Lifting suspension questions

[sandwedge]

Ok Ive have a quick scan around the old posts and would like some help from the good people here.
I am in the process of planning my upgrades hence all the question of late.
Lifting suspension can I get some clarification on the options.

1. spring spaces
2. Seikle springs
3. Ball joint spaces

What I would like to know is if I fit seikle springs, what other things can I do in combination to achieve more lift with the available bolt on options, I already have oem shocks and the previous owners fitted spring spacers, although they dont seem to be doing a whole lot, could be the weight of the camper interior.

Thanks

[axeman]

You could add spacers with the seikles but rember that you will be governed but your cv joints and ball joints, hence the need for a ball join spacer.

[sandwedge]

Bearing in mind I already have OEM shocks and plan to fit seikle springs.

What options are available off the shelf, what is the best combination front and rear, and what lift will this give me.

[jed the spread]

Ok Ive have a quick scan around the old posts and would like some help from the good people here.
I am in the process of planning my upgrades hence all the question of late.
Lifting suspension can I get some clarification on the options.

1. spring spaces
2. Seikle springs
3. Ball joint spaces

other things can I do in combination to achieve more lift with the available bolt on options, I already have oem shocks and the previous owners fitted spring spacers, although they dont seem to be doing a whole lot, could be the weight of the camper interior.

Thanks

Seikel springs would be usefull in your case as you have a heavy camper. On light weight vans, dokas etc you wouldn't feel the benefit at all. The little articulasion that the T3 does have would be even less on a light van making it even less capable off road and spacers on softer springs or longer 2wd would be better for more clearance, but on a heavy camper it would be a good choice. Syncro services do the trail blazer springs now too.

Jed

[jed the spread]

what question are you asking

He was asking about springs.....

Jed

[sandwedge]

Jed was also interested in the spacers as well, spring and ball joint, and what benefit they give. My already has spring spacers fitted but they dont seem to be doing alot.

In wales I noticed that most of the vans sat a good 50mm higher than mine, and after going off road I can understand the benefits of the additional ground clearance.

I can only assume that because of the westy interior its compressed the springs more, its still higher than stock but I would like to go higher still, it would also enable me to fit bigger tyres if I chose.

[jed the spread]

Jed was also interested in the spacers as well, spring and ball joint, and what benefit they give. My already has spring spacers fitted but they dont seem to be doing alot.

In wales I noticed that most of the vans sat a good 50mm higher than mine, and after going off road I can understand the benefits of the additional ground clearance.

I can only assume that because of the westy interior its compressed the springs more, its still higher than stock but I would like to go higher still, it would also enable me to fit bigger tyres if I chose.

I would say your springs are probably sagging. I had this on my Doka a couple of years ago, all of a sudden it just kind of sagged even when it was empty. The Westy units dont weight loads compared to most interiors but there is no way you can argue it is an extra weight. As a comparison on my Westy I have a pair of heavy duty front springs and a 30mm spacer on the rear. The rear when empty does sit a bit higher than the front but after you factor in a full tank of fuel, a tank of water and a couple of bikes on the back as well as all our clothes, food and camping shnizel it brings the rear down quite level. You can make the spacers really easy if you can find some really dense nylon (i used the mat they put under the arms of lorries with a crane on the back to stop them cracking the pavement ) and with a set of heavy duty front springs with or without spacer it doesnt have to cost an arm and a leg. In an Ideal world a set of Seikels would be perfect for you and your van without a spacer on the front, but on the rear I have noticed in the past that they sit low at the back on a camper with any kind of weight so a 10mm spacer would see you right, (maybe cut from a chopping board )

If you look here you can see how it behaves off road, there isnt many places it cant go and at Syncropendance this year it performed noticeably better than some of the lighter vans but I dont know how much that had to do with my choice of engine. Just notice how the springs are still soft enough to compress enough when made to so my front wheel isnt stuck right up in the air doing nothing.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33WGHwOVk6s

jed

[sandwedge]

I like the chopping board idea not sure the boss would agree , I think I can reuse my alloy spacers.

Sounds like springs are the way forward.

Jed what the story with ball joint spacers on the front, is it for height or increased articulation?

[syncropaddy]

Russel has ball joint spacers I think fitted to something. The jury is still out on them as far as I know and interestingly the Germans dont use them. Standard springs/spacers for standard vans and uprated/Seikels for heavy vans - rule of thumb

[axeman]

neil

[sandwedge]

Hi Neil

I read the earlier post about spacer and noted that you thought they should be made from high grade steel.
Im still a little unsure exactly what they do, if they are fitted to top and bottom ball joint I can see that the spacers step the spindle center down away from the body, if only fitted to the top then what do they do exactly?

[jed the spread]

Russel has ball joint spacers I think fitted to something. The jury is still out on them as far as I know and interestingly the Germans dont use them. Standard springs/spacers for standard vans and uprated/Seikels for heavy vans - rule of thumb

jed

[sandwedge]

I was just interested to find out what options I had, was interesting to see that some vans at the wales laneing weekend seem to be sat very high, Doug's comes to mind (could just be that I followed him for a day), so most people use a combination of springs, spacers , and increased tire sizes (with in limits), is this a correct assumption?
Are there any rules to work within before I start thinking about porker CV joints for increased articulation?

[axeman]

Hi Neil

I read the earlier post about spacer and noted that you thought they should be made from high grade steel.
Im still a little unsure exactly what they do, if they are fitted to top and bottom ball joint I can see that the spacers step the spindle center down away from the body, if only fitted to the top then what do they do exactly?

think that was andrew (paddy) was raising the point of the material used, they a only used on the top ball joint, basicly when a van is lifted/raised. the top controll arm (that houses the top ball joint) will be moved upwards and the ball joint will be moved in to a more limated poshion there fore it's working range will then be restricted. in theory the spacer will locate the ball joint back to it's factory set location and allow it to move with in the settings that vw wanted it too, it will also allow the camber to be re~set which is affected when a van is raised, which going on the alinement work shops that i went too when raised my van it was not possible to get it bang on, as per baxters alinement info. pre the spacers being installed.

the ones i have are from syncro hospital in S/A. howm has been making and using/testing them for many years from what i gather. note that they came with nuts and bolts, as standard vw only bolted the ball joint from the top, i know that lee also has a set that were souced else where and i think doug has a set of home brewed ones.

one thing that you will not get with seilkes (unspaced) and the ome set up, is shocks toping out, which is one of the problems when you over streach standard equipment untill you weigh it down with stuff. my advice would be to add a small spacer to the springs and raise it in sections as this way you will find the limit what is accepatble c/v wise and topping out wise. i would also ask what are the measurements from the center of the wheel hub to the arch (straight up) on your van at the moment?

neil

neil

[jed the spread]

I think he will be ok with the Seikels especially topping out as his van isnt light weight. A camper (Jakes Westy, Russels gold fake Westy,etc) wont with its extra camper weight and Jakes Westy defiantly doesnt top out. I think yours might be a bit light for the Seikel springs Neil thats why you have this problem, come to think of it I dont think I know anybody else who has fitted them to a doka or a panel van or even a multivan for this very reason.

jed