Hi,
I noticed today when servicing my bug that the front tyres have worn out due to what appears to be negative camber.
The inner edge is down to the treadwear indicators and the outer edge still has about 2-3mm before it reaches the indicators (165/80 R15 SONAR tyres on stock rims). Both tyres are the same.
I can't find anything loose or warn in the front end bushes or ball joints and I did have a wheel alignment 10,000km ago. I rarely carry anything in the front boot and the height is stock L bug with nose in the air.
The car does suffer from the usual "shimmies" at 80-85kph but otherwise drives and steers fine. I do have a tendency to throw it around all the roundabouts on my daily commute, it usually oversteers, not understeers. The rear tyres are wearing evenly.
Cheers,
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
you can get the camber changed on the front end and rotate your tyres every 10,000 klm's
My guess is you problem is what ever is causing the shimmies
Rebuild the whole front end and it will be fixed
My front wear even and I have no shimmies after rebuilding the front
Futue te ipsum!!!
You checked for wear in the center drag link?
The spindles can work loose over time so you get the toe in changing which scrubs out the inside of the tyres and could also cos the shimmy.
Joel wrote:You checked for wear in the center drag link?
The spindles can work loose over time so you get the toe in changing which scrubs out the inside of the tyres and could also cos the shimmy.
Not sure what you mean Joel? Do you mean the arm that goes from the pitman arm across to the idler arm and connects to the inner ends of the tie rod?
Thanks,
Brett.
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
Yep that's the one.
the stubs on either end for the drop arm and idler arm often work loose, but usually you can tell, gives the steering a very vague feeling.
Joel wrote:Yep that's the one.
the stubs on either end for the drop arm and idler arm often work loose, but usually you can tell, gives the steering a very vague feeling.
The steering doesn't feel vague, but I'll check the ends this week. Can the ball joints be pressed out and replaced?
I'm not looking forward to doing the front end as I know it will take me a whole weekend at least. But if it needs to be done...
I do have a pair of kings 1.5 inch lowered springs and koni inserts sitting ready to fit. This might give me a good excuse.
🙂
Cheers,
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
When we bought our strut bug, it had real bad shimmy.
I can't pinpoint it to any one problem, because I did the following
Lowered front 60mm
New strut shocker inserts
new urethane swaybar bushes
new steering damper
Set the toe-in to 3.0mm
The shimmy has never returned, and the tyres wear evenly.
I forgot to mention, the steering damper was replaced two years and 10,000km ago. I thought that would cure the shimmy. It didn't but as I rarely need to drive it over 80kph I haven't worried about it.
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
bnicho wrote:The steering doesn't feel vague, but I'll check the ends this week. Can the ball joints be pressed out and replaced?
Nope, another unservicable throw away and replace item.
It may not be the problem, just something to check and eliminate.
An inexpensive next item to replace is the swaybar bushes. Get Urethane ones.
Check the toe-in is 2-4mm. Personally I like 3mm
Ok, how's this for a plan of attack:
- Check everything in the front end again for play.
- Replace swaybar bushes with urethane as they are easy to do.
- Move rear tyres to the front and replace rear tyres with new. That way I can use up the crap SONAR brand tyres on the front as they still have loads of tread.
- Wheel alignment with camber set to ?? and 3mm toe-in.
- If I see signs of uneven wear again and/or the shimmy is still there, I tear down the front end and do the lot. Strut inserts, springs, every bush and anything else with the slightest sign of wear.
- Once happy the problem is solved I replace the front tyres.
I have a week off in July when the missus and kids are away. I was planning to build the Moke's new engine. I guess I can do Olive's front end first.
Suggestions of some good 165/80 R15 tyres welcomed. I plan to keep this car a long time, so spending on good tyres does not phase me.
Cheers,
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
Continentals ..... Have them on the front of my bug. Exelent tyre
1969 1500
I haven't had time to do the front end bushes yet, but I came across a pair of near-new Michelins at a bargain price.
My spare wheel had an old Hankook on it with sidewall cracks that would not hold air. So I had the "new" Michelins swapped onto what was the spare and the original RF wheel. The LF wheel is now the spare.
I drove it to work in the city yesterday and guess what? The freaking shimmy I have put up with for two years has gone and it handles SOOO much better with the Michelins on the front! 😀
Maybe the main problem all along was an out of balance or possibly bent left front wheel!
During my week off in July I'll replace the bushes and then get the alignment done. I already have the bushes ready to go.
Brett Nicholson
Melbourne, Victoria
1974 VW Superbug L - Olive 😎
1971 Morris Mini Moke - Mopoke
1966 Austin Mini - Audrey
1965 Morris Mini Traveller - Trixie
2007 Land Rover Freelander 2
2009 Nissan Pathfinder
bnicho wrote:IMaybe the main problem all along was an out of balance or possibly bent left front wheel!
.
Its amazing how much handling and comfort is improved on most casrs over 10 years old by fitting good quality tyres, that are all new/fresh rubber, all 4 balanced, and new OE equivalent shock absorbers.
It wont miraculously fix worn tie rods or bushes but its usually a no-brainer that the tyres and shockies are (well) past their use-by date.
