vs struts to vp

[lukas pukas]

just a quick question, can vs v6 struts be put into a vp v6?
cause ive got a pair that are like brand new and was wondering if this can be done.
cheers luke.

[xcop5l]

the vs struts wont fit because the bearing plates at the top are different. if you change the bearing plates then they will fit

[88GreenVN]

My VN wagon has VS struts in it - at the time they said I had to fit complete units. I guess that is the bearing top plate bits as well.

[lukas pukas]

ok cool, it can be done then...but using the original baring plate
cheers guys!!

[GTP 85]

I thought the lower mounts of the VR> strut was totally different to the VP<?? I know you can change strut tops (ive got VY SS struts). VR> have 2 bolt lower mount and VP< has a single taper bolt... im sure of it.

[friedchicken]

I thought the lower mounts of the VR> strut was totally different to the VP<?? I know you can change strut tops (ive got VY SS struts). VR> have 2 bolt lower mount and VP< has a single taper bolt... im sure of it.

Just to make sure i read that right - you are running VY strut tops in a vn/vp?? i assumed they wouldnt fit. what struts are you running?

i looked into vr/vs struts a while ago for my vn. the lower wishbone is wider, so you would probably have issues with scraping on vn guards, also need a vr/vs rack aswell i think. the tops were the biggest issue and the main reason i didnt go ahead with it.

cheers

Edit: also how does that go with wheel alignment? where do you make castor/camber adjustments?

Edit2: i just realised you have a vs, so vy STRUTS should bolt straight in i think - *ignore all of the above*

[immortality]

to use the later Vr/VS struts you would need to use the hub assembly from the Vr/VS also. these unfortunatly don't fit on your lower control arm. there for oyu would need to use the VR/VS control arm which is wider then the VN/VP etc etc etc. i think in the end the top strut mount is actually the easiest part as i'm sure if you get the later VY adjustable strut mounts from K-mac the should bolt straight in as they are the same as the early commodore udjustable setup but to suit the later model strut shaft size etc

[immortality]

My VN wagon has VS struts in it - at the time they said I had to fit complete units. I guess that is the bearing top plate bits as well.

got some pics of how this has been done please

[GTP 85]

Just to make sure i read that right - you are running VY strut tops in a vn/vp?? i assumed they wouldnt fit. what struts are you running?

i looked into vr/vs struts a while ago for my vn. the lower wishbone is wider, so you would probably have issues with scraping on vn guards, also need a vr/vs rack aswell i think. the tops were the biggest issue and the main reason i didnt go ahead with it.

cheers

Edit: also how does that go with wheel alignment? where do you make castor/camber adjustments?

Edit2: i just realised you have a vs, so vy STRUTS should bolt straight in i think - *ignore all of the above*

Yea, sorry i was a bit unclear on that! My car is a VS and i have VYSS struts with VS strut tops, so they do fit

I was just questioning how 88GREENVN got VS struts into his VN?? Since VP and below has different strut tops and bottoms to VR and above?

Hopefully ive made sense now lol

[lukas pukas]

eh, if im going to have to do alot to the steering side of things ill just get new struts for it, way easyer.....
cheers.

[immortality]

eh, if im going to have to do alot to the steering side of things ill just get new struts for it, way easyer.....
cheers.

yes it's unfortunate that it's not a simple bolt on operation. i've also been looking into this for a club day racer but haven't found a easy way to do this without having to mod the steering rack which gets expensive cause if i ever break something then i have to engineer new parts rather then just been able to bolts new ones straight in etc. i haven't totally given up yet but at the mo the best way i can see it been done is by getting a custom made lower control arm but i don't know how that would stand up to inspection

[88GreenVN]

Yea, sorry i was a bit unclear on that! My car is a VS and i have VYSS struts with VS strut tops, so they do fit

I was just questioning how 88GREENVN got VS struts into his VN?? Since VP and below has different strut tops and bottoms to VR and above?

Hopefully ive made sense now lol

When the front end was done the mechanic said he would have to change a few things but at the time I did not take enough notice of what. The car sits much higher than before so something was changed. He said it was VS but he also could have been feeding me rubbish too.

[lukas pukas]

yes it's unfortunate that it's not a simple bolt on operation. i've also been looking into this for a club day racer but haven't found a easy way to do this without having to mod the steering rack which gets expensive cause if i ever break something then i have to engineer new parts rather then just been able to bolts new ones straight in etc. i haven't totally given up yet but at the mo the best way i can see it been done is by getting a custom made lower control arm but i don't know how that would stand up to inspection

yeah im just going to get some brand new struts instead, dont really want to miss with the steering or anything else, pitty there not just a straight swap over....

[friedchicken]

The car sits much higher than before so something was changed. He said it was VS but he also could have been feeding me rubbish too.

the height is probably just springs. can you have a quick look underneath for us? vs lower arms are cast rather than fabricated sheet, and the strut is bolted to the hub/stub axle rather than a single unit like the vb-vp.

im really interested to see it done

immortality- i dont think the rack would be an issue, a vr one *should* just bolt in i think. only thing is that the vns/s1 vps had a splined shaft, later ones run a square drive if i remember correctly. so you may need a vr/vs column aswell.

[immortality]

immortality- i dont think the rack would be an issue, a vr one *should* just bolt in i think. only thing is that the vns/s1 vps had a splined shaft, later ones run a square drive if i remember correctly. so you may need a vr/vs column aswell.

unfortunatly it's not that simple, yes it will bolt in but the VR has a wider track then VN/VP. if you bolted the standard VR lower control arm in it would work but then your wheels would be hanging outa the gaurds etc. you could move the mounting point in forthe lower control arm in the subframe to correct the track width problem but then you end up with a situation where the pivot points for the lower control arms are less then the pivot points on the steering rack, this creates bump steer and is generally frowned upon at inspection as it can create upredictable front wheel movement etc. the solution to this would be to shorten the streering rack but then it's no longer a simple conversion etc

[immortality]

When the front end was done the mechanic said he would have to change a few things but at the time I did not take enough notice of what. The car sits much higher than before so something was changed. He said it was VS but he also could have been feeding me rubbish too.

please take a pic with the wheel at max steering lock if you can, i'll be able to see whats been done that way. cheers sometimes when fitting new strut tops the car will sit higher as the old would have been sagging a bit. i noticed this as well when i fitted the adjustable nolathane ones on my VH, the front sat much higher and looked awful

[88GreenVN]

please take a pic with the wheel at max steering lock if you can, i'll be able to see whats been done that way. cheers sometimes when fitting new strut tops the car will sit higher as the old would have been sagging a bit. i noticed this as well when i fitted the adjustable nolathane ones on my VH, the front sat much higher and looked awful

The top bearing plates were replaced in 97 when pedders done the front end up $1,100 at the time for a complete rebuilt - made the car very harsh to drive in. So when the car had its Calais loom and L3 fitted - the Shocks and springs were ment to be changed to a VS setup.

I've taken several photos so hope this one helps - I have no idea what it is VN VS - BUT It's not a VT or VE front strut

[88GreenVN]

In thinking about this a bit more - Could they have pulled the VS struts apart and re-assembled them with the VN stubs and stuff?

[immortality]

thats definitly the original VN strut setup. most probably whats happended is that they have changed the strut insert (the actual shock absorber) to maybe one that has the same bound/rebound characteristics as the VS. the actual VR/VS setup is slightly different in that the strut bolts to the wheel hub and when it's worn out you just change the whole strut and throw away the old one. the benefits of the later setup is it's simple to fit coil over struts and the wheel hubs have larger bearings which handle side loading better especially with bigger/wider wheels and also suspension tunability. if you slot the the holes where the strut mounts to the wheel hub it allows for much greater range for wheel alignments and strut angles etc

[88GreenVN]

thats definitly the original VN strut setup. most probably whats happended is that they have changed the strut insert (the actual shock absorber) to maybe one that has the same bound/rebound characteristics as the VS. the actual VR/VS setup is slightly different in that the strut bolts to the wheel hub and when it's worn out you just change the whole strut and throw away the old one.

Thinking back they has a VS that they could get shocks out of - (the VN was way too hard on the uneven roads around here) Then I'd have to replace the whole strut.... I'm thinking they are just after more money from what they had quoted. Anyway the car comes back about 25mm higher off the ground making it easier to get in and out of. Much softer ride and the car still held its nose up in corners. I dont recall anything more - just getting the car back and being very happy with it.

[GTP 85]

Yea i think you just got VS strut inserts. I vaguely recall changing springs in my VP wagon years ago... i remember seeing a large retaining nut that i assume holds the insert into the assembly as a whole.

I think we've straightened all info out now hehe

[friedchicken]

unfortunatly it's not that simple, yes it will bolt in but the VR has a wider track then VN/VP.

that was the main reason i wanted to do it...

vn has wider rear track than front track, so i was trying to reduce understeer and get a bit better response from the front. hopefully at the expense of rear end grip

[PRH]

G'Day all
I put new inserts (heavy duty gabriels it think),tie rod ends, lower ball joints and bearing plates in my VP ute a couple of months ago,when took it home i could walk under it but after a few weeks it come down again,now it goes where i want it to go.
Personally i would leave it as standard,Mr GMH spent lots of $ to get it right
Phillip