Lift kit for T5 4 Motion - supplier?

[SvenOz]

........

[jonathan_k]

Yo Sven, did you upgrade your shock absorbers when you did the springs or just go with air bags? Can you adjust the ride height (i.e. increase ground clearance) with the polyair bags? Do Heasman's put in a diff spacer?

Regarding diff lock, I was also in the same position as you, chasing a locker, but didn't find one and still haven't seen one in the 6 months since buying one without. I get email alerts from carsales and it's pretty rare to even see a private sale 4motion later than 2013.

I've been impressed with the off road performance, it can do everything it needs to but coming from real 4x4's I cringe at having to put power into the system to activate the traction systems, especially on rocky terrain (like coming out of a river crossing). DSG runs away on steep down hills -- as expected -- even locked in 1st.

Definitely need more ground clearance and almost ready to commit, which is why I ask about the shocks. I was really impressed with Bilstein's on my last vehicle, but the prices advertised here (which I'm pretty sure are per shock) are well beyond my budget:

https://www.bilstein.com.au/find-parts?car_make=591&car_model=596&car_type=598

[LogicprObe]

Bilstein shock people in more ways than one!

[jonathan_k]

I dug up the receipt for my last Bilstein's, $760 for the set and would happily pay that again or even a bit more. I'm seeing the total cost for the T5 at $1900, eek!

Are there any other shocks people are using or are people just staying with the stock shocks? Transporter gave good feedback on the pedder's.

[LogicprObe]

It's hard to judge with shocks unless you change them with not many miles on them.
I haven't done it on my T5 yet but I'm over 300k now so I guess it won't be long.
They feel OK now but the slow wear out makes it hard to compare.
With my T4, I just got a set from Just Kampers (whatever brand they are).
They seemed great but I suppose anything would @ 400k!

[08Trakka]

Hey Guy’s,


Fairly new owner of a 2008 T5 4Motion LWB with the Trakkadu fit out by Trakka. I am currently chatting with Peter at Seikel about ordering the Dessert HD Kit with the aim of fitting either 235/70/16 on the standard VW 16” steels or going with a 235/65/17.


One thing I can’t see tom find any answers on is what wheel “offset” is required.


I am trying to work out if the standard 16” (ET51) steelies will fit with 235/70/16 or like I have seen a few others do I need to get a set of 17x8 (ET30) and go with the 235/65/17.


Any help appreciated - Cheers Haydn.

[Markee]

ET30 did alter my track by 50mm in total with 17x7.5 rims using 245/65x17 tyres.
It fills the guards out nicely but would definitely need some lift to avoid guard rubbing I'd think.

[saltd0g]

Hey Fellas,

So I have brought another van, I now have a 2011 Ex Ambo, 4motion LWB etc. etc. Was there a conclusion to this post, ie which was the best bang for buck lift? Which Springs and Which Shocks?

Thanks
Saltd0g

[Bryn23]

Hey Fellas,

So I have brought another van, I now have a 2011 Ex Ambo, 4motion LWB etc. etc. Was there a conclusion to this post, ie which was the best bang for buck lift? Which Springs and Which Shocks?

Thanks
Saltd0g

Hey Saltd0g,

It might pay to check your VIN plate, as most Ex Ambos are the 3200 KG GVM instead of the normal 3000kg GVM models that are in Australia.

It has a different suspension to the 3000kg GVM, so make sure what strut you have before ordering a kit.

I've got a 3.2 Kg LWB T6 and i'll be getting a Seikel "MAXI HD" kit, once i finish my camper conversion.

You can get this through Trakka (3k) or directly through Seikel.

i tried other mobs about King Springs and Bilsten Shocks, but they never got back to me to confirm it would fit the 3200kg model. (these were 2.8-2.9k mark)

[MAD]

Hey GuyÂ’s,


Fairly new owner of a 2008 T5 4Motion LWB with the Trakkadu fit out by Trakka. I am currently chatting with Peter at Seikel about ordering the Dessert HD Kit with the aim of fitting either 235/70/16 on the standard VW 16” steels or going with a 235/65/17.


One thing I can’t see tom find any answers on is what wheel “offset” is required.


I am trying to work out if the standard 16” (ET51) steelies will fit with 235/70/16 or like I have seen a few others do I need to get a set of 17x8 (ET30) and go with the 235/65/17.


Any help appreciated - Cheers Haydn.

Hey Haydn , if I were you I'd stick with 16" with taller tyres ie: 235/70/r16 , the only reason the rest of us are going 235/65/17" is because the t5.1 2010 onward models come with larger front disks standard which require 17"wheels and cannot fit a 16" rim , the better scenario for off road use is the 16" with the taller side wall tyre, it works better by allowing the tyre to bag out get traction and cushion the ride more when you need to run lower pressures , not sure which offset you will need but I WOULDN'T recommend going bigger than a 235/70 r16 (70) in the tyre 'height' as the gearing will be to tall in first gear unless ur paying for the seikel low range box to compensate $$$$$$ and will require bigger offset to clear everything,
Hope this helps
Regards
Mad

[MAD]

Hey Saltd0g,

It might pay to check your VIN plate, as most Ex Ambos are the 3200 KG GVM instead of the normal 3000kg GVM models that are in Australia.

It has a different suspension to the 3000kg GVM, so make sure what strut you have before ordering a kit.

I've got a 3.2 Kg LWB T6 and i'll be getting a Seikel "MAXI HD" kit, once i finish my camper conversion.

You can get this through Trakka (3k) or directly through Seikel.

i tried other mobs about King Springs and Bilsten Shocks, but they never got back to me to confirm it would fit the 3200kg model. (these were 2.8-2.9k mark)

Hey guys,
Yeah the NSW ( note not Vic!) ambos, police and trakka 4 motions are usually the T32 maxi or 3200kg capable check plate as some are still only T30 3000kg with the option to goto 3.2 t ,

As for which is best I have still not heard back from any of the siekel users about the stroke travel length to know if it's a longer strut and shock length , re: see my previous posts about arch to hub whilst car hoisted and wheels hanging, that being said siekel have stated it's a longer stroke to me in an email when I asked if I could by only the springs they said no it needed the struts to suit which were longer! NOTE: I still am not sure if this is true as us was just the sales chick emailing me not Peter siekel himself, so until someone with siekel on this thread does the hanging wheel arch measurement we will not know if it's true,

Note again: some of the Aussie lift kits don't lift very high as they are based on the swb models standard suspension vans of which I have figured out are lower suspension height initially than a lwb or any vans with the maxi or heavy duty option packs, this is why they ( say king springs for eg. ) don't look or measure as high as a siekel kit (in the front especially )

I hope this is comprehendible as I'm not a wordsmith , and also hopefully a siekel user may be able to post the loaded hub to arch and "hanging" hub to arch measurements along with which kit they have ( maxi , maxi HD , desert or desert HD) so we can see if it's a longer stroke than stock not just lift,

Then Hopefully we can have a final outcome on which lift is best ie: Aussie custom springs or siekel $

Regards
Mad

[Sunny43.5]

ET30 did alter my track by 50mm in total with 17x7.5 rims using 245/65x17 tyres.
It fills the guards out nicely but would definitely need some lift to avoid guard rubbing I'd think.

Live dangerously Markee ! Many years back in my addled youth I stuck some huge wheels under my VF Valiant V8 wagon , whenever you went over a decent bump at speed you could see a wisp of smoke come off the tyres as they rubbed the guard lip .

[saltd0g]

Thanks guys, i have sachs shocks and king springs in my 05 transporter! I cant remember the price but i swear it was around 2.8k so if it was 3k for siekels then i would just run them!!! Hmmm itd be good if one of the seikel guys posted there sizes!

[saltd0g]

So i talked to Heasemans, they can do king springs and the extended bilstien shocks for $3400 fitted. It got me thinking though, I am sure that my van already has a lift kit as it is an ex ambo, i might do my fitout first then see how it rides. It is ROUGHLY 790mm to the centre of the gaurds at the moment. It only has stock wheels on. So if i put my 235/65/R17s on, then I will probably be close to where it would be with the lift anyway? Except that the springs would be old and i wouldn't have as much travel as the new bilsteins. Anyway just thinking out loud and though people might like to know Heasemans price.

[Bryn23]

So salt09,

Did you work out what GVM you have?

It does make sense to fit it out first, i know that the Sekiel HD suspension requires 500kg in it at all times. (they do a non HD package, for light loads)

Not sure on the King and Bilstien package.

You can always order direct from Seikel as well, they check your vin number to see if it will fit.