VB Air Suspension - Let's Discuss...
- Thread starter kn0bby
- Start date
I prefer the ride with the VB air suspension over the standard T32 suspension which felt so harsh as if it could rattle your head and knock your filings out. However, it’s going to have to go back to Rosmia who installed it last November it as it has suddenly decided to drain the van battery
Well I've just re-read the whole thread from start to finish and I'm not sure I see any inconsistency? We are all entitled to our opinions and cognitive dissonance probably plays a part. If you're happy with it, enjoy it. I'm sticking to Koni Sports and hanging onto the £4k difference (or £5.5k if you contEli's unfortunate experience!)This seems somewhat inconsistent with Steve’s post here?
VB Air Suspension - Let's Discuss...
the shocks may be new but they are the same as OEM suspension. A & E Leisure told me its a full suspension systemwww.t6forum.com
Well I've just re-read the whole thread from start to finish and I'm not sure I see any inconsistency? We are all entitled to our opinions and cognitive dissonance probably plays a part. If you're happy with it, enjoy it. I'm sticking to Koni Sports and hanging onto the £4k difference (or £5.5k if you contEli's unfortunate experience!)
It was that specific post I linked to that I referred to, which cleared up the earlier confusion as to whether VB kits used stock shocks, which they don't. I wasn't raising any wider opinion as to which you should go for so I'm not sure what cognitive dissonance would have to do with it. I definitely agree with going with the cheaper option if it's more suited to what you're trying to achieve though.
We love our VB Air. In priority order I would say the benefits for us are Lowering, Self-levelling, Raising and then rarely used Sport.
But like the above our Converter has gone back to Rosmia, in our case to challenge the VB negative being connected directly to the battery and not via the VW Smart battery monitor.
But like the above our Converter has gone back to Rosmia, in our case to challenge the VB negative being connected directly to the battery and not via the VW Smart battery monitor.
Martinf, could you throw some more light on the VB negative being connected directly to the battery issue please?
As i guess, the VB air pump/compressor should not use battery, if the battery is below a certain threshold. This is prevented by the Smart Battery Monitor? My VB Air has also been fitted by Rosmia, but have not checked this aspect.
I have VB. Happy with it. Similar usage benefits as you have highlighted. Use sport on Motorways only. If nothing else, gives the bags and the compressor some work to do.
Kurien, have a look at this thread which discusses negative battery connections.
Starter Battery Wiring - VW Disagreement
Interesting one. I've had a few problems with my starter battery discharging (its a Varta, not a Moll so thats not the issue!). Basically my battery goes flat after around 5-7d inactivity. Thats pretty short imo. This was an issue before lockdown and is not just due to the extended hiatus. I've...
We love our VB but do have to be careful with our vehicle battery and now believe this could be due to the VB direct connection to the battery negative post. As I have been led to believe, if the VW Smart alternator/ battery monitor (in Euro 6) doesn't know that the battery is being depleted (by the VB compressor in this case) it will not put charge back into the battery. This information has come from the Forum as I am not expert in automotive electrical systems.
Kurien, have a look at this thread which discusses negative battery connections.
Starter Battery Wiring - VW Disagreement
Interesting one. I've had a few problems with my starter battery discharging (its a Varta, not a Moll so thats not the issue!). Basically my battery goes flat after around 5-7d inactivity. Thats pretty short imo. This was an issue before lockdown and is not just due to the extended hiatus. I've...
We love our VB but do have to be careful with our vehicle battery and now believe this could be due to the VB direct connection to the battery negative post. As I have been led to believe, if the VW Smart alternator/ battery monitor (in Euro 6) doesn't know that the battery is being depleted (by the VB compressor in this case) it will not put charge back into the battery. This information has come from the Forum as I am not expert in automotive electrical systems.
I'll check how ours is wired up. We probably wouldn't notice any issue from it though as our battery gets trickle charged from solar so pretty much lives close to 100%. Anyone with a DC-DC charger probably wouldn't notice either as that would send the alternator high a lot of the time, which would have the side effect of charging the vehicle battery.
Good point. Thanks. Yes, we also have a solar charger, connected to both the starter as well as the leisure batteries. Maybe, because the solar keeping the starter battery also charged is possibly why we never had any issues.
I am yet to check how mine is wired up.
Had my T6 with an auto electrician. He’s convinced It is the Air suspension causing the battery drain 0.1-0.09 amps draw when it has supposed to have shut down. Taken the 7amp fuse out when not using it and drain seems to have stopped. Anyway booked in with Rosmia to investigate with VB Themselves assisting with additional diagnostics. Got the auto electrician to move the wires in the battery negative to a chassis ground earth (Not sure of proper term but you know what I mean) as the van is going in to VW for a recall on the timing belt and didn’t want the discussion with them over the wiring.
How's the ride comfort on VBs with 19" or 20" wheels? I am having VBs installed to my T6 Caravelle minibus after about month and for the good looks of them I would love to put 19 or 20" wheels under it, but I don't want to compromise the comfort of my passengers too much. (between my wife and three daughters I'd never hear the end of it!), I know that as a driver, I would probably not mind the relative harshness of the ride that larger wheels bring along, but I wonder how it affects seat rows 2 and 3. Any experience and comments would be most welcome. Thanks!
I wish I could answer this question (i.e that I had VB on my Vel), but I don't, so I can't.
But I do think you are right to think about the rows 2 and 3, as they are far more susceptible to harshness in the suspension/tyre setup than row 1.
My old T5 vel had factory fitted 30mm lowering, and it was a rough ride in the back on poor B-roads.
Perhaps when you've got your VB Vel back you can work out if there is any comfort margin left in your set up to go for larger wheels. but if you do, one thing to consider is running a slightly larger tyre (in circumference/diameter) to give yourself more sidewall rubber and experiment with tyre pressures a bit.
If you look at https://www.willtheyfit.com/index.p...2=40&wheel_size=20&wheel_width=7-5&offset2=20
You can play about with tyre sizes.
What will your standard right height be set at compared to the factory setting?
One thing I've wondered about the VB set up is the shock absorbers, as they are major antagonists in the comfort of the vehicle; and if they can be upgraded to the latest offerings from Koni etc?
Please let us all know how you get on with the VB set up, and what your findings are.
But I do think you are right to think about the rows 2 and 3, as they are far more susceptible to harshness in the suspension/tyre setup than row 1.
My old T5 vel had factory fitted 30mm lowering, and it was a rough ride in the back on poor B-roads.
Perhaps when you've got your VB Vel back you can work out if there is any comfort margin left in your set up to go for larger wheels. but if you do, one thing to consider is running a slightly larger tyre (in circumference/diameter) to give yourself more sidewall rubber and experiment with tyre pressures a bit.
If you look at https://www.willtheyfit.com/index.p...2=40&wheel_size=20&wheel_width=7-5&offset2=20
You can play about with tyre sizes.
What will your standard right height be set at compared to the factory setting?
One thing I've wondered about the VB set up is the shock absorbers, as they are major antagonists in the comfort of the vehicle; and if they can be upgraded to the latest offerings from Koni etc?
Please let us all know how you get on with the VB set up, and what your findings are.
Thanks @chriscroft ! I checked out the tyre fit site and it seems useful.
The sales guy at the company installing the VB told me that the standard height of the VB is about 30 mm lower than OEM suspension. Which then can be lowered another 30 mm with sports mode. This info is a bit different from what I read here at the forum, but I'll be wiser after the installation is done. He also told me that the shocks will be either AL-KO or Koni, but he couldn't tell which. That's a bit odd in my opinion. Maybe VB uses different shocks for different car manufacturers and he couldn't remember which one of these two is used with VW T6. I think I'll ask him again now that he has ordered suspension parts for my van. I know Koni is well regarded around here, but I'm bit unsure what to think about AL-KO. It only reminds me of finnish government owned alcohol retailing monopoly store which is called ALKO.
The sales guy at the company installing the VB told me that the standard height of the VB is about 30 mm lower than OEM suspension. Which then can be lowered another 30 mm with sports mode. This info is a bit different from what I read here at the forum, but I'll be wiser after the installation is done. He also told me that the shocks will be either AL-KO or Koni, but he couldn't tell which. That's a bit odd in my opinion. Maybe VB uses different shocks for different car manufacturers and he couldn't remember which one of these two is used with VW T6. I think I'll ask him again now that he has ordered suspension parts for my van. I know Koni is well regarded around here, but I'm bit unsure what to think about AL-KO. It only reminds me of finnish government owned alcohol retailing monopoly store which is called ALKO.
Maybe VB have changed the heights. When I had mine installed, I understood that Sport mode was just 20mm below Standard mode, which itself equated to OEM height. Exploria (who installed mine) now say that Sport mode gives a 50mm drop.Thanks @chriscroft ! I checked out the tyre fit site and it seems useful.
The sales guy at the company installing the VB told me that the standard height of the VB is about 30 mm lower than OEM suspension. Which then can be lowered another 30 mm with sports mode. This info is a bit different from what I read here at the forum, but I'll be wiser after the installation is done. He also told me that the shocks will be either AL-KO or Koni, but he couldn't tell which. That's a bit odd in my opinion. Maybe VB uses different shocks for different car manufacturers and he couldn't remember which one of these two is used with VW T6. I think I'll ask him again now that he has ordered suspension parts for my van. I know Koni is well regarded around here, but I'm bit unsure what to think about AL-KO. It only reminds me of finnish government owned alcohol retailing monopoly store which is called ALKO.
I guess OEM heights can vary
Standard Van OEM=0mm
Vel Exec OEM=-20mm
Sportline OEM=-40mm (although sportline isn't actually an OEM, its all carried out post Factory)
Standard Van OEM=0mm
Vel Exec OEM=-20mm
Sportline OEM=-40mm (although sportline isn't actually an OEM, its all carried out post Factory)
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Hy all,
I'm very interested in VB air suspension and so I'm looking for any information to get a good understanding about what it needs, what is it necessary to do and more.
Like this I found this "Einbau by HESS" video showing the installation of VB Full air on T6. I just translated to English its comments (in yellow color).
My questions is "Do you know exactly what your reseller did on your T6 to install it?" because I'm a little bit scared as he has to do many disassembly.
Have you got any technical documentation about this installation from VB Aire suspension?
I'm very interested in VB air suspension and so I'm looking for any information to get a good understanding about what it needs, what is it necessary to do and more.
Like this I found this "Einbau by HESS" video showing the installation of VB Full air on T6. I just translated to English its comments (in yellow color).
My questions is "Do you know exactly what your reseller did on your T6 to install it?" because I'm a little bit scared as he has to do many disassembly.
Have you got any technical documentation about this installation from VB Aire suspension?
Nice find and good translations. Thank you.Hy all,
I'm very interested in VB air suspension and so I'm looking for any information to get a good understanding about what it needs, what is it necessary to do and more.
Like this I found this "Einbau by HESS" video showing the installation of VB Full air on T6. I just translated to English its comments (in yellow color).
Yup, that seems a lot like what they did on mine. The thing is - for some of the item such as access near the front, yes, they need take off a 100 small pieces to get to the slots through which they have to pull in the cables. That is what makes it seem like a very involved process.
The van that they are working on seems to be a California where it has all the plastic cladding on the underside for noise reduction and that also makes it look quite involved.
Are you looking for the VB workshop manual? I doubt if anyone has scanned and put it in the downloads section.
Edit: searched download and could not find it
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