| Author |
Message |
prairie_vw
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2008
Posts: 138
Location: Saskatchewan
|
 Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:22 am Post subject: new shocks - now left rear sags/sits lower - PIC |
 |
|
I just had new shocks installed (KYB Gas Adjust in rear) and now one side of the rear sits lower than the other......so I crawled under and measured the length of each shock. The rear left one is shorter by 1/4”- 3/8” ....Would this be why the left rear sags lower? If so is that shock defective/no good and should I return it? Any other reasons? It was perfectly fine before putting new shocks on.
_________________
1978 Champagne Edition
1977 Westy
#12, C, Bay Window forum hockey team |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 17782
Location: San Diego, California
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
Some people are having the mistaken impression that shocks lift the rear of a car, they don't. The torsion springs do that. All the shocks do is absorb the bounce. Now there are variations in shocks where some are gas filled and some have coil over springs. The gas filled ones don't have enough pressure to raise anything but the coil over shocks do.
If you had no side sag before you installed them and now you do I'd have to suspect that they are not the same size shock. Could it be possible that one is shorter than the other. Doesn't sound feasible though. Have you driven the bus around and checked this on various level pads just to be certain? Lastly, if all else fails just remove both shocks and set her back on the ground to see what you've got. The spring plates are adjustable. Maybe sometime in the past someone tried and didn't get them even.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
busdaddy
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 53244
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
Remove the lower bolts and put the bus back down, then pull the shock down and see if it'll meet (or better yet pass) the bolt location.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
prairie_vw
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2008
Posts: 138
Location: Saskatchewan
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| If you had no side sag before you installed them and now you do I'd have to suspect that they are not the same size shock. |
Just to confirm. Having one shocker shorter(left rear by 1/4" in this case) explains the left rear sag? I guess I should return that one to Cip1.ca then.....
_________________
1978 Champagne Edition
1977 Westy
#12, C, Bay Window forum hockey team |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 17782
Location: San Diego, California
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| prairie_vw wrote: |
| Quote: |
| If you had no side sag before you installed them and now you do I'd have to suspect that they are not the same size shock. |
Just to confirm. Having one shocker shorter(left rear by 1/4" in this case) explains the left rear sag? I guess I should return that one to Cip1.ca then..... |
Are you saying that with both shocks sitting on the table and fully extended one is shorter than the other by 1/4 inch? When they are mounted with weight on the wheels if this was the case you'd never see it. The shocks would be partially collapsed and would look even.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Krautski
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009
Posts: 874
Location: WA
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
Are you saying the shocks are different lengths at full extension?
Or are you saying they're at different lengths as measured on the bus? - In which case that's obvious since the bus is sitting crooked.
If the shocks are physically different lengths, CIP sent you two different shocks. If its only once they're on the bus, you'll have to look at your suspension, unless one is defective and sticking at some point in its stroke.
_________________
BUS FOR SALE
| Quote: |
| I stopped reading after volksaru and busaru |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
prairie_vw
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2008
Posts: 138
Location: Saskatchewan
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Or are you saying they're at different lengths as measured on the bus? |
Yes I just measured them installed on bus. So then they are compressing differently, which shouldn't be the case since the rear was level with the stock shocks.......one could then be defective as "Kraukski" points out....thanks
_________________
1978 Champagne Edition
1977 Westy
#12, C, Bay Window forum hockey team |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 17782
Location: San Diego, California
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
Like BD said, remove the bottom bolts from each shock and observe the level. You might want to jump up and down a few times in the back-o-de-bus and then check.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
prairie_vw
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2008
Posts: 138
Location: Saskatchewan
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Like BD said, remove the bottom bolts from each shock and observe the level. You might want to jump up and down a few times in the back-o-de-bus and then check. |
Pardon my stupidity....but if I remove bottom bolts of shocks and let the bus back down and the left rear is still lower then I have suspension issue. If the back of the bus sits level then I likely have one defective shock?
I think I have to assume it is a bad shock since the rear was perfectly level before installing new shocks.
_________________
1978 Champagne Edition
1977 Westy
#12, C, Bay Window forum hockey team |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 17782
Location: San Diego, California
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
| prairie_vw wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Like BD said, remove the bottom bolts from each shock and observe the level. You might want to jump up and down a few times in the back-o-de-bus and then check. |
Pardon my stupidity....but if I remove bottom bolts of shocks and let the bus back down and the left rear is still lower then I have suspension issue. If the back of the bus sits level then I likely have one defective shock?
I think I have to assume it is a bad shock since the rear was perfectly level before installing new shocks. |
You didn't just place something heavy in the bus on the low side did you? Have you tried driving the bus? Have you tried bouncing the back up and down? Sometimes the suspension can bind a bit and when you lowered the bus one side might not have relaxed like the other side.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
prairie_vw
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2008
Posts: 138
Location: Saskatchewan
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| You didn't just place something heavy in the bus on the low side did you? Have you tried driving the bus? Have you tried bouncing the back up and down? Sometimes the suspension can bind a bit and when you lowered the bus one side might not have relaxed like the other side. |
Nothing heavy in bus. I have driven it about 200km since shock install......I will try bouncing the rear and see if that helps......I just want to make sure about the shocks so that I can contact CIP sooner than later if that is the issue
_________________
1978 Champagne Edition
1977 Westy
#12, C, Bay Window forum hockey team |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
aeromech
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006
Posts: 17782
Location: San Diego, California
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
Geez, unless it's snowing outside, in the time spent on this thread you could have had both shocks back out and bench checked them.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
josh
Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2003
Posts: 1773
Location: laid back in the tall grass
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
| aeromech wrote: |
| Some people are having the mistaken impression that shocks lift the rear of a car, they don't. The torsion springs do that. All the shocks do is absorb the bounce. Now there are variations in shocks where some are gas filled and some have coil over springs. The gas filled ones don't have enough pressure to raise anything but the coil over shocks do. |
KYB Gas Adjusts are very high pressure gas shocks. The pressure is high enough to affect ride height. I don't remember how much they affect ride height on a bus but when I installed them on my squareback they lifted the vehicle about 1". I suspect that having 1 good and 1 bad Gas Adjust shock could result in the 1/4"-3/8" difference being discussed here.
If it were me I would remove the shocks and make sure the stance isn't still out of whack.
If the stance is good I would measure the shocks.
If the shocks are the same size I would rig up a way to measure the force the shocks exert when compressed.
_________________
| modok wrote: |
...If If stoner A takes a hit and then stoner B goes right away(not waiting two seconds), he's trying to suck on it while it's still got a vaccum, doesen't get much of a hit at all! Cause it hasn't filled back up all the way yet.
Stoner A is cylinders #2/4 B is #1/3 The plugged bowl is the throttle, the bong is the manifold |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
drober23
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2009
Posts: 787
Location: Detroit, MI
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:33 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Switch the shocks to the other side and see if the sag switches to the other side? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hiwaycallin
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2008
Posts: 362
Location: Salmon Arm, BC
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
| drober23 wrote: |
| Switch the shocks to the other side and see if the sag switches to the other side? |
That's the best suggestion yet! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mark
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2003
Posts: 1523
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
| prairie_vw wrote: |
I think I have to assume it is a bad shock since the rear was perfectly level before installing new shocks. |
It is quite possible but assume nothing. Unbolt & check for yourself.
_________________
www.zwerks.ca |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 52762
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Gas shock will affect the front empty ride height of most air cooled VW's far more than the rear, as the front spring rates tend to be much softer than the rear.
A bus leaning to the side could be as much of a problem with something up front as something in the rear (not saying the front shocks are to blame, new or old)
Gas shocks could only cause one side to be higher than the other if they either had differing amounts of precharge or if one side was binding. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TomWesty
Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2007
Posts: 3565
Location: Wyoming,USA
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 3:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Either Drober23's way or just check to see if it is even with them disconnected will give you an answer. Easiest is to just disconnect. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mely
Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2024
Posts: 34
Location: Worcester, MA
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2024 6:17 am Post subject: Re: new shocks - now left rear sags/sits lower - PIC |
|
|
I really wish I knew the outcome of this.
If OP is still around can you please update?
Thanks! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mikedjames
Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2012
Posts: 3472
Location: Hamble, Hampshire, UK
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2024 9:14 am Post subject: Re: new shocks - now left rear sags/sits lower - PIC |
|
|
The "it was all right before" but it was felt necessary to change the shocks means there might have been a problem before that was resolved by another person in the past by adjusting one side of the suspension.
Perhaps now both shocks are good, it sits lopsided...
_________________
Ancient vehicles and vessels
1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.
1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
