Turbo Minivan Wanted

[going4speed]

Strut assemblies look awesome. Big fan of replacing 30 old springs.
The springs look progressive versus the OE. That's interesting for a OE replacement.

[ajakeski]

I have a feeling a new set of rear springs are in my future as well.

[Vigo]

I didn't know about those. Let us know how they ride!

[Vigo]

Wow, that's a pretty sweet deal, When Woody needed new struts I put some Rock Auto cheapies on and regretted it right away. By 5-6K miles one side was completely shot. I traded them out for Koni's but Daytona Koni's so I lost 2 inches of travel which I still miss over big bumps I do have some Mini Koni's now but don't want to raise the front back up that 2" again. So I have an idea to cut the strut tower tops off and extend them 2", there is room under hood but it's a pretty labor intensive maneuver and I've been wrenching on other projects so it will have to wait

I'm not sure what you mean here. I've done some fairly extensive 'suspension travel testing' on my old crappy van and i found that with no/missing bumpstops you run out of suspension travel when your oil pan bashes into the ground. So you can't even use all the strut travel that's already there even with k-car struts (that were on it at that time). That van currently has raceland coilovers from the back of a 2g neon modified to fit in the front using stock upper strut mounts. They don't have much travel at the ride height im at but the good thing about them is they do hit the bumpstops before anything important hits the pavement, unlike stock struts with no/missing bumpstops.

My SRT van has k-car konis and cut Eibachs in front but it's really low too so neither one of them has a ton of travel anymore. I do miss being able to bomb through dips on roads i shouldnt have been going so fast on but i am a sucker for a lowered van.

[ajakeski]

Any suggestions for rear leaf springs?

Rock sells four different rated Dayton springs rated from 950 to 1430 pounds.

My current springs measure 1 3/8 inch thick. That corresponds to the description of the 950 pound Dayton spring.

I suppose I should do some research and figure out what is on the new struts.

MOOG's are rated at 960 pound load rating at 114 pounds per inch. This is the same spec as the V6 spring.

I haven't found any specs on the OEM springs.

[ajakeski]

I put the Voyager back on it's wheels. The new struts have the front end 3/4 inch higher than the rear.
I didn't have time for a road test, but 3/4 inch of settling isn't unusual. The crappy Wisconsin roads will beat some life out of the suspension in no time.

[2.216VTurbo]

I'm not sure what you mean here. I've done some fairly extensive 'suspension travel testing' on my old crappy van and i found that with no/missing bumpstops you run out of suspension travel when your oil pan bashes into the ground. So you can't even use all the strut travel that's already there even with k-car struts (that were on it at that time). That van currently has raceland coilovers from the back of a 2g neon modified to fit in the front using stock upper strut mounts. They don't have much travel at the ride height im at but the good thing about them is they do hit the bumpstops before anything important hits the pavement, unlike stock struts with no/missing bumpstops.

My SRT van has k-car konis and cut Eibachs in front but it's really low too so neither one of them has a ton of travel anymore. I do miss being able to bomb through dips on roads i shouldnt have been going so fast on but i am a sucker for a lowered van.

Lol, it's not the BOTTTOM of the travel, it's the TOP When the struts go to full extension it feels like a pair of sledgehammers just attacked the strut towers and are turning them into pulverized sheetsteel

[Johnny]

It should never hit, You have bump stops there?

[2.216VTurbo]

It should never hit, You have bump stops there?

Are there such things as extension stops? I mean, I've seen nylon straps on offroad buggies

[cordes]

Lol, it's not the BOTTTOM of the travel, it's the TOP When the struts go to full extension it feels like a pair of sledgehammers just attacked the strut towers and are turning them into pulverized sheetsteel

So, isn't the problem that your strut can't control the spring? Not enough resistance to the rebound?

[Johnny]

So, isn't the problem that your strut can't control the spring? Not enough resistance to the rebound?

Correct.

[2.216VTurbo]

So, isn't the problem that your strut can't control the spring? Not enough resistance to the rebound?

Sorry for the hijack Andy but you found your van already so thread is open for barely related discussion right?

Yes, more rebound damping helps and they are Koni's so I can dial it up until it rides like $hit or I can 'top out' occasionally over large bumps(like speedbumps taken .5MPH too fast) The point was with the shorter Daytona Konis I'm using (wait, was there a point here? ) that 2" of strut body length loss means that now there is 30%-40% LESS travel range to accomplish the damping so there's no real answer unless I get the travel back. By raising the tops of the shock towers I could use the worlds last set of NIB Koni's for Minis I have and not have to raise the front of the van, I really like the rake it has now

[Pat]

Has anyone looked into SRT4 koni inserts? I believe they have a longer travel length thanthe standard Daytona struts. Not completely positive though.

My thinking was that if they are long enough, install them in stock housings and run cool over sleeves/springs. Set height and spring rate where I want it.

[Pat]

Just realized where this thread is. Maybe we should start another minivan suspension thread.

[ajakeski]

Have a moderator change hte title of the thread to:>

Mini Van Suspension Tech etc.

[wheming]

Have a moderator change hte title of the thread to:>

Mini Van Suspension Tech etc.

But then we'll lose all the on topic discussion!
Alan can put his beer down long enough to start his own suspension thread...

Maybe change it from [Wanted] to a project log...

[ajakeski]

Maybe I want more than one van...

I rolled it out of the shop today. Heading out for an alignment and exhaust system this week.

Springtime is in the air.

[cordes]

Has anyone looked into SRT4 koni inserts? I believe they have a longer travel length thanthe standard Daytona struts. Not completely positive though.

My thinking was that if they are long enough, install them in stock housings and run cool over sleeves/springs. Set height and spring rate where I want it.

I thought the 2nd gen Neons were in between the K cars and the 1st gen Neons in travel. I'm not even close to positive though. I'm interested to know now.

- - - Updated - - -

ETA: I would move all the suspension discussion into anther thread, but I don't have the powers in this forum to do so.

[ajakeski]

I have Van and G body donor struts.

[Pat]

Did a quick look at the Monroe e-catalog this morning to compare strut lengths. Here's what I found:


'90 Caravan
body length: 11.85
compressed length: 12.35
extended length: 18.74
travel: 6.39

'90 Daytona
body length: 10.27
compressed length: 10.77
extended length: 17.20
travel: 6.43

'04 Neon
body length: 11.5
compressed length: 12.0
extended length: 18.0
travel: 6.0

'87 Omni
body length: 13.6
compressed length: 13.8
extended length: 20.0
travel: 6.1


After looking at this, I think the SRT-4 Koni inserts could be a good fit for the minivans. All dimensions seem to align closely with those of the van struts. Slide some threaded sleeves on there, have adjustable height and run whatever spring you want. Could lower the front end without dropping it so far that is screws the control arm and axle angles. I think they'd work out pretty well.