2019 front springs and shocks fit on 2008 model

[oldred]

Hi,
Sorry if this has been brought up before. We have in the last 12 months bought our California, we and the kids love it!
Now we are a bit more used to it, there are one or two things that you notice obviously, the most obvious is ours has the rear sagging thing going on. Ours is not a high miler but its still 11 years old and with a bike rack, four bikes and loaded it fels like it.
So I clearly need some new springs and/or shockers and from what I have read I can make a decision. i am not wanting to lower it but just return it to near standard height (with maybe less wallow).
I've thought that if I do the rear i might as well sort the front out as well, which leads to my question..I have a chance of buying some 2019 springs and shocks from a T32? Does anybody know if they will fit our van without too much trouble ? Or are they way off? I cannot imagine that there would be a huge difference. I know that the top mount has changed design from T5 to T6.
Could anybody give me some pointers or contacts to talk through?
Thanks,

Phil.

 

[Skewif]

Hi Phil,
I believe all will fit apart from the T32 front dampers/struts as different mounting to the hub. The new type top mount is backwards compatible to the 5.1 so should be OK for your's too. The front springs will be T32 or very similar anyway so if all feels ok up front just changing rear spring and dampers to T32 will make a big difference to the ride especially when loaded. Fitting T32 springs to the rear will raise it some 15-30mm depending on condition of old ones and their mounts but improves handling and roll noticeably. Upgrading just the rear dampers to better ones has the greatest effect of all. Changing only them will stop almost all the bounce and wollowiness and make the van feel half its weight.

 

[burnercan]

Upgrading just the rear dampers to better ones has the greatest effect

I put Sachs HDs in yesterday. Very impressed with the improvement! I nearly went for the more expensive Koni Heavy Tracks, but chickened out on the price... I wonder how much difference would be noticed moving from Sachs to Koni?

 

[Skewif]

I put Sachs HDs in yesterday. Very impressed with the improvement! I nearly went for the more expensive Koni Heavy Tracks, but chickened out on the price... I wonder how much difference would be noticed moving from Sachs to Koni?

Buy me a pair of Koni Heavy Tracks and I’ll let you know

 

[WelshGas]

Hi,
Sorry if this has been brought up before. We have in the last 12 months bought our California, we and the kids love it!
Now we are a bit more used to it, there are one or two things that you notice obviously, the most obvious is ours has the rear sagging thing going on. Ours is not a high miler but its still 11 years old and with a bike rack, four bikes and loaded it fels like it.
So I clearly need some new springs and/or shockers and from what I have read I can make a decision. i am not wanting to lower it but just return it to near standard height (with maybe less wallow).
I've thought that if I do the rear i might as well sort the front out as well, which leads to my question..I have a chance of buying some 2019 springs and shocks from a T32? Does anybody know if they will fit our van without too much trouble ? Or are they way off? I cannot imagine that there would be a huge difference. I know that the top mount has changed design from T5 to T6.
Could anybody give me some pointers or contacts to talk through?
Thanks,

Phil.

I like that " rear saggy thing ".
You do realise that the Front Wheel Arch is higher than the Rear, for a reason.
Measure from the Side Body Line to the Wheel Centre front and Rear to determine if the Rear suspension has sagged. The Front wheel Arch is cut some 20-30 mm higher than the Rear to allow for Upward suspension movement when turning.

 

[Skewif]

Technically it may be as intended. Doesn’t stop it looking wrong to some folks though.

 

[WelshGas]

Technically it may be as intended. Doesn’t stop it looking wrong to some folks though.

View attachment 46477

Can’t see the point in a nose down Camper.

 

[Skewif]

I put Sachs HDs in yesterday. Very impressed with the improvement! I nearly went for the more expensive Koni Heavy Tracks, but chickened out on the price... I wonder how much difference would be noticed moving from Sachs to Koni?

I would like to know just how good the Koni's are too as cost even more than Bilsteins. Have HD Pedders fitted that have been near perfect apart from when fully loaded like here

. Not quite enough damping on the rear causing a bit too much bounce for my liking and greatest limit to speed. Like the idea of adjustable off road shocks but its only the rebound that can be adjusted. Added that one must unbolt the shock to adjust the rebound I decided likely too much faff every time I go for a long loaded trip. Would still like to try some to see what money can buy. Just to add to the lack of info or reviews they have now added a new range called RAID that are even more HD than the Heavy Track. These are significantly uprated from std and should a bargain arise might just give them a try.

 

[Skewif]

Can’t see the point in a nose down Camper.

Try using the search function. Many have removed the sag and posted the good results. More than happy to list the numerous benefits if you so wish.

 

[WelshGas]

Try using the search function. Many have removed the sag and posted the good results. More than happy to list the numerous benefits if you so wish.

I’m quite happy with my 4Motion , served me well over the past 85k Miles. Just pointing out it is an optical illusion and in fact if you measure correctly the body height above wheel centre is the same front and rear unless there is a problem with suspension components. If you wish to correct the optical illusion/effect then that’s fine. Just understand what you are actually doing.

 

[burnercan]

too much faff every time I go for a long loaded trip

I was thinking the same. However, since the difference between empty and fully loaded is ~500kgs it should be possible to find a setting that works well enough to be left alone. They could be left at or near the max setting and would probably work just fine even with an unloaded bus. The Sachs are a definite improvement, but still a bit soft when approaching 3T.

 

[Skewif]

I’m quite happy with my 4Motion , served me well over the past 85k Miles. Just pointing out it is an optical illusion and in fact if you measure correctly the body height above wheel centre is the same front and rear unless there is a problem with suspension components. If you wish to correct the optical illusion/effect then that’s fine. Just understand what you are actually doing.

Yep it is an optical illusion / design compromise that makes it look a little low on the rear when relatively unloaded and perfectly level. The issues can come when loaded especially on older vans as the OP states. Throw a load of weight, bikes and people in the back and it can genuinely sag down on the rear, bounce, wollow and drive like an overloaded van. Worse still this is usually on holiday when you really want your camper to take what it's given. So not really to do with how it looks IMO, far more about how it drives. This issue that some have can be easily and cheaply rectified with helpful advice from others who have found solutions. Not sure how helpful posting a dimensions drawing and telling people it's meant to be like that really is when they clearly have a genuine issue. Perhaps I misunderstand your motives.

 

[Skewif]

I was thinking the same. However, since the difference between empty and fully loaded is ~500kgs it should be possible to find a setting that works well enough to be left alone. They could be left at or near the max setting and would probably work just fine even with an unloaded bus. The Sachs are a definite improvement, but still a bit soft when approaching 3T.

Feel it's near impossible to get the perfect rear shock for all scenarios as they are mounted at about 45 deg. The more weight the lower the suspension the less effective the shocks become due to the increased angle. The total opposite of what of what one needs. I too would like even more damping as most needed when on holiday fully loaded. It's a shame manufactures don't publish numerical data on the damping characteristics of their shocks to help with the choosing.

 

[WelshGas]

Yep it is an optical illusion / design compromise that makes it look a little low on the rear when relatively unloaded and perfectly level. The issues can come when loaded especially on older vans as the OP states. Throw a load of weight, bikes and people in the back and it can genuinely sag down on the rear, bounce, wollow and drive like an overloaded van. Worse still this is usually on holiday when you really want your camper to take what it's given. So not really to do with how it looks IMO, far more about how it drives. This issue that some have can be easily and cheaply rectified with helpful advice from others who have found solutions. Not sure how helpful posting a dimensions drawing and telling people it's meant to be like that really is when they clearly have a genuine issue. Perhaps I misunderstand your motives.

As I mentioned, if the measurements using the correct datum points indicate a problem then by all means fix it. But don't presume you have a problem just by looking.
Function over Form, not the reverse.

 

[Bellcrew]

As I mentioned, if the measurements using the correct datum points indicate a problem then by all means fix it. But don't presume you have a problem just by looking.
Function over Form, not the reverse.

Lets face it many people are in denial, although they bought a 2.5 tonne top heavy van they would really like it to look/drive like a sports car, fair play it is their money.
I am always pleased at the improvement in the ride when on holiday with full load on board, much comfier and quieter, mind you I never overtake on roundabouts etc.

 

[oldred]

Thanks for the replies everyone.... Oh dear I didn't mean to start some sort of domestic..

I think Skewif was only trying to help me out in a positive way by giving us his experience. Brilliant video clip BTW Swewif and I admire the rough use of the Cali. I do sincerly hope that the changing out of my rear shocks would not turn our van into a Fiat Multipla!, I mean falling out of the fugly tree has never been so appropriate. Thanks for the info with regards to hub / shock mounting being different.
I am pretty sure I do have a full on sag, I without doubt have wallow though.
I take Bellcrews point about our vans not being 2.5 tonne sports cars. One thing I did not state originally is that the rear wheels have a negative camber look (again not measured), so its not that that I want to doughnut around roundabouts I just want it back to where it looks correct and if that means less roll without too much crashing and banging then brilliant, Thats why I asked for opinions.
I will do a few measurement checks as WelshGas has replied against the bodyline and the wheel centres. This is a good first step. The VW pdf does not appear to have a difinitive dimension but is interesting all the same and I have saved it for reference.
In the meantime can we play nice
Thanks,
Phil.

 

[Sandyvan]

Thanks for the replies everyone.... Oh dear I didn't mean to start some sort of domestic..

I think Skewif was only trying to help me out in a positive way by giving us his experience. Brilliant video clip BTW Swewif and I admire the rough use of the Cali. I do sincerly hope that the changing out of my rear shocks would not turn our van into a Fiat Multipla!, I mean falling out of the fugly tree has never been so appropriate. Thanks for the info with regards to hub / shock mounting being different.
I am pretty sure I do have a full on sag, I without doubt have wallow though.
I take Bellcrews point about our vans not being 2.5 tonne sports cars. One thing I did not state originally is that the rear wheels have a negative camber look (again not measured), so its not that that I want to doughnut around roundabouts I just want it back to where it looks correct and if that means less roll without too much crashing and banging then brilliant, Thats why I asked for opinions.
I will do a few measurement checks as WelshGas has replied against the bodyline and the wheel centres. This is a good first step. The VW pdf does not appear to have a difinitive dimension but is interesting all the same and I have saved it for reference.
In the meantime can we play nice
Thanks,
Phil.

I have one set of T5 and three sets of standard T6 coil springs F&R removed from new at the dealers when lowering in the lowered spring cardboard boxes sat in my workshop if your interested.

 

[oldred]

Hi Sanyvan,

Were the springs taken from Californias?

 

[Sandyvan]

Hi Sanyvan,

Were the springs taken from Californias?

Yes, the first set was taken off our first van (T5 Cali) at the dealers from new to fit lowering springs, they were put into the new spring box and placed inside the van.
This happened again on both of our T6 Calis, plus a set from my mates who's van was collected at the same time.

PM me.