I was wrong about everything! (Suspension problems, part 2)
We went on an expedition into town today, and got some real data.
First stop, the scale. My rig, loaded for travel, is only a hair under the GVWR. Like a case or two of water, or a full gas tank, under.
Next stop, my friend's trusted mechanic (not a suspension specialist, but an old guy with lots of experience who does not upsell).
He said that my leaf springs are not shot, Unlike the guys on the van forum, he thinks that basically never happens. He said they are flat because of the load, and since I have already added heavy duty shocks I should add a leaf.
He said the sway bar is ok. I am a little hesitant about this because I was not under the van with him, pointing at what I thought were cracks. But he said if they were cracks, it would be broken all the way through because of the stress it gets. Could it just have lines/ridges in the metal, at the bend points?
He did say I need bushings for the sway bar. Someone on the van forum said that was the best $15 they ever spent.
There is of course the question of whether adding a leaf, which requires fabricating new clamps, and changing the bushings, which means taking out the sway bar anyway, would save enough $$ to matter.
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So.. what do y'all think? Am I doing the wrong thing to use this van as a camper, if it is going to be right around the GVWR all the time? Or can I beef it up enough that it will be ok for 10,000 miles? I am not trying to get another 100,000 out of it ;).
Previous thread.
First stop, the scale. My rig, loaded for travel, is only a hair under the GVWR. Like a case or two of water, or a full gas tank, under.
Next stop, my friend's trusted mechanic (not a suspension specialist, but an old guy with lots of experience who does not upsell).
He said that my leaf springs are not shot, Unlike the guys on the van forum, he thinks that basically never happens. He said they are flat because of the load, and since I have already added heavy duty shocks I should add a leaf.
He said the sway bar is ok. I am a little hesitant about this because I was not under the van with him, pointing at what I thought were cracks. But he said if they were cracks, it would be broken all the way through because of the stress it gets. Could it just have lines/ridges in the metal, at the bend points?
He did say I need bushings for the sway bar. Someone on the van forum said that was the best $15 they ever spent.
There is of course the question of whether adding a leaf, which requires fabricating new clamps, and changing the bushings, which means taking out the sway bar anyway, would save enough $$ to matter.
--
So.. what do y'all think? Am I doing the wrong thing to use this van as a camper, if it is going to be right around the GVWR all the time? Or can I beef it up enough that it will be ok for 10,000 miles? I am not trying to get another 100,000 out of it ;).
Previous thread.
