Let the build begin - Plushed/Bagged VR6

[Towner11]

Great build love seeing modded blue vans.

It seems to have increased my list of things to do though... my first is to wrap the console? piece between the seats, does it come out easy enough? I’ve got some nice dark purple leatherette I now want to do most of the cab in.

On the polly bushes, got mine all done, but no matter what I do they seem to constantly squeak.


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[Doc]

I've only ever heard of poly bushes squeak when fitted without the use of the supplied silicon grease.
Definitely worth checking that has been used on all friction parts during assembly.

[Towner11]

Hmm ok, something else to add to list of things to sort. Thank you.


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[C Chis]

Cheers and thanks for taking the time to have a browse!

And agreed, poly bushes will squeak if you don’t use the grease!

I’ll post up my tale of woe on what initially appeared to be a quick swap out of a few bushes when installing my coil overs and axle flip... and the most important gadget that would have saved a few days of grief...


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[Craig Cheatham]

Interested in this tale of woe, as I have an annoying squeak occasionally from my rear poly bushes

[C Chis]

Will do, just waiting on some parts arriving from Germany to finish lowering.


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[C Chis]

Okay, rear tailgate conversion removed from my mid list...

To do it properly I’d need to cut out 3-4 panels, do some welding, some bonding and then some painting! Not worth it just to give me a bit of shelter when biking, looking to buy a cover for the barn doors

What the actual top mount should look like, picture from an old scrapped van at the breakers


What mine would look like if I cut out the metal where the top mounts go, needs a fair bit of work to do it properly



Well, mod list is now a little shorter

9. Dukes of Hazard air horns (so ‘70’s)
19. Lowering kit - all here along with new top mounts, wishbones and ball joints, installation under way
23. Replacement colour coded rear bumper
24. Diesel filter cover
28. TV/DVD/multimedia unit for the back
35. Interior unlocking button for the side door
38. Engine/gearbox upgrade, power, more power... very, very long term


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[Papa Bear]

Going to have to find some more for your list, it’s getting too short!

[C Chis]

Haha, you’re right, need to get my thinking cap back on


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[C Chis]

Replacement radiator hose arrived this morning to fit around the fans and air con compressor instead of directly across them...

Just slightly different....



OEM part and no more squealing or knocking as it doesn’t touch the radiator fan or air con pipework


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[C Chis]

So, after many hours of labour and even more hours waiting on parts...

My van is now a little lower...





This should have been an afternoons work to swap the original struts, springs, wishbones, ball joints and track rod ends, however, it turned out to be a little more involved...

Van up on axle stands, and first issue, the long bolts holding the rear wishbone bearing on were seized, plated carbon steel bolts into alloy, no grease=snapped bolts as they were going out,

All a little crusty...



Ended up cutting off the drop links, the brake hose/abs wire holding bracket, the top mount bolts and after cracking the abs sensor housing and it also being totally seized in the hub I ended up opting to buy replacement parts for the bottom end...

Hub’s, 55mm ones
Drive shaft bearings
ABS sensors
Track rod ends
Drop links
Dust covers
Wishbones c/w bushes
Replacement wishbone mount after snapping the drill bit in the hole when drilling it out to re-tap it
Bolt kits for the wishbones and suspension

I ended up buying an impact wrench, the best thing ever for tackling rusty/crusty bolts, this would have removed the seized bolts without snapping them and would have saved more than it cost! It also came in handy when removing the salvage part for the wishbone mount, took 5 minutes and was effortless!

Beg, borrow or steal (mibbie not this one) an impact wrench if you’re going to do it yourself

So front suspension pretty much totally rebuilt with all the appropriate parts copper slipped so that it’s easier for the next person to do stuff or when I upgrade my coil overs!

Oh, and the strut top mounts just spun, the captive nuts were also rusted off , however 30 minutes and several Dremel cutting discs later they were also gone...




The hub bearings had to come out to count the ABS sensor magnets, more grinding as the head of the bolts were rusted out



Then had to count the magnets to make sure I ordered the right bearing, made a bit easier as the grinding dust had highlighted the magnets!



Almost all back together, new bolts greased and torqued



And some of the pile of scrap ready for recycling!



Now to do the rear end


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[Papa Bear]

Wow, a mammoth task.
Good job done!

[C Chis]

Cheers buddy, so glad it’s finished!


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[Doc]

That strut was in a very poor condition, are you near the sea?

Regards the hub bearing, I'm fairly certain there's only two types used on the caddy, the three or four bolt versions same as mk5/6 golf. Think your supplier put you through that for no good reason.

Looks great now, the painted hub will give it a bit of protection into the future.

[C Chis]

Yeah, my van spent quite a few years up on the west coast of Scotland and the Isle of Mull before heading inland, never gave that thought until you asked the question!

Yeah, I think they did, however all good now though and it has been great fixing the worn out, rusty parts, drives great now!

And I’m glad I did the work, the RHS strut was starting to weep oil and there was play in the wishbone.

I’m loving the Caddy and I think I’ll be keeping it for a while as the rest of the underneath looks to be in really good condition!


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