Caravelle Lowering

[dubber36]

I'd like to go a smidge lower and may 'get away' with doing the job with springs.

Now my van is 20mm lower than standard. Does anyone know if this is just shorter factory springs, or do they come with matching shorter dampers? My thinking is that if I use T30 50mm springs, they will lower it 30mm. If the dampers are shorter to begin with, they will only be compressed by 30mm, which previous experience tells me will be OK.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Lukavell]

Can't help but I'd be interested to know the answer, although I plan on going the other way and raising the van a bit!

 

[Handyman]

I'd like to go a smidge lower and may 'get away' with doing the job with springs.

Now my van is 20mm lower than standard. Does anyone know if this is just shorter factory springs, or do they come with matching shorter dampers? My thinking is that if I use T30 50mm springs, they will lower it 30mm. If the dampers are shorter to begin with, they will only be compressed by 30mm, which previous experience tells me will be OK.

Any thoughts on this?

The 20mm lowering could be due to the weight of your vehicle. I'm not convinced that a 50mm lowering spring will only give 30mm. You could end up with 70mm from original.

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Theres a number of different heights listed in VW brochures for the standard roof height body shell. PV, Kombi and Shuttle S at 1990mm. Shuttle SE and Caravelle SE SWB at 1970mm. Oddly they state the heavier Caravelle SE is 1990mm. Caravelle Exec at 1950mm. But note the printed caveat of 50mm variation depending on equipment fitted in the Velle brochure. Seems extreme to me but there you go.

 

[dubber36]

On page 29 of the brochure it says the Executive has "Dynamic suspension. Body lowered by 20mm" Before anyone suggests it, that has nothing to do with adaptive dampers.

That makes sense as the heights shown above are 1950mm for the Exec, 1970mm for the SE. The 1990mm is for the LWB SE. However, back to my original question, how is the 20mm lowering achieved?

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Part numbers for the springs of each different body type would be useful. That way you can see if its different springs or just variation in weight.

 

[dubber36]

Right, whilst waiting in the dealers for the Tig to be serviced, I wasted the parts fellas time with this one this morning. It seems that the 20mm lowering of the Velle Exec is achieved with shorter springs AND dampers. Fitting -30mm springs will only achieve a 10mm drop. So -50mm T30 springs will give me my desired drop with the dampers compressed by just 30mm.

So for you @Lukavell if you want to go higher, you'll need dampers too.

 

[Lukavell]

Good to know, cheers @dubber36

 

[KEDSKY]

we have got Velle SE and i woul like to lower it as it feels like a boat now! I am total newbie! Is it a good idea ?will it improve driving ?by how much it is recommended to lower it? finally what springs to use? Can anyone advice please?

 

[Lukavell]

we have got Velle SE and i woul like to lower it as it feels like a boat now! I am total newbie! Is it a good idea ?will it improve driving ?by how much it is recommended to lower it? finally what springs to use? Can anyone advice please?

It depends on exactly what you do to lower it, spring? Springs and shocks? I'm not sure if the SE is lowered by 20mm like the Executive so that will be worth finding out if you just go down the simpler and cheaper spring route, can't comment on the effectiveness of this on ride quality but I'd imagine it will be less boat like.

I did the H&R Anti Roll Bar and the famous Bilstein B14 shock/spring combo on my old T5 Kombi and the ride was much better from the OEM set up. It's not the cheapest option but it worked beautifully until I moved to Naples where the roads are rough, as such I'd advise consideration of where you'll be driving it and the road conditions.

 

[KEDSKY]

@Lukavell many thanks , I want minimal lowering and cheap using springs only. I have heard Velles are lowered already but mine doesn't look like it is to be honest. I am rocking 17 alloys and don't want her to be very low, just minimum 3-5 cm.

 

[dubber36]

@KEDSKY Measure your ride height on level ground (center of wheel hub to top of wheel arch) and I'll compare it to mine.

 

[KEDSKY]

@dubber36 it is 46cm, cheers

 

[dubber36]

Is that front and rear?

 

[KEDSKY]

rear is slightly lower 44cm as i have disability lift there which is 100kg

 

[dubber36]

Mines pretty much 440mm all round.

 

[KEDSKY]

dubber36 many thanks

 

[CRS Performance]

we have got Velle SE and i woul like to lower it as it feels like a boat now! I am total newbie! Is it a good idea ?will it improve driving ?by how much it is recommended to lower it? finally what springs to use? Can anyone advice please?

Lowering the car by changing springs alone wont achieve better handling ., you need a performance SHOCK to do that . Lowering up to 40 is sensible, drops of 60 plus are not good for comfort and do not improve handling because the suspension is Bottoming out all the time !

 

[CRS Performance]

@Lukavell many thanks , I want minimal lowering and cheap using springs only. I have heard Velles are lowered already but mine doesn't look like it is to be honest. I am rocking 17 alloys and don't want her to be very low, just minimum 3-5 cm.

If the car is factory lowered and you buy a sport spring to lower more , the factory drop figure ( 20mm i think you said ) will come off the drop of the new springs
I E a 40 mm kit will lower 40 - 20 = 20 mm more . I disagree with the statement regarding a different shock being used on 20 mm drop . the best way to find out if this is correct would be to check part numbers and physically measure them . if they are different it will only be a droop limiter on the shaft to stop the shaft extending to the fullest point , ( this has nothing to do with performance its to stop a shorter spring falling loose if the vehicle is lifted off the ground .)

 

[CRS Performance]

we have got Velle SE and i woul like to lower it as it feels like a boat now! I am total newbie! Is it a good idea ?will it improve driving ?by how much it is recommended to lower it? finally what springs to use? Can anyone advice please?

Springs wont stop the boat feel SHOCKS will , that is there function . Lowering springs are a little stiffer but because they are controlled by the shock , that is what you need to change to make the car handle . Sport shocks also stop dive under braking so Pitch and roll all solved with SPORT shocks