CRS question - quiet and comfortable

[JPL]

@CRS Performance

Hi Steve

Given you have probably been in more transporters than most people ever will - and in addition to the suspension work you do / what’s the best upgrades you have observed for a quiet and comfortable ride - or any other views really

Thanks

 

[CRS Performance]

Hi There

Is the vehicle an empty van , camper , caravelle ?? these things all have a bearing on results and which kit we recommend

Fitting a proper suspension kit is the best money you can spend on a Transporter

We have sport shocks and lowering spring kits
sport short shocks and lowering springs
Coil over kits 35 to 65 mm and 50 to 80 mm

Costs vary from £1200 to 1450 fitting £ 175 .00

Steve

 

[JPL]

Thanks Steve - I was just wondering in your experience if you see any noticeable difference in vans lined/dead matted in the cab, on certain tyres etc

Very conscious there are so many varieties of transporter - so should have said panel/kombi

Thanks

 

[Curlynot]

Hi,
I know you aimed your question at Steve but maybe this comment will help.

I have a 2022 T30 Kombi Highline with twin sliders and a poptop used as a day van so three parts empty most of the time. I have soundproofed the rear sides and floor (Dodo mat etc) but none of the doors or cab as mine came with carpeted cab. This has dulled the noise right down and one of the biggest differences was made by doing the windscreen scuttle.
Steve changed my suspension a couple of weeks ago for Koni Active with his matched springs and a T32 rear antiroll bar, this dropped the stance 25-30mm and now I have fitted 20" Supermetal Trident wheels this has put the van back up to near its original ground clearance which is what I wanted. I've got 255/40/20 Michelin Pilot Sport 5 acoustic tyres and now 90% of the time the ride quality/comfort is massively improved and very acceptable. There are still those 10% roads which are so bad that they upset the van (but nothing like when standard) I'm now very happy with the look/ride and improved comfort of my van and feel that I've reached a good compromise as IMHO you have to accept at some point that it is built as a van and unlikely to ever be totally car like.

 

[JPL]

thanks - I have a 20 plate 6.1 high line kombi and have done the rears same as above - dodo/carpet etc but the front can still sounds quite loud/boomy

Suspension is top priority for me next and it’s just a case of getting time to get it done

Hadn’t thought about windscreen scuttle - I will search it but hadn’t realised that would help - will probably have to do the front cab too but feels like a lot more effort than the rear

 

[Lubrown]

thanks - I have a 20 plate 6.1 high line kombi and have done the rears same as above - dodo/carpet etc but the front can still sounds quite loud/boomy

Suspension is top priority for me next and it’s just a case of getting time to get it done

Hadn’t thought about windscreen scuttle - I will search it but hadn’t realised that would help - will probably have to do the front cab too but feels like a lot more effort than the rear

Our van is kitted out as a full camper. The main noise complaint from me was the press buttons in the handles of the drawers and cupboards which all rattle around. Daft design for a camper and at some point I will change them but that will mean possibly changing cupboard fronts or at the very least filling screw holes and finding a vinyl to cover them that matches the surrounding framework (all silver).

Anyway… I had the CRD fit the Koni special active shocks and the rattles all stopped! Sadly, a few months down the line they started coming back but still not as bad as before. Guess shocks take a hammering under a van in UK roads.

 

[Lardspice]

Our van is kitted out as a full camper. The main noise complaint from me was the press buttons in the handles of the drawers and cupboards which all rattle around. Daft design for a camper and at some point I will change them but that will mean possibly changing cupboard fronts or at the very least filling screw holes and finding a vinyl to cover them that matches the surrounding framework (all silver).

Anyway… I had the CRD fit the Koni special active shocks and the rattles all stopped! Sadly, a few months down the line they started coming back but still not as bad as before. Guess shocks take a hammering under a van in UK roads.

Hi Lubrown: Did the suspension change affect your insurance at all? I have a T6.1 T28 converted to a camper but it sits very back heavy and rattles like an old maid over anything but the smoothest roads. It's a CamperKing conversion. I also have 20" wheels on the van (came with it) which I think don't help with the noise levels. Is the general view that the suspension upgrade is better than changing the wheels / tyres or should I do both? Thanks

 

[Stay Frosty]

Just because the van is a camper doesn't mean it has to sit all baggy ar5ed.
Our camper sits in a slightly aggressive nose down stance ready to thump anybody taking the Mickey out of it's upturned bath tub pop top.
This stance is down to reasonable mid price coilovers bringing the van down from the tree tops and leaves the wheels central in the wheel arches rather than the stock version where the van body sits about 9" above the tops of the wheels and you can climb in the arch gap to change the front brake pads Insitu.
The right 20" wheel undoubtedly equates to Transporter porn but realistically isn't going to help ride comfort especially on 275 35 profile tyres, the sad thing is that often a set of 20" wheels alone are bunged on a van just to help it sell when in reality they make handling worse on the stock setup, of course I could be talking box wellox as usual.
Edit and riding on 18" wheels with 255 45 balloon tyres.

 

[Lubrown]

Hi Lubrown: Did the suspension change affect your insurance at all? I have a T6.1 T28 converted to a camper but it sits very back heavy and rattles like an old maid over anything but the smoothest roads. It's a CamperKing conversion. I also have 20" wheels on the van (came with it) which I think don't help with the noise levels. Is the general view that the suspension upgrade is better than changing the wheels / tyres or should I do both? Thanks

All I changed were the shock absorbers so in my mind that doesn’t warrant an insurance change. Sure, they work better than OE shocks but ride height is the same as I kept the OE springs and they are designed to a standard.

Our T28 weighs 2.26t with a full tank of fuel and me in he drivers seat. It never has an issue with rear end sag (even loaded for a holiday it still looks good) despite just being OE springs. It did have a cracked rear spring but even then ride height looked perfect and the van was level. The crack was right at one end where the coil is pretty closely wound. The replacement OE springs are over a year old with no issues so far.

Ours is on 16” alloys with 215 wide tyres. When the tyres need replacing I’ll be looking for 17” rims and some wider tyres that need less pressure.