I would be keen to see if possible, I've been looking and what to do, wether to do suspension and or change the wheels. I'm in Sheffield too........S21
Suspension recommendation for campervan.
- Thread starter DPS
- Start date
Yes mate
I have both B14s and H&R Arbs. If I was doing it again I would do the H&Rs first, then the B14s as funds permit.
The H&Rs vastly change the handling balance for understeer to what feels pretty neutral. Huge difference.
The H&Rs vastly change the handling balance for understeer to what feels pretty neutral. Huge difference.
And this is why you need to try a van with the mods yourself, @YellowHound and I report completely opposite findings - and we’re both right!
These ARBs are adjustable - do you know how your were set?
Pm’d You Pats
I did but had them fitted by TransporterHQ and I just assumed they’d know how they needed setting up
Im sure they will have been set up correctly, its probably a case of unless you 'wang' it around a roundabout you wont feel the benefit of the ARBs. After a bit more research I can see why some have returned to the original ARBs to make the ride softer as individually the suspension will move more like on a Off Roader. I don't find the ride uncomfortable just firm and it goes around the curvy bits lovely though. A big contrast from the original set up.
I'm not into being on a giant old sprung mattress bouncing around everywhere. Another big factor will be what wheels you are running with the set up, I'm still on 16" steels and only intend to go to 17". If you want to put 20" wheels with wafer tyres the set up will feel bone shaking, some like that though.
Im old and have brittle teeth so would rather have a little padding!
I can only tell as I have experienced it. My ARBs are set to to the stiffest setting. They made the single biggest difference to the way my van drives, much more so than the B14s. I am running on the std 17" VW wheels.
I had the B14s fitted a few weeks before the arbs. The effect of the B14s is not to change the handling balance of the vehicle but to give it far more control over its mass. I found the ride on the std suspension to be uncomfortable because I'm used to, and prefer, a 'firmer' ride where the sprung mass is very well damped. To me this is not uncomfortable. The B14s did not change the handling - it was still very much biased towards understeer.
IMHO the arbs make an enormous, simply huge, difference - and without any significant effect on the ride quality. Set to their stiffest setting the understeer is completely removed. My van feels incredibly neutral in its handling balance - as a result I find it an absolute hoot to drive.
Just my 2p
I had the B14s fitted a few weeks before the arbs. The effect of the B14s is not to change the handling balance of the vehicle but to give it far more control over its mass. I found the ride on the std suspension to be uncomfortable because I'm used to, and prefer, a 'firmer' ride where the sprung mass is very well damped. To me this is not uncomfortable. The B14s did not change the handling - it was still very much biased towards understeer.
IMHO the arbs make an enormous, simply huge, difference - and without any significant effect on the ride quality. Set to their stiffest setting the understeer is completely removed. My van feels incredibly neutral in its handling balance - as a result I find it an absolute hoot to drive.
Just my 2p
You’re right about the wheels, that could well be part of the difference. I’m on 17s and I didn’t like the floaty mattress feel you mention which is why I went for B14s. They did get rid of the high wobbly feel and the ride was just as soft as standard, but it still rolled more than I like so I went back for the sturdier ARBs and found it made absolutely no difference and I’ve had them on for about 25o0 miles now. They dont feel firmer at all (and I still don’t understand how a change of arbs could - surely the suspension travel wouldn’t be altered?) and I wouldn’t pay to have them put back to standard, but I may well sell them as they don’t provide any benefit to me. They certainly don’t reduce the roll of my van, which is sort of their reason for existing...
@andys
Can I suggest you look to see how they are set? They may well be set very soft, hence you are not seeing the difference you expect. If they are then why not try them set to their stiffest and see what you think?
ARBs don't change suspension travel but alter the roll stiffness of the vehicle - adjusting arb stiffness is a common way of tuning handling.
Can I suggest you look to see how they are set? They may well be set very soft, hence you are not seeing the difference you expect. If they are then why not try them set to their stiffest and see what you think?
ARBs don't change suspension travel but alter the roll stiffness of the vehicle - adjusting arb stiffness is a common way of tuning handling.
Yes I know they don’t affect suspension travel, I was making that point after I’d seen comments that said they thought the H&R arbs had made the ride firmer. I don’t have the space, facilities or ability to change the arb setting and I’d be a bit pee”d off if TransporterHQ had set them soft with all their knowledge, but if I end up keeping the van next year I’ll get a local garage to have a look.
Anyway, back to the original question, my twopennorth is that the B14s made far more difference to the handling of my van than the H&Rs. Ymmv
Andy, if it helps you’re more than welcome to go out in mine to see if there is a difference, My van is unladen and I’ve got about 10 mm further to go with the B14s as a rough guide to where it sits. It might be the sugar and tea scenario, 1 lump taste good today, tomorrow 2 lumps is just that little bit sweeter, before long you have a cup of sugar with a drip of tea.
Anyhow offer stands, pm me as you are local.
Cheers Jay
This is on 17"" with 50mm H&R springs. Think I payed £255 for springs and £120 fitting. I was trying to keep sort of stock vw look. It dives but I will say that if you sit in the back seat that is over the rear wheels it's I little more of a harder ride but ok for us. I couldn't afford coil good coilivers so decided that this option isn't a bad compromise.
Thanks Jay
Hi guys, I thought I would stick my size 11 into the fore as I have just recently done similar.
Mine is a SWB 204 DSG so sits a bit lower on the front compared to some I have seen.
I had the dealer put on the 30mm Eibach lowering springs from new, however as I rarely have any weight in the back of real note I found the rear to be quite crashy and harsh so this was a complete waste of money. (as soon as I clean them I will have them on the for sale section)
So at just over 5000 miles I went all out and had B14's and H&R ARB's installed at the same time,
Well the difference is quite something although firm it just seems to be on a different level, only to be described as a 2.2 ton go kart.
The b14 have been set to there lowest setting, also the arbs to their stiffest setting this had to be done as I now know what its like set to the extreme (haha love it)
Having done about 1000 miles since with just about all driving scenarios covered I am considering perhaps raising it 10mm all round to see what its like.
I have the factory mud flaps on and they drag on the floor a lot going into drives etc but no issues with speed bumps although I am quite careful anyway.
I also have an aftermarket QB Carbon front splitter this also just seems to go over a standard kerb stone without causing any issues and never caught anything.
So I would say money well spent as I use her as a car and now she drives like it !
That said this has unearthed more annoying rattles I have yet to pin down but these vans always seem to be an on going project.
I am still on the standard 17" wheels and tyres that require 50+ psi so I am sure some 18" sportlines with sensible pressures will also help with the drive.
Early on I put her on 35mm rear and 25mm front H&R spacers to enhance the look, this made no difference to the handling by the way.
I hope this helps as this is a big investment of anyone's hard earned cash,
The below picture is as above on a pretty much flat car park. Jon
Mine is a SWB 204 DSG so sits a bit lower on the front compared to some I have seen.
I had the dealer put on the 30mm Eibach lowering springs from new, however as I rarely have any weight in the back of real note I found the rear to be quite crashy and harsh so this was a complete waste of money. (as soon as I clean them I will have them on the for sale section)
So at just over 5000 miles I went all out and had B14's and H&R ARB's installed at the same time,
Well the difference is quite something although firm it just seems to be on a different level, only to be described as a 2.2 ton go kart.
The b14 have been set to there lowest setting, also the arbs to their stiffest setting this had to be done as I now know what its like set to the extreme (haha love it)
Having done about 1000 miles since with just about all driving scenarios covered I am considering perhaps raising it 10mm all round to see what its like.
I have the factory mud flaps on and they drag on the floor a lot going into drives etc but no issues with speed bumps although I am quite careful anyway.
I also have an aftermarket QB Carbon front splitter this also just seems to go over a standard kerb stone without causing any issues and never caught anything.
So I would say money well spent as I use her as a car and now she drives like it !
That said this has unearthed more annoying rattles I have yet to pin down but these vans always seem to be an on going project.
I am still on the standard 17" wheels and tyres that require 50+ psi so I am sure some 18" sportlines with sensible pressures will also help with the drive.
Early on I put her on 35mm rear and 25mm front H&R spacers to enhance the look, this made no difference to the handling by the way.
I hope this helps as this is a big investment of anyone's hard earned cash,
The below picture is as above on a pretty much flat car park. Jon
Yes please.
This is exactly what I hope to end up with..... I think it will tick all my handling boxes and styling boxes. I'm after fitting 18" sportlines as well.
