Hi all I bought a 1962 beetle the other week, really good solid car, no rust. It has a new front beam with disk brakes. Couple of things, the steering doesnt self return to center, so I guess you'd call it quite stiff. I backed off the steering box adjuster to no avail, just gave more play in the steering wheel, The steering box is new too. Its all greased up under there so whats going on there?

The other is it leans to one side on the front, the left side is an inch or more lower than the right if you're facing the car. I know this can happen to the rear due to the torsion bars but how can it happen at the front? The new beam is adjustable and it also has drop spindles. Strange it would have both? The car is lower but not really low just a bit.
Thanks

Ok, first is what type of beam has been fitted as 62 didn't come with discs as standard until after 67.

So makes me wonder what's been done under there.

For the steering get the front wheels off the floor and see if the steering is still heavy. Check the box actually has gearse in it as there have been reports of some new boxes being dry.

Not self centring means she needs the suspension alignment checked as toe, castor and camber could all be out. Also, check that the tie rod ends rock side to side to make sure they aren't seized.

thanks I'll definatly check the grease in the steering box, how do I do that? the front beam had no grease in it at all, all lubed up now though. I dont know what beam has been fitted, but I had a wheel alighment done the other day still not self centering. I'll check the tie rods but they look brand new too...

The rear being adjusted wrong can certainly make the front out of balance. If LHR is up, then RHF will be down.

where are you located

You could isolate the steering problem by dis-connecting outer tie rod ends - one at a time.

The height difference could just be tight link pins on one side. Back off the adjusters, and 'bounce' the front up and down....see if it helps.

Im in Brisbane, Where are the link pins?

Yeah Im going to order the idiot book
If my front beam has disk brakes then would it not have ball joints instead of link pins?

Don't think I'm picking on you, blom......I'm rude to everyone.

Oh yeah, and welcome by the way.

You've never been rude to me.

No worries, you're right on the money, I am keen to get that book. I edited the post above about the link pins

If you're one the northside you could swing by mine over the weekend and I could have a quick look for you.

Take the inspection cover off from under the bonnet behind the spare wheel. Then you can see the box and 2 plastic plugs either side of the adjusting screw. jimmy them out and poke a screwdriver inside. Comes out clean=no grease. Comes out messy=greased.

Is it 4 stud wheels or 5 stud? Maybe an early body on a later pan. My2c

Thanks psimitar thats very kind of you, yes Im on the north side. Im at Ferny Hills. I took out the plug in the steerting box and dipped a screwdriver in, there was only a tiny little dob of grease on the tip of the screw driver. So I filled it with 90w gear/diff oil. Cool? I'll see how that feels. The car has five stud wheels, porsche fuchs style wheels, but I noticed the hubs at the front have been drilled to take these wheels.

ARG NOOOOOOO. Only early steer boxes used gear oil. Later ones used grease.

I'm Ferny Grove so just a stone throw for you

Oh shit really? got that info from "Rob and Daves aircooled VW page. They refer to super bugs too with that advice, better suck it back out then? Yeah you are just a stones throw

How do you get grease in there?

The new beam is adjustable and it also has drop spindles...


perhaps your castor needs adjusting..

Quote:

Originally posted by blompod Oh shit really? got that info from "Rob and Daves aircooled VW page. They refer to super bugs too with that advice, better suck it back out then? Yeah you are just a stones throw How do you get grease in there?

Those tierod ends look new but are solid, can move them back and forth by hand. That might be the stiff steering problem. I think I'll put it into custom VeeDub at Stafford see what they can do.

New ones should be stiff and would need a plumbers pliers or spanner to get them to rotate the tie rod slightly. If they don't move with a spanner/pliers then they are either stupidly tight or knackered.

Also, if you bug has a nose down rake from the front being lower than the rear then the beam probs needs castor shims fitted and that will help the steering self centre.

thanks mate, I sprayed the tie rods with Inox and that seemed to help a bit. I could crack the nuts on the tie rods and tighen them again without gorilla force. The front is lower than the rear, it also has smaller front tyres on the front than the rear. Im guessing the smaller tyre doesnt scrape the guard on a turn being lowered but the beam not shortened?

It all depends how low and the width of tyre fitted as to when you start having rubbing issues plus a narrowed beam will actually make rubbing issues on the inner arch worse.

A std Bug at std ride height with 165/80x15 tyres shouldn't have any rubbing issues and an inch shouldn't give any issues either.

As an example mine is lowered 2 inches with a 2 inch narrowed beam and I've only lost about an 1/8 of a turn of steering lock but I did have to reshape the back of the headlight bowls a bit. This is on sloping headlights and I think there wing bowls are deeper than upright light wing bowls.

But you are right that being lower on the front than the rear along with lower profile front tyres will have changed the castor angle and this angle is what helps the steering self centre.

Thanks man I think Ive seen your bug around, I may have followed it up Settlement Rd once...... Mines cream and red two tone with rear wheel spats, mines a bit of a rat......

Yea, think I've seen yours around. Mine's not rego'd for a while now but if defo rat look