Club 80-90 Forums

Well I umm and ahh'd and finally decided to cut into my beautiful arches. I was going to get some 16" arch extensions but in the end decided to just cut mine. Saves £350ish for after market arch extensions or £600ish for originals.

They don't scrape any more (or at least I don't think they do). Tried a couple of aggressive turns with a fat bloke in the passenger seat and no scrapes so I think I have cut in enough.

I took cut from where the top of the spat is and tapered it back so at the base I had cut about a centimetre and a bit back. I also modified a spat to fit it back on but don't know yet whether I will refit them on the front.

What do you think? Put the spats back on or does anyone know of any other spats that might fit? From another make maybe?

Hi
What size Tyres do have fitted?

225/75 R16

Just bought some Hankook tyres for the van. Having them fitted on Friday.

nice job mate very smart

Ahhhhh - Just back from a trip around Scotland and have discovered the wheels are now scrapping on the front of the arches when the wheel is turned slightly. Looks like some further fettering is required. Anyone else had this problem?

Had the new Hankooks fitted on Friday as well. They are very nice on the road. Nice and grippy as well as quiet. Well pleased for £70 a tyre.

Are the rubber bushings in your suspension OK ? The two front ones on the lower control arm link rod in particular will put the wheels in the wrong place if they are worn. They may look OK from the outside but can be knackered inside. Is the van sitting quite low ?

PS. I just checked the circumference of 225/75R16 and its over 29". I went as big as I dared on the Kombi recently and went with 235/65R16 (28") , and I've had no rubbing so far.

Not sitting low particularly. Looks square when you look from the side. The gearing needs the 225/75R16 tyres. I don't need much. I think I can make the space without to much bother.

Did you modify the arches with a 235/65R16 or any lift spacers etc?

Why does the gearing need 29" tyres? Whats your final drive ratio?

slobbo wrote:Ahhhhh - Just back from a trip around Scotland and have discovered the wheels are now scrapping on the front of the arches when the wheel is turned slightly. Looks like some further fettering is required. Anyone else had this problem?

Yep, I had to pull the off side wheel forward a bit with the two 27mm nuts on the radius arm rubber bushings, this will effect the castor though. You will need to take the bash guard off to adjust. You need an open ended 27mm spanner.

When my suspension is finally finished I will get a 4 wheel alignment. My bus drives straight on the steering wheel, but wants to go slightly left if I dont hold the wheel since I did the bushes. I am now paranoid that I have not replaced something properly.

Simon.

have you checked the tracking after adj the caster...........should have.

if its pullung and the tracking is right then you probally have a little differance in the caster left to right.

if its pulling to the left then bring the left wheel forward ( or the right wheel rearwards) slightly

My final drive is 3.47:1 4th is 0.77. Russell recommended I stay at the size I have as going smaller would raise the revs when cruising. The rev counter sits at around 3500rpm at 70mph just now. It would be nicer if it was a bit lower but I haven't got any more space to go bigger. I seem to have fixed the catching problem now.

slobbo wrote:My final drive is 3.47:1 4th is 0.77. Russell recommended I stay at the size I have as going smaller would raise the revs when cruising. The rev counter sits at around 3500rpm at 70mph just now. It would be nicer if it was a bit lower but I haven't got any more space to go bigger. I seem to have fixed the catching problem now.

According to my calculations using those figures at 3500 rpm you should be cruising at 114 mph !! You sure you aint got a 5.43:1 in there? I may stand corrected but I dont think VW ever did a 3.47:1

When I got Aidan to refurb my late TD box and front diff 2 years ago he took out my 5.83:1 and fitted a 4.86:1 instead. I'm running 225/70/15 tyres with a 0.78:1 fourth and 3500 rpm is 75 mph. 100 kph comes in at a tad over 2900 rpm which is where the JX engine loves to be.

If you had my gearbox you would be doing 69 mph at 3000 rpm.

If you want the excel sheet I used just ask.

Yeah just had a conversation along those lines with someone else. I am going to calibrate my rev counter and then work back from there to try and work out what is in it. Took the numbers from a magazine article that was printed a few years back on my bus and it is a typo by the looks of things.