sports suspension in the T4. It exists in 23, 26 and 28mm variants.

23mm is useless.
26 and 28mm make very good improvements on handling on road and are ok for light offroading, but do inflict on articulation. Hence I'm looking for an easy way to disengage it when needed. I've seen some setups on Land Rovers that are quite interesting.

/M

[dirty-syncro-lover]

i know a guy who worked for vw for years as a bonus they went to one of the main plants in germany he saw loads of stuff including the german army t4 syncros which were lifted (alot) from the factory ! he didnt get a look at how they did it though!
i would be interested in the springs if you know where to get them?
dont think i could be bothered with a sway bar that needed taking on an off it handles really well as it is.

have you ever come across any info on the 16" t4 syncro vw produced ?