2wd Lift Springs/ Lifting your van in general

[j_dirge]

[Tmcd]

A great break down and review. Thanks! That really helps.
I think what I'll do is go with either the MaxAirs or the Gabriels in the longer version and then if needed, I can replace the springs later. I think the 5660's in front will help a lot with the handling, and an air shock with coil spacers in the rear should be a real improvement.

It's not that my shocks or springs are totally dead, I'm just needing better handling and suspension for the rough roads I tend to drive on when on camping trips. Soon to come 16" wheels/tires should help a lot too.
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'87 Westy, 2.1L, 170kms

[AdrianC]

I'm after some suggestions on which coils to buy for the rear of our '88 Westy hightop, since I've just located a rattle - the LH coil seems to have a spare bit sticking out the side. That'll by why that side's a bit low, then...

For reference, the back end is currently roughly 14 1/2" from hubcap centre to arch lip on the LH and 14 3/4" on the RH.

I know that the OEM springs are colour-coded blue for "passenger vehicle" and yellow for "commercial vehicle". What I don't really understand is what that implies about the spring rates and which is "heavier". To my mind, a van is more likely to be run light - empty - than a more fully trimmed bus, but also more likely to be run nearer the GVW.

I've not looked to see which the ones on here at the moment are. We're running fairly heavily loaded, including two bikes on the tailgate, and rough roads are far from unknown. Standard 185 14C rubber.

Yellow springs are easy to get. I've got dibs on a pair of NOS blue for the next couple of days, for about the same price.

Should I go blue, should I go yellow? Both of those would have to be shipped from the UK to us in Montenegro, but is there an easily-available option from a european vehicle that I may be able to order locally, in the same way as you guys can with the Moogs for the front?

I don't want to get the back end up on stilts, and I'm not planning to do anything to the front. But I do want it to better withstand the weight that's in there.

Thoughts gratefully received.
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Adrian
Zookeeper of a miscellany of motoring silliness, from 0.75bhp to 9ft tall.
Living life on the road in an '88 2.1DJ Westfalia Club Joker Hightop.
www.WhereverTheRoadGoes.com

[davevickery]

Installing Moog 5660 front springs. This was easy enough that I wanted to post details as it is definitely DIY.

These are firmer springs that lift the van about 1.5 inches on a full westy. But the springs are actually shorter than stock so they go in pretty easy. If you unfasten everything below you don’t need a spring compressor.

1. Soak all the nuts with PB Blaster ahead of time.
2. Measure your ride height on flat ground before you start.
3. Chock the other side’s wheel and make sure e-brake is on.
4. Jack up van at jack point and remove wheel
5. Position 2nd jack under lower arm. Leave it down for now though.
6. Remove shock bolts(top nut then bottom bolt). Remove brake hose at the caliper (11 & 14MM) and wrap it tight with duct tape to stop it from draining all your brake fluid.
7. Remove 27MM nut on front of alignment bar
8. Remove 17MM lower stabilizer nut
9. Use 2nd jack to raise/lower the suspension as needed.
10. Remove 2 large Allen heads to upper ball joint The whole knuckle should drop down.
11. Pry out spring. It is so close to being free, I just used a large screw driver as a pry bar and a rubber mallet. It comes out to the rear.
12. Use duct tape to hold rubber spring boot on top of spring. Get boot good and tight onto spring. Spring is maybe a ¼” larger diameter and slightly thicker, so boot won’t stay on by itself.
13. Put in spring, bottom first (white markings down), then jam in top. I layed down and used my foot to get it in. It doesn’t want to go in all the way, maybe ½” or so further out than the original. Don’t worry about it, it will straighten itself as the spring compresses and later when you have been driving. One rubber boot tore a little bit as it didn’t quite clear the upper control arm, no biggy.
14. Jack up 2nd jack to compress spring. Make sure stabilizer bar is back in its hole.
15. Reconnect ball joint
16. Reconnect alignment arm
17. Reconnect brake hose. If it is dripping pretty good when you screw it back on, you might not have to bleed brakes later.
18. Install shock.
19. Check all the nuts again to make sure they are all tight.
20. Add more brake fluid before doing other side. That may save you from having to bleed brakes, but no biggy either way.

I scheduled most of a day to do this. It took 2 ½ hours to do the 1st side and 2 hours for the 2nd side. The springs will settle a little bit after driving over speed bumps and working it into place. I also put on Monroe helper springs 58632 in rear and there is a ½” spacer on the left rear side. People say you need alignment after, I am going to wait a bit to see if that is necessary.

Final ride height on my 87 full Westy is now 17 1/8: RF, 17 3/8 LF, 17 1/8 LR, 17 3/8 RR(with Monroe 58632). Other people with Westies say they have similar front ride heights 17 ¼” give or take a very small bit. It should not vary if the weights are similar. A non-westy rides at 18” with this combo I read. Front dropped about a ½” after the first test drive over speed bumps and settled at the #s above. Ride is good.

If you are adding a rear spacer to one side that will change your ride height at all corners, so do that first to get your starting point. I’m guessing the GW springs would fit a little better, but these are nice because you can do it yourself since the Moogs are shorter and just go right in. $50 shipped on Amazon.com I don’t think the other Moog model that is the next size up (5662?) would fit as well or be as easy to get in because they are taller and larger diameter. But these seem like a good low budget solution.








Hope this helps someone, Dave

[gesture]

Good day,
I have a 1983 Westfalia 2WD and looking for the best option for a lift. I dont believe so, but, will the gowesty 2 inch spring lift work on an 83? If not, is there anyone that sells springs for this conversion or am I stuck just putting in a couple spacers?

Thanks in advance

[geo_tonz]

[dogcoves]

How many hours did it take you to install GW lift springs?
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Current VW: 1987 Westfalia

My Past Volkswagens:1958 karmann ghia, 1963 Westfalia, 1966 Westfalia, 1970 Beetle, 1963 Beetle, 1970 Westfalia

http://familywesty.tumblr.com

[dogcoves]

Got my GW 1.5 Lift Springs installed. I had Big O tires near Van Cafe balance them because they balance V.C.'s work. I am very happy with them--wish I would have done this five years ago when I bought my Westy. I have the Bilstein HD shocks on which work perfect with the springs. I was worried because the Bilstein shocks were to soft with my original springs. Took about an hour a spring to do.
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Current VW: 1987 Westfalia

My Past Volkswagens:1958 karmann ghia, 1963 Westfalia, 1966 Westfalia, 1970 Beetle, 1963 Beetle, 1970 Westfalia

http://familywesty.tumblr.com

[outwesty]

I have been running Bilstein HD's on my TDI swapped 2wd westy for approx 60k miles...The last 20k I have had H&R Gowesty 1.5" lift springs on it.

Today I replaced the rears with Old Man Emu's for a syncro and all I can say is wow. They allow the trailing arm to droop a little over 2 inches more. The van is more stable and rolls much less in turns. The van is getting syncro swapped in the near future so the Bilsteins will stay in the front until then. I am at 18" from the hub to the fender lip in the rear. ( I have one 1/2" spacer on each side above the spring in the rear.)





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TDI swapped 89 westy, Red 87 Syncro, 86 Syncro VR6, White 87 Syncro, 97 Jetta TDI, 81 DeLorean DMC-12

[j_dirge]