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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7402 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:27 pm Post subject: 2WD Vanagon front spring identification? |
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Hi All,
The spring on the left in the photo is a new Moog 5658. The spring on the right cane out of my 1990 2WD Vanagon Westy camper.
- Can anyone say if the brown paint mark on the spring on the right identifies it as an VW spring? I recall seeing photos with these marks id’d but haven’t been able to find them.
- Also, the spring on the right provided a ride height of about 16 1/2”. It’s about 14 3/4” and the Moog 5658 13 1/4”. I’ve read that most folks get a 17”+ ride height with the 5658. Is it surprising to anyone that it’s 1 1/2” shorter and should provide a higher ride height?
(I understand that the Moog is stiffer and will likely compress less. I also understand that my heavier van, 4,800 - 5,000 lb, van will likely rider lower than the 17” that most folks report. I’m just surprised that it’s lower).
My primary question is if anyone can i.d. the spring on the right.
Thanks. _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7402 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:23 pm Post subject: Re: 2WD Vanagon front spring identification? |
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I did find this as a starter. Does anyone know if one brown stripe is the same as two noted below?
suebicum wrote: |
Hi
And with the springs, VW has 4 different front 2WD springs.
They are colour coded with rings around the wire.
2x blue, normal
2x brown, camper, ambulance, Carat (normal)
2x green, HD for heavy loads
1x yellow, lowered suspension, xx-Star, LLE, Carat
Michael |
Thanks. _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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levi Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005 Posts: 5522 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:48 pm Post subject: Re: 2WD Vanagon front spring identification? |
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On the right, original spring 1985 pop top.
Left moog 5660
Don't remember seeing any color coding, but I'm color blind, maybe it was there on the original and I didn't see it.
Going strictly by memory, seems like I found info back then that the original spring had a rate of about 350 pounds and the 5660 was about 600.
_________________ One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way
https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40 |
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davevickery Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2005 Posts: 2887 Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:55 pm Post subject: Re: 2WD Vanagon front spring identification? |
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Jim the hieghts you mention sound right to me. I've read somewhere that the number of stripes refers to a range of minor manufacturing variation and it didn't matter if it was a 1, 2 or 3 stripes, VW just matched them up side to side when installing them at the factory. I done both the 5658 and 5660 swap and I think I was the first to recommend the 5658 over the 5660 but there is some personal taste that comes into it. |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7402 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: 2WD Vanagon front spring identification? |
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Dave, thanks for the super-helpful information. Yep, it was your posts that led me down the 5658 path. I'm curious to see the ride height I get with my heavy van. I'm hoping for a level 16 1/2" - 17".
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7038224#7038224 _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16473 Location: Brookeville, MD
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Igeo Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2018 Posts: 888 Location: Oakland, CA
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:27 am Post subject: Re: 2WD Vanagon front spring identification? |
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My stock '87 westfalia front springs are 15 inches tall. _________________ 1987 Westfalia 2.1 WBX Manual |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7402 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:03 pm Post subject: Re: 2WD Vanagon front spring identification? |
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dobryan wrote: |
Jim,
Here is the front spring off the '91 tin top.
Yellow paint
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Thanks, Dave. It’s helpful to see that measurement.
The yellow stripe tin-top springs are about 2 3/4” shorter than the brown stripe camper springs. Also the Moog 5658 and Schwenk 2WD springs are shorter than the stock camper springs but are also stiffer and provide an equal number or higher ride height. _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7402 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:04 pm Post subject: Re: 2WD Vanagon front spring identification? |
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Igeo wrote: |
My stock '87 westfalia front springs are 15 inches tall. |
Thanks, that’s pretty close to the 14 3/4” I measured for my brown stripe stock camper springs. _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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vanagonjr Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010 Posts: 3424 Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7402 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 10:01 am Post subject: Re: 2WD Vanagon front spring identification? |
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vanagonjr wrote: |
Anyone know if the tall 85 (2WD) springs are the same color code?
Also the spring height of the 85's? |
I'd love to know the answer to this question. '85s are known to have the highest ride height (my '85 certainly rode higher than my '90 with similar loads), but I haven't seen a different paint stripe code for the '85s. Is anyone crawling under their '85 soon? _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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