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Smothers Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2008 Posts: 74
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Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:55 pm Post subject: Best shocks for a 88 westy? What about air-adustable? |
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Need to replace some worn out shocks and woundering what you all recommend for a 88 Westy? I will be pulling a small boat, so was thinking air-adjustable real shocks would be a good idea. Anyone have this set up ? Thanks |
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Ryan Keating Samba Member
Joined: March 04, 2004 Posts: 217
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Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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I have bilsteins on the front of my 84 westy and monroe air shocks on the rear for the ride height to be equal to the front. They say they only fit syncros but they fit 2wd also. |
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kevinbassplayer Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2006 Posts: 1041 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:16 am Post subject: |
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A lot of discussion of shocks have taken place here, I would have to say that usually the consensus is that the Bilsteins HD's are the way to go. I have them on my 87' Westy and their awesome |
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Smothers Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2008 Posts: 74
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:47 am Post subject: |
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Well, I just got an education on shocks for Westfalias. Finally talked to a shop that looked them up and said there are about 25 (original style shocks) left in the country. $250 each for front and $275 for rear. 3-4 day wait. LMAO
Are these the Bilstein shocks I should go with?
http://www.bilstein.com/mistore/keywordsearchf.php..._id=100484 |
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Smothers Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2008 Posts: 74
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:47 am Post subject: |
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Well, I just got an education on shocks for Westfalias. Finally talked to a shop that looked them up and said there are about 25 (original style shocks) left in the country. $250 each for front and $275 for rear. 3-4 day wait. LMAO
Are these the Bilstein shocks I should go with?
http://www.bilstein.com/mistore/keywordsearchf.php..._id=100484 |
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floggingmolly Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2007 Posts: 1106 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:52 am Post subject: |
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Do a search and look at the stickys as there has been a lot of discussion on these. I have Bilstein HDs on the front and Monroe (NAPA) coil over shocks on the rear to level out my saggy butt (no jokes please). I have a weekender which is a bit lighter than your Westy, and I find the combo of my tires and shocks to be a good match. Not too hard as some have experienced.
I got my front HD Bilsteins at Autozone for $99 each. Be careful about the ones on Ebay, I hear from people that they have problems cashing in on the lifetime warranty since the Ebay dealers are not "authorized" Bilstein dealers. _________________ '85 Wolfsburg Weekender |
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Smothers Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2008 Posts: 74
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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Ok, , after many phone calls found some hd kyb shocks at a place called........................................... "smothers auto parts", gotta love it! $200 , and they called a vw shop who installed them. quite an improvement! I was afraid the pos shock I had were making the rest of the suspension suffer.
Now im road worthy.
btw the owner of the vw shop told me he would be able to get $19k for it; I just paid $14. (of course this is north sf bay area, everything is pricey. |
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woggs1 Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2007 Posts: 531 Location: South Pacifica California
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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floggingmolly wrote: |
I have Bilstein HDs on the front and Monroe (NAPA) coil over shocks on the rear to level out my saggy butt
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I have searched on this, but do the coil over shocks actually lift the rear, or do I need new springs?
Thanx _________________ 4 speed 88 Westy |
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floggingmolly Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2007 Posts: 1106 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:32 pm Post subject: |
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woggs,
I found they did lift the rear. My springs appear to be original, but from what I hear the 85s always had a saggy butt issue. Rather than replacing my springs with new ones, I needed new rear shocks anyway, and r39o and riceye (and others) had some good threads about the coil overs. There is a seam that has to be bent a little to make some clearance to accomodate the coil, but I just rolled it over with a small mallet. Easy job.
The coils actually do provide some lift, as you might expect. I would say I got about a 1.5 inch lift from them, and I haven't seen any droop since then, nice and level. I am 18 inches from center of the wheel to the top of the wheel well now.
Look just to the right of the coil, that's the seam that has to be bent a little.
Here is a better photo:
Scott _________________ '85 Wolfsburg Weekender |
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woggs1 Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2007 Posts: 531 Location: South Pacifica California
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks floggingmolly (great band BTW). I will head out to NAPA flaps and report on the results. _________________ 4 speed 88 Westy |
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floggingmolly Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2007 Posts: 1106 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds good.
Didn't know much about the band til I got Molly. She had a sticker on the back window from the original owner, so I left it. Seemed fitting. _________________ '85 Wolfsburg Weekender |
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