Here we are thus far...thirteen, including me.  Plus,
Mark D. and Bruce W. want two sets....which means a
potential of 15 sets of springs, which likely will
bring the price down under $50 a spring.  If we ordered
only two sets, the price would have been $117.35 per
spring.  5 pairs were $55.74 per spring.  Yesterday
they quoted price for 7 pairs at $51.25 per spring.  I
suspect that if we dpouble the order, the price will
drop at least another couple dollars.

We have enough people to get two or three different
springs made for different applications, if necessary.
We need to break down into groups.  Westy & Non-westy
is one possible group.  Some want taller and firmer
than others.  We need to get a handle on what everyone
wants.

My goal is approximately 10% stiffer (but there is some
confusion on whether the Marshall tall springs were 17%
stiffer or 11.7% stiffer....and we are basing the 10%
on the assumption that the Marshall springs were too
stiff....hopefully we can get one of those springs over
to Betts for testing).  As for height, I want vehicle
height to be what VW determined the best height for
suspension performance (so we get full use of available
travel without premature topping out or bottoming
out)...and will be doing some measuring here and on
other non-westies to nail this down, but right now it
looks like an inch or less above what the typical
syncro westy is.  Now is the time to voice your
preferences.

HOMEWORK:

Everyone please wrtite back and tell me

(1)what van you have...westy or non-westy, double cab,
etc.;
(2) what is your preference re % of stiffness and
vehicle height;
(3) what is the current amount of sag on you van at the
front?

To get the sag, place van on level surface and measure
from the bottom of the wheel well to (1) the center of
the dust cap and (2) bottom of wheel well to the bottom
inner lip of the wheel/rim... (not sure which one we
will use yet so please take both....the top of the
inner lip of the wheel is easier to measure but we may
have steel and alum wheels to deal with.

Vehicle weighs would be helpful, too....even if just
the VW specs....for westy, non-westy, double cab, etc.

Bear in mind that you will not get full performance out
of the new springs unless your shocks are working
good.  the shock and spring do very different things,
but work closely together, so one will affectr the
performance of the other.  Shock brand will not matter
since we are only increasinbg stiffness a modest
amount.  If you increase stiffness by any significant
amount, you have to change re-bound damping, but that
will not be a problem here....have already discussed
this with the engineers and will address it more once
the data comes back from everyone.

Please do the homework, and then we can determine
whether we need to get more than one type of spring
made.
steve