VW Pickup update, fixing ride height

[Paul G <neong@gte.net>]

My white Rabbit Pickup was down for awhile. Thanx to some advice from 
this list I decided I may as well go through the rest of the front 
end and not just rebuild the half shafts. I needed to raise it 
anyway, there is not much suspension travel when the top of the front 
fender opening is only 22 3/4 inches off the ground.

Getting all the work done by my local Autovise shop was pretty 
painless. I followed the Bently manual on removing the entire front 
suspension as a unit, except I flipped over to the section on 
removing the bearing housings only for instructions on removing the 
brakes without opening the lines and disconnecting the bearing 
housing from the lower control arm so they could stay on the pickup. 
I took each unit, that is axle, bearing housing and strut assembly 
still together, down to Autovise and they returned them to me 
assembled that way for an easy reinstall. The axles where rebuilt, 
the original CVs where fine. The front bearings where replaced, one 
side has started to weep grease. The struts where rebuilt with  new 
KYB inserts and top mount hardware.

In my search for a matched set of A2 Jetta ('85 - '92) springs I 
found them at an unusual place, my local VW Dealer. No, not new ($126 
each - ouch) but one of the parts counter guys had just replaced the 
springs in his '90 16v GLI Jetta with a lowering set. So for $30 I 
got a matched set of "4 brown stripe" springs to replace my stock 
Pickup "3 green stripe" units. According to some members of the VW 
Caddy list (what the rest of the world knows the Rabbit Pickup as) 
the A2 Jetta springs where good for about a 2 inch lift (and A2 Golf 
springs are about stock Pickup height).  Autovise installed them for 
me as a part of rebuilding the struts.

The Pickup rides SO much better. It actually worked out to be a 1 3/4 
inch lift in my heavy Pickup, bringing the top of the fender opening 
up to a respectable 24 1/2 inches. The increased stiffness matches 
the front weight much better, and in my driving yesterday I didn't 
once bottom out. Its now about 1/2 inch lower than stock up front. 
Now I need to raise the back a little, at least 3/4 inch to level 
things out again (those are some stiff springs back there!). I figure 
this can be handled well with a standard overload leaf spring (the 
Pickup is solid axle with leaf springs unlike the Rabbit).

I still need a good front end alignment, but its close as Autovise 
didn't have to separate the strut from the bearing housing. I just 
spotted in the tow with a straitedge and the garage floor. I don't 
want to get an alignment just to do it again after raising the back 
end.

Still to go:
carpets and seat covers
bed cover
raise the back end 3/4 to 1 1/4 inch
Stereo - it still sports the stock radio blockoff plate!
a 12v battery slightly larger than a Zappy battery
vacuum pump muffler

But, its perfectly usable now. Time to start avoiding fuel taxes and OPEC.

Neon