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vw54john Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2004 Posts: 147 Location: Cheshire, CT USA
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:57 pm Post subject: Vanagon Front End Alignment - Tips, Do's, Dont's, etc.. |
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I just did a COMPLETE front end overhaul on my van over the weekend. I replaced everything that could be replaced except my steering rack. It's about to go to my mechanic for an alignment tomorrow. It's a very well respected shop, but I don't know how well they know Vanagons. Can anyone tell me if there's anything really unique about aligning a Vanagon? Tips, Do's, Dont's, etc.. _________________ Regards, John
'54 Strato Silver Oval |
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garryv84 Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2010 Posts: 276 Location: Los Angeles
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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Did you replace your upper control arm bushings? Did you use Meyle? They will fail very quickly. Many posts on this. Mine failed after 30k. The best ones are from Powerflex USA. Make sure the van is loaded with the weight of how you normally drive it. Maybe you sit in the drivers seat or have them put weights in.
Make sure your shop has a Hunter laser alignment rack. |
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PDXWesty Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 6235 Location: Portland OR
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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Everything is unique. Take your Bently along and leave it on the seat open to the correct pages.
I brought my van in to a tire shop one time and I had to crawl into the pit with the book to show the kid what a camber adjustment was. I guess newer cars have completely different suspension and some things aren't even adjustable where Vanagons are. _________________ 89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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tschroeder0 Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2008 Posts: 2096 Location: Boulder CO
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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May sound funny but the best alignment i have had...and the cheapest was at sears,who would have guessed? |
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Vanagon Nut Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008 Posts: 10347 Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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vw54john, thanks for posting that timely question. My '88 is going in for alignment tomorrow. Though it's a VW shop, I'd be asking about the big three: camber, castor, toe and may bring my Bentley.
Having just done UCA bushings, radius rod, etc. unless one has a crows foot and proper wrench, setting torque value on rod to lower control isn't easy to do. Ask them to check that.
Neil. _________________ 1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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RHMoore Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2009 Posts: 52 Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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x2 on bringing the Bentley along and leave it on the seat open to the correct pages. Don't let the shop do it their normal way, but ask them to set it to Bentley specs.
A local shop set my alignment their standard way and it chewed the front tires in 3000 miles. Tires are expensive. The next shop had Vanagon experience and told me that the first shop set everything well for a different vehicle, but not for the Vanagon. _________________ 85 Wolfsburg Westy Weekender w/ Subaru 2.2 |
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BillM Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 1381 Location: Stonington,CT
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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I am also going for an alignment tomorrow. Does putting weight
on the front seats really make a difference and what setting
does it effect the most.
My last alignment was done by the specs in the machine
and it handled terrible. I am trying a different place and
wondering if I should leave the Bentley specs with them.
Are they accurate for sure? I wish there was a good place
for me to go around here. I'd drive an hour or so to a
shop if I knew they did a good job. _________________ Bill M
87 Westy |
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Jake de Villiers Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007 Posts: 5911 Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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I (and others) get great results with the numbers I have posted on my Subaru Vanagon Alterations page, down at the bottom. I'll try to paste them here - I'm not sure the formatting will survive:
2WD Van
Front
Caster: - ’80 to ’85 --- + 7 ¼ degrees
- ’86 to ’91 --- + 6 ½ degrees
Camber: - ½ degree negative or - 30” (.4)
Toe: - 3/32” toe-in or -2 mm or 20’ or .2
Rear
Camber: - 1 degree negative, plus or minus 1/10th of a degree
Toe: 0
These numbers make for easy steering, low bump steer and better gas mileage. I don't put any weight in the front seats.
_________________ '84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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BillM Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 1381 Location: Stonington,CT
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:41 am Post subject: |
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I dropped it off and gave them those specs. I just got a call
it was done. I'll let everyone know how it drives after I get out
of work. _________________ Bill M
87 Westy |
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 11:04 am Post subject: |
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Well good luck.
THE best alignments are done by the specialty shops.
These have been around for decades and have their ways of doing things and their methods for doing things right.
Frequently it is a one or two person shop.
These shops are hard to find and are disappearing, sadly.... _________________ "Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
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Vanagon Nut Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008 Posts: 10347 Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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I just dropped off my 88 to VW shop for alignment and stuff. Left them with Bentley asked them to use that. Will report back. _________________ 1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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BillM Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 1381 Location: Stonington,CT
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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Well I picked it up and it's horrible. The van handles the
worst it ever has. I replaced everything in the front end
using powerflex and installed a set of GoWesty 2wd lift
springs. My springs were shot and I has these and figured
they would be better than nothing. I don't know if it's
the springs,the alignment or what. I do know that I am
really fed up with my Westy.
_________________ Bill M
87 Westy |
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joseph928 Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 2114 Location: flagstaff az.
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:25 pm Post subject: alingnment |
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tschroeder0 wrote: |
May sound funny but the best alignment i have had...and the cheapest was at sears,who would have guessed? |
I tried sears while back they said no way won't do vw vans! Said to hell with it, got on ebay got camber and caster gauges a toe in rod and just do it myself! There is a post on this, and it works fine. _________________ 1987 syncro westy tin top sun roof , GW2.3, rear locker, decoupler, Gary Lee tire rack & winch mount, lift, south african grill, big brakes , rhein alloy ,15 BFG AT, Fiamma 10 foot awning ,140 watt rear 85 watt front solar , mppt, truckfridge, automatic fire extinguishing system, tencent oil cooler, And a RMW SS exhaust! - 1971 bug convertible 1776 engine- 2010 Subaru turbo - 1993 Toyota 4x4 truck - 1999 Harley 95 CI, big bore, Andrews cams . Also 80-84- vans. Stock 65 sunroof bug. |
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BillM Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 1381 Location: Stonington,CT
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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I forgot to mention that the steering at center "bounces"
back and forth instead of coming back to center. I also
got a call from the shop telling that they did NOT
have the van pulled down to a weighted height. Despite
my giving them the info from GoWesty. _________________ Bill M
87 Westy |
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BillM Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 1381 Location: Stonington,CT
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:29 pm Post subject: Re: alingnment |
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joseph928 wrote: |
tschroeder0 wrote: |
May sound funny but the best alignment i have had...and the cheapest was at sears,who would have guessed? |
I tried sears while back they said no way won't do vw vans! Said to hell with it, got on ebay got camber and caster gauges a toe in rod and just do it myself! There is a post on this, and it works fine. |
Getting the tools to do it myself is next along with maybe
another set of springs. I really wanted to go away this weekend
and it looks like that may not happen now. _________________ Bill M
87 Westy |
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insyncro Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 15086 Location: New York
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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BillM wrote: |
Well I picked it up and it's horrible. The van handles the
worst it ever has. I replaced everything in the front end
using powerflex and installed a set of GoWesty 2wd lift
springs. My springs were shot and I has these and figured
they would be better than nothing. I don't know if it's
the springs,the alignment or what. I do know that I am
really fed up with my Westy.
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Do you have the upper ball joint spacers installed? |
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BillM Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 1381 Location: Stonington,CT
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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Yes I do have them installed Dylan. _________________ Bill M
87 Westy |
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jstar89crx Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2005 Posts: 156 Location: Bellingham WA
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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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What is the consensus here? I am putting the 2wd GW zero lift springs on this weekend and was going to take it to an alignment shop suggested by a local european auto repair shop. I am a little leery about how I will come across bringing in my own specs and asking to have the van weighted. Are Vanagons really that different from other vehicles on the road when it comes to this? My other concern is that I am leaving shortly on a 5000 mile plus road trip so I won't know if I am having an strange wear or anything until its too late. _________________ 86 Syncro, weekender carat interior, the rest is bone stock for now
SOLD:91 Westy, BEW TDI with VNT17 Turbo, water cooled intercooler, Malone Tune, taller 3rd and 4th. |
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BillM Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 1381 Location: Stonington,CT
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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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Well my experience with trying to get a proper alignment
was interesting. When I got home after a white knuckle drive
I also found the pass upper control arm nut loose and the
left steering rack boot twisted to hell. I brought the van
back and with a copy of an email from GoWesty explaining
that the shop needs to weight the front end. That if they
won't go to a competent shop. The discussion got heated
and after a bit of screaming got the point across.
I picked it up and it handles much better. Not quite what
I would like but acceptable until I can find a better shop.
I do think that one of the techs could not keep their fingers
off my adjustable boost controller hanging off my turbo.
It was over boosting on the way home....
I am buying the stuff to do my own alignments and will
learn what I can. I know there will be a steep learning
curve but I am confident over time I can learn how to
fine tune my van to a happy medium between handling
and tire wear. _________________ Bill M
87 Westy |
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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:34 pm Post subject: |
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google smart strings from srp (Smart Racing Products) now part of Wevo _________________ 1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans. |
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