Hey guys,

Long story short, I've got a '69 1500 Bug with:

- 2 " Narrowed front beam
- Drop Spindles
- 135 tyres.
- and the car sits about an iPhone high of the pavement.

Now, I know I need to get a wheel alignment, but putting that aside, the car handles like it's got a death wish. And yes, I know narrowed beam and small tyres aren't an ideal combination when thinking of 'handling', but it really is dangerous.

I've got more play in the steering wheel than I ever thought was imaginable, and when I go around a corner at anything more than 30kph it feels as it the car is going to fall over.

Guru's please help me! Does someone have a failsafe method of getting non superbugs to handle well?! I don't mind investing more money into it as long as it's not wasted and it actually helps me handle.

Are there any work shops (besides V-force) that specialise in bug handling? It honestly handles worse than a stock oval.

Cheers guys,
I wait for you clever words,
Ollie

Hi Ollie

well My Non super 68 beetle handles excellent even though I don't have the front sway bar fitted...
You have narrowed the front track a bit...
but there are many others who have done that too...
I've never had a wheel alignment either in 6 years its been on the road... lol
I did have 2 inches of toe in at one stage...!!

Maybe the narrowing has magnified the slop in the steering box which may have been there before??
but they can be adjusted [with front wheels straight ahead]
with the top screw under the black plate...
You can also adjust the bottom of the steering box...
there is a large Nut there similar to a gearbox plug...
Not sure what You use to undo and adjust it..

Front wheel alignment.. ..
piece of pipe with nail welded on one end... and a nail welded to a piece of pipe that will fit neatly over the pipe..
with a screw to tighten it... that is similar to what was used many years ago... mark a spot of both front tyres..
measure between the spots just under the floor level at the front,,, and then turn the wheels so the spots are under the car... and measure again... You need a few mms toe in..

but You need to adjust both sides of the tie rods to get it equal.... now that is just plain difficult...???

but anyway, if You can do that, it will get the steering about correct when going straight... and maybe turning...
Mine isn't correct at full lock... both sides different...
but My car still goes excellent... only VERY strong winds affect the steering...
and i love tight winding roads.... lol

cheers

LEE

Have you got room for some bigger rubber under the front?

That would be the first major step.
135s belong on wheel barrows not street cars

Also I'm guessing it's got abit of rake happening?
have you got castor shims installed?

Ollie, you haven't mentioned the 'rear end'. Is it swing-axle? Hope you didn't put 135s on the back

There is no reason why a few minor adjustments, some good tyres [on correct size rims], decent shocks, and a proper wheel alignment wouldn't make your car handle well. Make sure the steering isn't slack, also.

Put a standard beam back into the car and get a set of wheeks that have the correct offset so they do not rub, do a four wheel alignment,check and set the castor and fit a set of tyres that are a least 185's, set the suspension height so the the suspension operates in its original operational range, it will be 2.5" lower than standard any way, replace/adjust the slop in the steering box

Regardless of ideal suspension and tyre combos your biggest problem sounds like the steering play!! I have owned narrowed bugs running 135's up front that handled great up and down our mountain.
I know you can make a bug handle better with wider tyres and standard width beam, but I would still feel safer driving down my mountain in my old slammed bug over a stock height one.
There is no way my mates standard 58 could keep up with my slammed oval down the mountain.

1st step is always to Get all the slop out of it!..... And it will be like a new car

Couldn't believe how well matty's " bluey" handled with only 135's....surprised me to no end

Thanks for you help guys. And yes, I do have castor shimmies, and the rear end is swing axle with 205 tyres (widened originals).

Figured before I put the big engine in I should focus on handling and brakes!

So, really I need to:

- get rid of the play (new steering box?)
- rethink the 135's?
- remove the rake?
- wheel alignment?

Does this sound like a few good points to start with? I'll be the first to admit I'm no mechanic- learnt a long time ago I'm shite with thing like that.

Any thing else I should think about? Any good workshops that could help me out?

Hi Ollie

Get a VW experienced guy to check the steering box out, it could just need adjusting, also I used to find on 1500, 76 bugs & Type 3s that the pitman arm would actually work loose or may not have been tightened properly in the 1st place, get that looked at as well.

Steve

Quote:

Originally posted by hellbugged 1st step is always to Get all the slop out of it!..... And it will be like a new car Couldn't believe how well matty's " bluey" handled with only 135's....surprised me to no end

my old 68 was on the deck, big front bar, type 3 wagon rear torsion bars, kyb,s, rear z bar working, 1.5 neg front bout 2 neg rear, 165 all round. always wore them flat except for the rears. had 2mm toe in iirc on the front rear was about 1mm toe in. handled like it was on rails. was much better with the 6 inch cookies but the 165s wore way better.

fix the steering box first.

Does it have a front swaybar fitted ? I bet it doesn't !

A narrowed beam and no front swaybar will make the car "fall over" at the front when cornering.

Hah no sway bar but that makes sense Craig!

Sorry for all the n00b questions, I'm just no good at understanding suspension bits and pieces