Took me a good few hours on my own in the garage, but not difficult.
Things you will need over and above the standard tool kit you already have if you are tempting this yourself.
7 MM Allen key to remove standard suspension top caps.
T40 Torx bit for the drop link arm.
3 arm puller as no way were my wiper arms coming off without it. They were on solid. You will need to grind one hook/foot a bit to get the drivers side one off as the trim curles up.
21mm sockets - more than one, and two ratchets. I have one of those telescopic Draper wheel braces and a long series 21mm that helped loads.
Torque wrench.
Things to note.
The top of the Koni shocks can not handle 80 Nm
. Fortunately a little distortion at the top was the only evidence. Adjuster still works fine. Thankfully.... I should of known looking at it, but just ploughed on regardless.
Learn how the little electrical plugs unclip - this will save you some head scratching. Small flat blade screwdriver in the right spot.
Grease up the rear springs in the little rubber seats at the bottom. It will hold water and rot them. My T4 ones only lasted 8 years.
The front is easy to set up as you can lift the vehicle and adjust with the wheel in place.
The rear is a PITA. When working off the ground you need to jack it up (this is a pain in itself finding a suitable spot then placing the axle stand), wheels off, rear shocks lower mount removed, trailing arm down to release spring load. Approx 5 rotations is about an inch down. I did not measure this, so very approx. Then when you lift the trailing arm back up, make sure both rear springs are aligned to the upper adjuster or you'll be dropping it back down again. Then fit it all back together and see what you have.
My front seems to be set higher relative to the back on the available adjustment, but in reality is well lower. Maybe the rear needs to top adjuster totally removed to get full drop, but I only have about 10 mm (again, approx as by eye only) to wind to the lowest setting, whereas fronts have about 40-50 mm they could be wound down.
Initial impressions
LUSH and PLUSH! I had my reservations, but even my wife said, 'lovely and smooth isn't it' I left them on their softest setting as they came.
Based on a short run today. Much longer run tomorrow.
I've not tried all the other options, or any for that matter. This one just sounded right, and speaking to Steve convinced me of that. Was going to get the STX kit, but this just seemed to fit the job on paper.
I went a little bigger on tyre diameter though.
Fronts are 8.5x20 ET35 and 245/45
Rear are 10x20 ET40 and 275/40
Both are perfectly in line with the side of the van and give me exactly the look I was going for.
If I think of anything else that might be useful, I'll add.
Photo and update tomorrow after the longer drive.
I also think I scuffed the outer arch once on a particularity bumpy/undulating bit of road, so ill do the outer arch trick mod, otherwise ill pop it up a bit.
Once happy, I'll see If I can pop to @BognorMotors ( I bet you get fed up of being tagged...) for an alignment.
Overall though, chuffed to buttons is an understatement.
I also need to join team Black as she was new to me yesterday morning
Do we need a H&R/Koni team too?
Things you will need over and above the standard tool kit you already have if you are tempting this yourself.
7 MM Allen key to remove standard suspension top caps.
T40 Torx bit for the drop link arm.
3 arm puller as no way were my wiper arms coming off without it. They were on solid. You will need to grind one hook/foot a bit to get the drivers side one off as the trim curles up.
21mm sockets - more than one, and two ratchets. I have one of those telescopic Draper wheel braces and a long series 21mm that helped loads.
Torque wrench.
Things to note.
The top of the Koni shocks can not handle 80 Nm
. Fortunately a little distortion at the top was the only evidence. Adjuster still works fine. Thankfully.... I should of known looking at it, but just ploughed on regardless.Learn how the little electrical plugs unclip - this will save you some head scratching. Small flat blade screwdriver in the right spot.
Grease up the rear springs in the little rubber seats at the bottom. It will hold water and rot them. My T4 ones only lasted 8 years.
The front is easy to set up as you can lift the vehicle and adjust with the wheel in place.
The rear is a PITA. When working off the ground you need to jack it up (this is a pain in itself finding a suitable spot then placing the axle stand), wheels off, rear shocks lower mount removed, trailing arm down to release spring load. Approx 5 rotations is about an inch down. I did not measure this, so very approx. Then when you lift the trailing arm back up, make sure both rear springs are aligned to the upper adjuster or you'll be dropping it back down again. Then fit it all back together and see what you have.
My front seems to be set higher relative to the back on the available adjustment, but in reality is well lower. Maybe the rear needs to top adjuster totally removed to get full drop, but I only have about 10 mm (again, approx as by eye only) to wind to the lowest setting, whereas fronts have about 40-50 mm they could be wound down.
Initial impressions
LUSH and PLUSH! I had my reservations, but even my wife said, 'lovely and smooth isn't it' I left them on their softest setting as they came.
Based on a short run today. Much longer run tomorrow.
I've not tried all the other options, or any for that matter. This one just sounded right, and speaking to Steve convinced me of that. Was going to get the STX kit, but this just seemed to fit the job on paper.
I went a little bigger on tyre diameter though.
Fronts are 8.5x20 ET35 and 245/45
Rear are 10x20 ET40 and 275/40
Both are perfectly in line with the side of the van and give me exactly the look I was going for.
If I think of anything else that might be useful, I'll add.
Photo and update tomorrow after the longer drive.
I also think I scuffed the outer arch once on a particularity bumpy/undulating bit of road, so ill do the outer arch trick mod, otherwise ill pop it up a bit.
Once happy, I'll see If I can pop to @BognorMotors ( I bet you get fed up of being tagged...) for an alignment.
Overall though, chuffed to buttons is an understatement.
I also need to join team Black as she was new to me yesterday morning
Do we need a H&R/Koni team too?
