Softer Suspension? Transit Custom

[mike.carter]

Hi Everyone.
A couple of weeks ago, I bought an ex-police Transit Custom 310 L1H1 (2016 Ecoblue 2.0 TDCI). It's a four seater (two front, two back) with no bulkhead, and is to be my "family car" that can also cope with DIY materials (8x4 ply/plasterboard, bags of cement etc). It'll never get near max payload.

Ride was a bit harsh, but OK. However, I've now removed the police cell (which weighed much more than I thought it would!) and the ride has become dreadfully bouncy. My wife says it makes her feel seasick.

My solution would be to replace the rear springs, but I'm struggling to know exactly what with and how to identify it. The springs that fit seem to have part number BK21-5560- followed by a two letter code, which I assume is to do with the strength of the springs?

Springs from a 270 would certainly be an improvement, but would those from an earlier 250 fit? They would still be strong enough for my needs and would probably be better.

Can anybody help me identify the springs I need, and maybe even point me to a source?

Many thanks for any help on this.

What happened to the police cell? It's now a smoking shelter in our back garden! Seats two.

cell.jpg

[ChromeOrange]

I can't help with the springs etc but, have you considered air suspension?

I'm in a similar situation with never going to full load so I'm talking to a company called Air Ride about their various air suspension options.

[Mike]

Speak to your insurance company first. If you downgrade the springs it'll be dangerous if someone loads it to its weight limit. IIRC it's possible to have a vehicle weight limit downgraded??

Either way, it's dangerous to just change the springs, but you're not the first person to buy a van that's not suitable for their purpose.

[V184]

try reducing the tyre pressures made a hell of difference to the ride on my Ranger

[seikokid]

fit adjustable rear dampers sold by mod
my connect

[paulsfamilyvan]

Hi Mike

I'm new to this forum game so apologies if ive done wrong by picking up an old thread or replying the wrong way!!

I was just wondering how you sorted the bouncy suspension in the end, after removing the large chuck of police iron from the rear.

Did you fit the GAZ rear shocks as recommended as thats a route im thinking of going down but would appreciate any feedback on them prior to spending any money

Cheers
Paul

[mike.carter]

Hi All
Just realised (via a private message) I hadn't updated this.

The solution that worked for me was easy, quick and free. Ride still is not perfect, but improved it enough that it is acceptable.

After a lot of investigation, I discovered that the "bump stops" are not just bump stops, but are also spring assisters that work pretty much full time. On the custom sport, shorter ones are fitted - and they are identical except for the first bump missing. You can roll under and carefully hacksaw the first bump off quite easily. This means the spring assisters only start working at higher spring deflection. This reduces initial spring rate, and therefore the bounce.

I also found out that recommended tyre pressures for 215/65R16C on the 310S are 54 psi front and 58 psi rear, but for the 250S 52 front and 45 rear. As the only practical difference between the two are the rear springs and the MGW, I reduced mine to suit. This helped even more.

Ride is much improved, handling is unchanged, mpg (surprisingly) is unchanged too.

Had this not worked, I would have replaced the 310 springs with those from a 250 (swapping the custom sport spring assisters back to standard), and after that look at the shocks.

Claiming changing the springs is dangerous is completely ridiculous. If that were true, all the 250S vans out there on the road would also be dangerous. The trick is - don't keep changes like that secret! Put your own indelible sticker by the one on the vehicle and let the next owner know. I would also hang onto the old springs so the next owner can change them back if they want.

Also, I don't think anyone appreciates irrelevant lectures about insurance. Anyone who has ever taken out insurance on a vehicle already knows that you must let your insurers know about any significant modifications.

Hope that helps someone anyway!

[V184]

Yes our Transit Custom suspension "expert" hasn't been seen on here for some time, last sightings was April with his views on Ukraine