Is it possible to make spacers to lift the front suspension?

[Blue Label]

Has anyone used spacers to lift the front of their vans? I know about the back end, but I haven't heard of anyone lifting the front the same way. Please share what you've done to get one inch of lift. Also have no budget for new springs so spacers seem my only option at this time. Thank you.

Anders
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'85 Vanagon Westfalia

[syncroserge]

I got this from the French syncro club website where it is a common way
to lift the front. I passed it along to a couple of friends, one syncro and
one 2wd and they both liked the result.

[fredn]

Some people have cut spacers for the springs out of cutting board material. Use the search, this has been discussed before.
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1982 Air Cooled Vanagon Carat Weekender Interior

[werksberg]

By the time & money you spend on making a special spacer, you could have proper & correct srings.
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[SyncroGhia]

There are several companies already offering front spring spacers for Syncros.

Syncro Services are just one of them...

http://www.syncro-services.com/mitte_lift_eng.html

I'm using 20mm spacers along with 2WD heavy duty springs on the front of Limey as I the only thing I could find which was stronger or longer were Seikel springs and they're just expensive!!

MG
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T3 Syncro 16 S6 Westfalia Limey SOLD
T3 Syncro 6x6 SOLD
T3 RS6 Bluestar
T3 Tristar Syncro 16 SOLD
T3 Tristar Syncro RHD SOLD

[K58]

Yeah, a lot of owners like myself are trying to save money on a small lift so I resent when someone say's something like "you should do a proper lift with springs"...especially when there the one's selling the springs...LOL

[1621]

Serge,

Those spacer plans are perfect. I'd planned on doing this a while back but never got around to it. I've got springs from Van Cafe that settled at about 17" that I wanted to raise a bit more. Not having to deal with buying new springs and sorting out all the settlement issues would be the way to go.

Now, if there were any machine shops (RMW *cough cough*) that could whip some of these out for us lesser skilled enthusiasts that would be even better.

SyncroGhia - when you added the 20mm spacer up front, how much did it increase the front ride height? I understand lifting the front is not as straight forward as lifting the rear. Thanks.
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'85 Westy

[syncroserge]

[Vsyevolod]

I've been thinking along these same lines (of lifting the front of my 2WD '88 Westy). My reason is that since I put new 16" wheels and Nokian tires on, I'm hitting the tires on the top of the wheel well, every time I enter a driveway at over 3 MPH (seriously). Oh, and yes, I have new springs (from Syncro.org) and new shocks (Koni's, set to 3/4 of the possible stiffness).

I like the plans, what material is specified for them? I also like the idea of the plastic cutting board. Two questions along that line, regardless of what material I use, what keeps the spring from sliding off the spacer? And could I cut a slot in the spacer to more easily slip it around the shock absorber without having to remove the shock just to put the spacer in? In other words, instead of a full circle, can I make it a 'C' with the smallest of kerfs?

Also, will I throw off my new expensive wheel alignment with the addition of spacers? Should I add them to the rear as well just to even out the lift?

Stephen




.

[canasync]

I was talking to a mechanic friend of mine about this as he has lifted a few 2wd and 4wd vanagons. He pointed out that you don't want to put too much of a spacer into the front spring because you want the van to maintain the range of travel in the front strut and it could bottom out if the spacer is too big.

If you want a bigger budget lift you could have someone make a set of brackets like Tristar Eric had for his front suspension in the camo syncro.

And yes you should get an alignment anytime that you make these kind of suspension changes.
_________________
1987 Syncro
3 knobs
PumpeDüse TDI (17mm Garret Turbo, bigger injectors, stage 4 malone tune, intercooled)
Cruise Control
Remote Start/locks
Custom Lift
Custom Bumpers with receivers
Coast Mountain Hightop - Comming Soon

1985 2wd Vanagon Pre-runner in the making
soon to be powered by 2.5L Subaru
Custom Lift

[1621]

Thanks for forwarding the plans Serge. I'll try contacting a couple fabricators to get some idea on costs.
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'85 Westy

[1621]

[canasync]

Sorry I wasn't paying attention, I didn't realize that it is for a 2wd.
_________________
1987 Syncro
3 knobs
PumpeDüse TDI (17mm Garret Turbo, bigger injectors, stage 4 malone tune, intercooled)
Cruise Control
Remote Start/locks
Custom Lift
Custom Bumpers with receivers
Coast Mountain Hightop - Comming Soon

1985 2wd Vanagon Pre-runner in the making
soon to be powered by 2.5L Subaru
Custom Lift

[fredn]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=380912&highlight=cutting+board

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4385237

In this second thread you will find a suggestion to use chevy s10 springs in the front.
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1982 Air Cooled Vanagon Carat Weekender Interior

[1621]

[Blue Label]

Thanks for the schematic and information. I have a friend whose a good machinist and may be able to help.
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'85 Vanagon Westfalia

[ragnarhairybreeks]

I've started to make some modest lift spacers. Just using what I have lying around and only shooting for around 1" lift.

more here:

http://shufti.wordpress.com/2012/07/17/vanagon-syncro-front-spring-pad/

alistair
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'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
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Old address still works...
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