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Upgraded rear Suspension

Deano

Deano

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24
Looking for some advice, My Cali T5 130 is approaching 12 years old, I had it from new and its starting to get a bit low at the rear, We only have ever used it for camping trips so its not an every day use van and we leave all the camping gear in it which is quite heavy, also bike rack and bikes, Ive look at previous posts but need someone with great knowledge to which there are many of you on here. I have spoken to my local garage 'Not VW" about having upgraded springs.
What is your advice? I need something a bit stronger perhaps, what else do I need to have replaced, can I buy and give them to my garage to fit, suggestions most welcomed.
Thanks in advance Dean
 
Looking for some advice, My Cali T5 130 is approaching 12 years old, I had it from new and its starting to get a bit low at the rear, We only have ever used it for camping trips so its not an every day use van and we leave all the camping gear in it which is quite heavy, also bike rack and bikes, Ive look at previous posts but need someone with great knowledge to which there are many of you on here. I have spoken to my local garage 'Not VW" about having upgraded springs.
What is your advice? I need something a bit stronger perhaps, what else do I need to have replaced, can I buy and give them to my garage to fit, suggestions most welcomed.
Thanks in advance Dean
Deano I had t32 rear springs fitted to my t5 by Main dealer . Low cost . They have lots as take off new vans for lowering . It transformed the van immediately . Later I had Bilstein B6 rear shocks fitted for further improvement. Hope this helps . You may even find one or both of your rear springs is broken .
 
Deano I had t32 rear springs fitted to my t5 by Main dealer . Low cost . They have lots as take off new vans for lowering . It transformed the van immediately . Later I had Bilstein B6 rear shocks fitted for further improvement. Hope this helps . You may even find one or both of your rear springs is broken .
Thank you, I drove it on Sunday for 60 miles across windy Dorset roads and it felt all over the place, I shall get them to have a look, Do you think I could buy the springs on Ebay?
 
I know 4Motions tend to sit a little low at the back b
Deano I had t32 rear springs fitted to my t5 by Main dealer . Low cost . They have lots as take off new vans for lowering . It transformed the van immediately . Later I had Bilstein B6 rear shocks fitted for further improvement. Hope this helps . You may even find one or both of your rear springs is broken .
Our T6 4Mo always looks a little low at the back, especially when travelling fully loaded, so T32 springs look a good option, but do they actually alter the rear ride hight? Do also do they make it a little bouncy when empty? Was it the Bilsteinsame that really made the difference ?
 
Thank you, I drove it on Sunday for 60 miles across windy Dorset roads and it felt all over the place, I shall get them to have a look, Do you think I could buy the springs on Ebay?
If you’re in Dorset I’m sure Breeze at Poole have lots they take off new vans . Speak to Martin Cali Master tech .
 
The rubber mountings will need replacing > Ebay example

Full set probably best, top and bottom.

Quite a few T6 full spring and damper sets on Ebay for only £50, usually taken off for air or coilover lowering sets being fitted.
 
I know 4Motions tend to sit a little low at the back b

Our T6 4Mo always looks a little low at the back, especially when travelling fully loaded, so T32 springs look a good option, but do they actually alter the rear ride hight? Do also do they make it a little bouncy when empty? Was it the Bilsteinsame that really made the difference ?
Hi SusiBus
My Cali always looked low at the back and wallowed . T32 rear springs raised rear about 3/4in which made it look level . Ride is much better and less bouncy than original springs even empty and handling much much better especially around roundabouts . Main improvement was springs but Bilstein B6s improved further but less obvious .
 
My T5 4motion camper (not a California) was low at the back and I soon had T32 springs fitted. There was a definite improvement, the height raised almost 1 inch and towing was better. My new 4Motion California definitely needs the T32 springs, it is as low unladen as the T5 was fully laden, so I need to get that sorted out soon, definitely before towing anything.
 
My T5 4motion camper (not a California) was low at the back and I soon had T32 springs fitted. There was a definite improvement, the height raised almost 1 inch and towing was better. My new 4Motion California definitely needs the T32 springs, it is as low unladen as the T5 was fully laden, so I need to get that sorted out soon, definitely before towing anything.
If you are just looking at the Wheel to Wheel Arch gap, be aware that the front Wheel Arch is higher than the Rear Wheel Arch by design to allow steering on full suspension travel.

Measure from the Ground to the horizontal Body Line to determine if the suspension has sagged.

And if you don't believe me check out the Transporter Technical Drawings.
 
WelshGas.
Following your posting I've picked up my measure and checked it, and surprise surprise, our T6 4Motion, unladen, with empty water tank and a quarter of a tank of fuel is actually two inches higher at the rear than it is at the front, measuring from the ground to the body moulding.
So it seems that a lot of it is the illusion as you say, caused by the wheel arch being a lot lower over the rear wheel.
I expect the two inches will disappears and becomes horizontal when it is Laden, but the back looking really down caused by the wheel rear wheel arch illusion Factor.
 
I have been measuring tow ball height. Our farm is down a bridle way with a 1 in 4 hairpin which makes it very easy for trailers to ground, especially our boat trailer which is fairly long. An extra inch height on the towball makes a surprisingly big difference. The rear mudflaps on the California also touch the ground in places where the old T5 with the updated springs cleared with no problem.
 
I have been measuring tow ball height. Our farm is down a bridle way with a 1 in 4 hairpin which makes it very easy for trailers to ground, especially our boat trailer which is fairly long. An extra inch height on the towball makes a surprisingly big difference. The rear mudflaps on the California also touch the ground in places where the old T5 with the updated springs cleared with no problem.
Raising the back for a reason is fine, but, the front should also be raised otherwise the vehicle would be nose-down which was not how it was designed regarding suspension/steering and braking performance.

There are Spring Assisters.

 
Raising the back for a reason is fine, but, the front should also be raised otherwise the vehicle would be nose-down which was not how it was designed regarding suspension/steering and braking performance.

There are Spring Assisters.


Aarghh!! NOT SPRING ASSISTERS!!! (If you mean the rubber coil type!) I fitted these successfully to various Peugeot & VW estates. However, tried them on my T5 elderly SE (dsg/178bhp) along with Bilstein B6s because part of the towing assembly was bottoming over roadhumps. Result ... broken both rear springs & distorted “spring hangers”/mounts. Made the rear very stiff & taut but reckon given the weight of a laden Cali, the reduction in spring deflection put far too much stress on the spring assemblies.
Local Main dealer in Exeter refused putting on T32 springs but replacement standard springs & mounts plus the existing B6 shocks have proved fine.
 
Aarghh!! NOT SPRING ASSISTERS!!! (If you mean the rubber coil type!) I fitted these successfully to various Peugeot & VW estates. However, tried them on my T5 elderly SE (dsg/178bhp) along with Bilstein B6s because part of the towing assembly was bottoming over roadhumps. Result ... broken both rear springs & distorted “spring hangers”/mounts. Made the rear very stiff & taut but reckon given the weight of a laden Cali, the reduction in spring deflection put far too much stress on the spring assemblies.
Local Main dealer in Exeter refused putting on T32 springs but replacement standard springs & mounts plus the existing B6 shocks have proved fine.
Personally never had need of any assistance for towing trailers upto and including a 25' 7 berth caravan.
 
Personally never had need of any assistance for towing trailers upto and including a 25' 7 berth caravan.

I must admit I have noticed a difference in the rear suspension from my T 5.1 to the T6 while towing a caravan my original T5.1 handled the caravan very well did not bottom out but on my new T6 it has bottomed out and it's the same caravan.
 

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