Stiff steering wheel!

Burgo Slammed & Awesome Dubber

87 posts · joined Dec 2008 · 8 Aug 2009, 11:00 am

#728165

Hey hey all,
My 1974 beetle has a ridiculously stiff steering wheel which makes tight maneuvering a pain, just wondering if you guys have any tips in making the steering a bit more easy?

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Aug 2009, 11:57 am

#728170

Burgo wrote:Hey hey all,
My 1974 beetle has a ridiculously stiff steering wheel which makes tight maneuvering a pain, just wondering if you guys have any tips in making the steering a bit more easy?

If Your beetle is a super then it could be one of the universal joints in the steering column... or a tight ball joint..??

If its NOT a Super - then someone may have tightened up Your steering box... adjustment....
Your steering wheel should have a bit of play i the straight ahead position and then the play should stop when turning the steering wheel... if the steering box is adjusted with the steering wheel NOT in the straight ahead position... it will be tight....

cheers

LEE

steering damper damaged??

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Burgo Slammed & Awesome Dubber

87 posts · joined Dec 2008 · 8 Aug 2009, 12:47 pm

#728180

Its an L-series '74 bug. Thanks for the quick reply and ill check it out,
If anyone else has some suggestions please post =)

Burgo

bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 8 Aug 2009, 12:55 pm

#728182

has it always been like this since u have owned the car?

sometimes just the transition from a power steering car to a none power steering, particularly if u got a smaller diameter aftermarket steering wheel (like a racing style spoke one) it can be a bit of a shock to the system, let alone having aftermarket wider front wheels. i don't know where ya come from or how much experience u have had, i'm just putting it out there in case, not insulting anyones intellegence or anything... you could have owned the bug for 20 yrs from all i'm aware... or u could be a 17 yr old learner... i wouldn't know 🙂

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4,980 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 8 Aug 2009, 1:12 pm

#728185

i`m with Lee ,when i read the first post , the first thing that popped into my head was steering box adjustment to tight or bent steering damper

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Burgo Slammed & Awesome Dubber

87 posts · joined Dec 2008 · 8 Aug 2009, 2:30 pm

#728196

Thanks tonnes guys, and bajachris- you must be stalking me lol, My beetle has a raceing standard steering wheel AND im a learner driver just beginning to drive the thing (from a power-steering background too lol) so I think its probably just me adjusting to it, but I'm gonna check the steering column just to make sure

Thanks again,
Burgo

DaveCarter Officially Full-On Dubber

285 posts · joined Aug 2009 · 8 Aug 2009, 4:38 pm

#728207

Yeah i found it really stiff in my bug when i went from power steering to a small racing wheel with 7inch wheels. This may sound stupid but from like a learners point of view i found it way easier in mine if i was rolling slightly before i started trying to turn the wheel, at least when parking.

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1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Aug 2009, 4:45 pm

#728210

Hi

Make sure your tyres are pumped up, 19-21 psi, also make sure that the steering box has lubricant in it, I like a mixture of STP & wheel bearing grease, also opposite the steering box is a dummy steering box (technical name escapes me ATM) these can seize up as well.

When the universal locks up up you usually get a tight spot in one position as the steering wheel turns.

Steve

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 8 Aug 2009, 6:34 pm

#728227

Idler arm Steve 😉