VW Vanagon Springs
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VW Vanagon Coil Springs

Product Info
Vanagon Westy Springs


General Description

These springs are designed to meet stock VW specs for vehicle ride height, alignment and shock valving. They are only moderately stiffer and taller than stock, all still within VW specs.

Goals & Objectives

The Vanagon Westy springs were designed to deliver optimum suspension travel and stability on a westy loaded with an average amount of camping trip cargo and passengers. The springs cure the mushy kneeling feel the stock springs have while providing better cornering and wind stability.

Chrome Silicon Steel

The springs are made of Chrome Silicon pre-tensioned steel. Chrome Silicon is the best material available for automotive springs primarily because it does not sag like other spring steel does, but also because it can be wound to closer tolerances as well, meaning more accurate and consistent spring rates across the manufacturing process.

Spring Rate

The springs are straight wound and are moderately stiffer than stock.We tested three sets of prototypes in developing these springs before settling on a spring rate. The goal was to get rid of the ill effects of the too-soft stock sprins while keeping the suspension responsive and supple.

Ride Height

An empty Westy will have a ride height with these Vanagon Westy springs of roughly 17 1/4" measuring from the center of the wheel/axle to the lower lip of the fender. Ride heights will vary with different van configurations.

The ride height these springs provide is designed to deliver optimal suspension travel and ground clearance. By "optimal," we mean the height is designed to ensure full use of the full range of suspension travel, as designed by VW, without topping out due to excessive ride-height, or requiring ball-joint extenders.

The Importance of Shocks

The performance of your suspension depends not only on the coil springs, but also on the shocks and struts. Worn shocks will cause your new coil springs to feel too bouncy and cornering will suffer. Make sure your shocks and struts are in good condition when you instal your springs. For best performance, we advise using Koni (red, adjustable) or Bilstein shocks.

The Importance of Tires & Tire Pressure

Most people do not realize it, but tires also act as part of the vehicle suspension system when they flex and rebound. As a result, your overall suspension performance depends in part on your tires. If you have the wrong tires mounted (not stiff enough side-wall), or worn tires, your suspension performance and handling will suffer. Be sure to use tires rated for the GVW of the Vanagon.

Tire pressure is also a factor in suspension tuning, handling and traction. On paved roads, tire pressure has a direct and significant effect on tracking around turns, responsiveness, and stability. Experimentation is the best way to determine correct air pressure, using VW specs as a starting point, and well worth the effort.

Leveling Your Van

We strongly endorse using leveling shims to level and fine tune your ride height. Shims can be used in the front and rear. For best suspension performance, level your van with shims front-to-rear and left-to-right. Ideally, aim for a level van when it is loaded with the weight you typically carry in the van. For more information on Leveling Shims, see our Shim page.