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Schuylersister
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010
Posts: 198
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 Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 9:17 am Post subject: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| Who is running these on a 2wd? What is your experience on and off road? |
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vanagonjr
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010
Posts: 3431
Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 9:21 am Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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I’m pretty sure no one because the website says:
“ * NOTE - These items are available on a pre-sale basis. The estimated date of availability is 3/31 (revised), but that could change. If you go ahead and place a purchase for these parts, they will be shipped as soon as absolutely possible. If you have any questions about this, please contact us. “
_________________
John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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Schuylersister
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010
Posts: 198
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 9:26 am Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| vanagonjr wrote: |
I’m pretty sure no one because the website says:
“ * NOTE - These items are available on a pre-sale basis. The estimated date of availability is 3/31 (revised), but that could change. If you go ahead and place a purchase for these parts, they will be shipped as soon as absolutely possible. If you have any questions about this, please contact us. “ |
I also questioned that as I do not want to install a brand new product. Christopher at T3technique told me they have been available for awhile and they are on presale because of being out of stock not new. |
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vanagonjr
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010
Posts: 3431
Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 11:12 am Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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Oh, I see!
If I didn’t have recent Koni’s, I’d probably roll the dice and pre-order. Mainly because the comments Chris has made on Bilsteins and KYB’s and Sachs shocks are in-line with my experience. YMMV
_________________
John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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Christopholi
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2011
Posts: 234
Location: Vancouver, BC, CANADA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 12:11 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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I've just recently installed these, combined with Schwenk 2WD Westy springs and T3 1" spacers. I originally went with Konis as these were not available at the time, but I found the Konis too short for my lifted van, even with extensions, so switched to these. So far so good. Have only done road travel so far, so cannot comment for off road. I am going to play around with the adjustments a bit to dial it in, as I am getting a bit more nose dip when braking then I would like. Fortunately, this can be done with the shocks on the van, unlike to Konis. I do notice that I have less body roll and wind effect than I did with my previous setup (Moog 5660s with Bilsteins on the front, 84 westy springs with Monroe load helpers and cutting board spacers on the back). As a lifted van with a hightop, that was my main priority with this setup.
_________________
1988 Tintop Wolfsburg Special Edition - "Meatloaf"
RMW 2.5 Subaru, SubaruGears 5MT 4.44 w/LSD, Coast Mountain Hightop |
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Schuylersister
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010
Posts: 198
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:49 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| Christopholi wrote: |
| I've just recently installed these, combined with Schwenk 2WD Westy springs and T3 1" spacers. I originally went with Konis as these were not available at the time, but I found the Konis too short for my lifted van, even with extensions, so switched to these. So far so good. Have only done road travel so far, so cannot comment for off road. I am going to play around with the adjustments a bit to dial it in, as I am getting a bit more nose dip when braking then I would like. Fortunately, this can be done with the shocks on the van, unlike to Konis. I do notice that I have less body roll and wind effect than I did with my previous setup (Moog 5660s with Bilsteins on the front, 84 westy springs with Monroe load helpers and cutting board spacers on the back). As a lifted van with a hightop, that was my main priority with this setup. |
Thank you! Why the 1” spacers? What was your height from CL of wheel hub to fender lip before you did this work? Are the Scwenk springs not lifted? |
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Christopholi
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2011
Posts: 234
Location: Vancouver, BC, CANADA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| Schuylersister wrote: |
| Christopholi wrote: |
| I've just recently installed these, combined with Schwenk 2WD Westy springs and T3 1" spacers. I originally went with Konis as these were not available at the time, but I found the Konis too short for my lifted van, even with extensions, so switched to these. So far so good. Have only done road travel so far, so cannot comment for off road. I am going to play around with the adjustments a bit to dial it in, as I am getting a bit more nose dip when braking then I would like. Fortunately, this can be done with the shocks on the van, unlike to Konis. I do notice that I have less body roll and wind effect than I did with my previous setup (Moog 5660s with Bilsteins on the front, 84 westy springs with Monroe load helpers and cutting board spacers on the back). As a lifted van with a hightop, that was my main priority with this setup. |
Thank you! Why the 1” spacers? What was your height from CL of wheel hub to fender lip before you did this work? Are the Scwenk springs not lifted? |
The Schwenk Springs are technically a 0" lift for Westys. My van was originally a Wolfsburg (similar to Carat), so these would give me about a 3/4" lift from stock height, but I wanted a more aggressive lift for off-road potential. With the spacers, I'm at about 18.25" from hub to fender now. About as high as I would go with 2WD. My GKN/Lobro CVs are still in good shape, as are my OE VW Tiguan boots. T3 does offer 1/2" spacers as well.
FWIW, GoWesty does offer lifted 2WD springs. I'm personally not a fan of the progressive spring design, as I have read many reports of them sagging quite quickly (YMMV). That said, I do expect the Schwenks to settle in a bit, perhaps by about 1/4".
_________________
1988 Tintop Wolfsburg Special Edition - "Meatloaf"
RMW 2.5 Subaru, SubaruGears 5MT 4.44 w/LSD, Coast Mountain Hightop |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6349
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 3:38 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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Please share your click numbers!
I installed a set of non lifted Spax shocks on an 83 aircooled Westy, I put the settings exctly at the half point of click numbers, it was so good!
Also I redid the entire suspension with PU, just kept the stock original springs.
I have a set of the lifted Spax ordered for a 2WD Doka, we'll see how it goes but I'm confident it'll be fine judging by the other product.
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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Schuylersister
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010
Posts: 198
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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That would be good to know. I'm interested in the Spax too.
Last edited by Schuylersister on Wed Mar 29, 2023 3:49 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6349
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 3:46 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| Schuylersister wrote: |
| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
Please share your click numbers!
I installed a set of non lifted Spax shocks on an 83 aircooled Westy, I put the settings exctly at the half point of click numbers, it was so good!
Also I redid the entire suspension with PU, just kept the stock original springs.
I have a set of the lifted Spax ordered for a 2WD Doka, we'll see how it goes but I'm confident it'll be fine judging by the other product. |
Don't know what 'click' numbers are |
When you turn the adjusting knob, it clicks. There's a certain number of them, I recall 32 from mini to maxi. So on the ones I installed I put 16 clicks from mini.
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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Christopher Schimke
Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2005
Posts: 5390
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 3:51 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| Christopholi wrote: |
| I am going to play around with the adjustments a bit to dial it in, as I am getting a bit more nose dip when braking then I would like. Fortunately, this can be done with the shocks on the van, unlike to Konis. |
One thing to keep in mind is that the seating position of the Vanagon can contribute to the feeling of the van's nose diving during braking, when in fact the culprit can be the rear of the van hiking upward during braking. I would encourage you to play around with the rear adjuster a bit before concentrating solely on the front.
_________________
"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)
*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at [email protected] |
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Christopholi
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2011
Posts: 234
Location: Vancouver, BC, CANADA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:20 am Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| Christopher Schimke wrote: |
| Christopholi wrote: |
| I am going to play around with the adjustments a bit to dial it in, as I am getting a bit more nose dip when braking then I would like. Fortunately, this can be done with the shocks on the van, unlike to Konis. |
One thing to keep in mind is that the seating position of the Vanagon can contribute to the feeling of the van's nose diving during braking, when in fact the culprit can be the rear of the van hiking upward during braking. I would encourage you to play around with the rear adjuster a bit before concentrating solely on the front. |
Hi Chris.Good to know. I am also noticing a bit of tire rub on the front on bigger bumps. Are you suggesting to soften the rears, to take out some of that "lurch" from the rear?
_________________
1988 Tintop Wolfsburg Special Edition - "Meatloaf"
RMW 2.5 Subaru, SubaruGears 5MT 4.44 w/LSD, Coast Mountain Hightop |
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Christopher Schimke
Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2005
Posts: 5390
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| Christopholi wrote: |
Hi Chris.Good to know. I am also noticing a bit of tire rub on the front on bigger bumps. Are you suggesting to soften the rears, to take out some of that "lurch" from the rear? |
I'm not sure what you mean by "lurch", but what I was saying is that sometimes, if the rear shocks do not have enough rebound (extension) control, the rear of the van can raise more than it should during braking, which leads to the feeling of the front end diving. By turning the adjuster knob clockwise, you will increase the rebound control of the shocks which can help prevent the rear of the van from rising too much during braking.
But I'm not saying that's 100% the definitive fix for your issue. I'm simply saying that most people concentrate solely on the front, and tend to ignore the role that the rear can play in the situation.
What part of the body are your tires rubbing on, what wheels are you running, and what size tires do you have? All of that stuff has a big impact on things.
_________________
"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)
*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at [email protected] |
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Christopholi
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2011
Posts: 234
Location: Vancouver, BC, CANADA
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 3:03 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| Christopher Schimke wrote: |
| Christopholi wrote: |
Hi Chris.Good to know. I am also noticing a bit of tire rub on the front on bigger bumps. Are you suggesting to soften the rears, to take out some of that "lurch" from the rear? |
I'm not sure what you mean by "lurch", but what I was saying is that sometimes, if the rear shocks do not have enough rebound (extension) control, the rear of the van can raise more than it should during braking, which leads to the feeling of the front end diving. By turning the adjuster knob clockwise, you will increase the rebound control of the shocks which can help prevent the rear of the van from rising too much during braking.
But I'm not saying that's 100% the definitive fix for your issue. I'm simply saying that most people concentrate solely on the front, and tend to ignore the role that the rear can play in the situation.
What part of the body are your tires rubbing on, what wheels are you running, and what size tires do you have? All of that stuff has a big impact on things. |
OK, that makes sense. By "lurch", I meant pretty much what you just described. I'll be having a closer look this weekend.
Wheels are 15" "Euro" that GW and VC sell, with 215/70/15 Geolandar G015s. I have had this setup for 4 years, and this is the first I've had this issue. I assumed that it was rubbing on the fender, but now that I think of it, it could be rubbing on the spring itself? Or maybe the dust covers are hitting something? I'll need to get under the van to be sure.
_________________
1988 Tintop Wolfsburg Special Edition - "Meatloaf"
RMW 2.5 Subaru, SubaruGears 5MT 4.44 w/LSD, Coast Mountain Hightop |
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Christopholi
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2011
Posts: 234
Location: Vancouver, BC, CANADA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 8:22 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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What a difference correct settings make! With a break in the rain today, I crawled under the van to check the damping/rebound settings on each shock. Turns out I had them quite low/soft. One by one I set them to the bottom, then increased the "clicks" to 16. The rears are super easy, as they are right there. I had them both adjusted in 5 minutes. The fronts are slightly harder, as they are inside the lower control arm, but was able to set them in about 10 minutes. No more nose drop, and a much former ride, just where I like it. Lots of room left to go, too. The instructions say 28 clicks, but I counted 32, as mentioned above. Going on a short trip tomorrow and will be fairly loaded down. Looking forward to see the difference.
_________________
1988 Tintop Wolfsburg Special Edition - "Meatloaf"
RMW 2.5 Subaru, SubaruGears 5MT 4.44 w/LSD, Coast Mountain Hightop |
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Christopher Schimke
Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2005
Posts: 5390
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 8:07 am Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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For anyone interested, these shocks are back in stock.
We now offer two different versions. One version is for vans with ride heights between 15.5" and 17.5", and the other version is for vans with ride heights 17.5" or greater. Obviously, there is a little overlap there, so send us a message if you are having trouble deciding which shocks are best suited for your application.
https://t3technique.com/collections/springs-shocks...3065358513
_________________
"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)
*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at [email protected] |
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DeLvxe
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2019
Posts: 106
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2023 5:07 pm Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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Just wanted to report that I installed the T3Technique adjustable shocks for non-lifted vans. I have a full Westy and a ride height of between 17" - 17.25".
So far so good. The ride is so much better and they solved the problems I was having. I had the _dip_ when stopping that many people have described as well as some squishiness and what seemed like way to soft bounce. I could easily rock the van with one hand on the bumper.
These shocks replaced Bilsteins of unknown age.
I'm not sure how much value there is for me to be able to adjust the shocks after they were dialed in. I don't imagine I will ever adjust them again, but I am glad to not have to wonder if harder or softer shocks would suit me better because I could test them at different levels of stiffness.
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1991 manual camper with EJ25 |
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fleetwood41
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2012
Posts: 107
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 8:10 am Post subject: Re: T3technique lifted shocks |
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| DeLvxe wrote: |
.....
These shocks replaced Bilsteins of unknown age.
I'm not sure how much value there is for me to be able to adjust the shocks after they were dialed in. I don't imagine I will ever adjust them again, but I am glad to not have to wonder if harder or softer shocks would suit me better because I could test them at different levels of stiffness..... |
Thanks for update! I'm waiting on these EXP shocks and have the same general ride height on Bilsteins of unknown age. It's possible that the shocks on my van are original....I just don't know. After 11 years or so, I don't know what anything else feels like so this is a major upgrade. I plan on many other new parts (bushings, hardware, etc.) for the suspension as well.
Thanks again.
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1987 2WD w/ 2.5 Subi & Poptop Conversion |
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