Stabilise Wagon handling/brakes

[chenka44]

Hi there, can someone please explain what I should ask for in order to stop my wagon from sliding out on bends (above 100 k's) and bodyroll and my brakes really suck too...don't want to lower it as it needs more height at the back... I have an 8 seater w/roofracks and fully load her when travelling. also budget options(if they exist) i guess up to around $800 Rear shocks are new standard and dunno about the rest yet
thanks

[hakhawk]

redo all the rear bushes for a start. that will help heaps, maybe get some wider tyres, so its got more grip on the road.

im not sure, but maybe some stiffer springs might stop some bdy roll

[chenka44]

thanks for that speedy reply...have 215/65/15's on ROH's ....are they wide enough?

[Apoc]

Have u checked ure tyre pressures? also are ure rims 7" wide? running 215's on a smaller rim as i am at the moment, gives a kind of boatish feel when cornering and is very dangerous at speed especially when at low pressure had mine at 31-32 psi BAD. when i was doing about 140 cruising at night even taking gentle highway corners it felt as though the car was rolling and i thought the tyres were going to tear off the rims.

215's should be wide enough, standards are 185's i beleive, just make sure they are at about 35-36psi when cold, prolly know this already but thats my two cents worth.

Apoc out.

[chenka44]

will check the rims width but usually run about 30 psi so will give that a go too...is scary with a car full of kids and the car feels floaty...my last wagon, an EA, had pedders and cornered like on train tracks but i like the overall feel of the VN better

[Apoc]

Well definately b carefull with a load of kids if 100km/h dont feel right and car slides maybe just go slower. Not preaching, dont even have kids If your tyres are at about 30psi just go for 34psi to start with you should notice a bit of a difference.

[pandaman]

As Hakwawk said, check bushes at the rear like the trailing arm bushes and panhard rod bushes and replace as neccessary. What brand of tyres are you running? Shit tyres definitely won't help.

For the bodyroll, check the condition of your swaybar links, when I testdrove my VN it had bodyroll like a flying bovine. Turns out the previous owner had removed the left hand side swaybar link because the rubbers were deceased. After I put in a new link kit the situation improved immensely.

After you've gotten your suspension into a decent condition, if you're still not happy with the handling there are several options. Upgraded swaybars will greatly improve the bodyroll situation, as will lower/stiffer springs. Also wider tyres will help as already mentioned.

[chenka44]

ok, back again...the mags are 14x7(only measurement we could see) tyres r 215x65x15's, front bushes are nolathane in good order, rear are standard rubber in good order and took out the rear springs but cannot find an uncompressed length in the boom to compare with. Rang the local spring bloke who said that if they're black, must be original and therefore stuffed. What do you people think?

[STEALTHY™]

maybe you should look at getting the springs for the rear that can be pumped up or lowered accordingly (like airbags, not as expensive tho) most cars that tow often have them, and can be pumped up via a little valve in the rear bar.

[tsalad]

yep - I cranked my wagon from 30 to 34psi and it makes a surprising difference!

[chenka44]

ok, thanks for that.Are those tyres ok on those rims?

[Morton]

I don't think there's anything wrong with 215s on a 7" wide wheel. You could even go 225s, but that wouldn't improve stability at all imho.

[commy92]

mate if what you are telling us is true you are running 15 inch tyres on 14 inch rims.

[Morton]

That is SO true...

[chenka44]

if you are talking to me , the mags are 15's