I dug up my VW journal where I kept all the receipts and records of whats been done to the Beetle. Let's see... the mechanics Aust VW Performance Centre lowered the front end with adjusters, with caster shims, bump stop, a BWF2 Sway Bar, a BWR11Sway Bar, Steering Coupling, and added a extra labout
to replace bump stops... Still feels vague and floating at high speeds 70mph...


















[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/22068934@N05/2130305369/[/img]

kay, so it looks like you've got new tie rod ends (at least the inner ones)

with one adjuster installed in the beam, the front should be rather stiff, unless it is riding on the top set of torsions alone now.it is adjusted most the way up by the looks tho.

the bars look like they are a "matching set" and installed properly........can you just check for evidence of the brackets on the rear sway bars "turning" around the torsion housings and make sure the bolts that attach them to the spring plates are still tight.

the combination you have there is very similar to what i run and i'm guessing that there is something loose,worn and needs replacement or not operating as it should to complete the package (cheapo tyres?:tdthe link and king pins don't look as if they have been touched..................or maybe it just feels vauge after that mini in the background

i'm 1/2 a country away tho and if you feel it is really bad, take it back to the people who did the work and ask what else they thought needed attention when they were there or pay them for an hours work to tighten and check your suspension.

here are some checks you can do for us........

check all wheel nuts are tight and tyre pressures are even and at least 25psi

with the car on the ground, rotate the steering wheel back and forth to check for slop. stick your head out the window and at the same time and see if the wheels move as your steering wheel does. how far does the steering wheel move before the tyres start?..............this will help decide on the condition of the steering coupling, tie rod ends and steering box. check the bolt that holds the steering rod into the coupling is present and tight. that the steering box is tight on the front end.

check the four bolts are tight attaching the front end to the chassis. look for those castor shimms between the bottom beam and the chassis bulkhead

jack the front of the car up. get someone to hold the steering wheel, and grab the tyres at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions, try and move it against the person holding the steering tight, back and forth repeatedly whilst feeling for slop/freeplay and listening for noises, clicking or clunking (horizontally).........again this will check the conditiobn of the steering components as well as link and king pins, bearing adjustment.............if you find or feel slopiness, stick your head under and look for the fault. do this on both front wheels.

now grab the wheel at the 12 and six o'clock positions and again shake up and down repeatedly/rythmicly......this time vertically...............again feel for slopiness. if you do feel any, stick your head behind as you or a M8 shakes. look for evidence of movement in the grease (in the area of your photos), look for where any movement occurs, line your sight up with seperate/adjacent components to spot where the movement is. this will tell of the condition/adjustment of wheel bearings, link pins, king pins or if your wheels are not tight on the drums. repeat on both sides

look for evidence of oil leaking from all four shockies, and wear marks from movement in their end bushes. are the bolts tight in both ends?

on the rear.........are the bump stops still there and in good condition?.....around the spring plates, check the three mounting bolts on each side are tight to the axles bearing housing. at the front of the spring plates there is a cover with four bolts...........with your own judgement would you say the spring plate is centered in the cover, if it is high/low this would be evidence of worn torsion housing rubbers.very important for handling compliance


..........i will try to think of more as the day goes along........let us know what you can see.

ooops, some things are just second nature after a while..............i too wouldn't stick a finger under my car without saftey stands

Even though it should be second nature to me too, last year one of my Bilstein jacks gave up the ghost when I was changing wheels because I stupidly had not chocked the wheels... fortunately it was more embarrassing than fatal...

Yeah my long dead '58 twisted a jack when I was working on it beside a road once - without stands. It just (relatively) slowly came down. I moved rather fast as it went. Wanna see my jack stand collection now?

Quote:

Originally posted by dumone kay, so it looks like you've got new tie rod ends (at least the inner ones)

was a wheel alignment done and pref with a full tank of fuel.

I think You are having someone elses bad luck besides Your own... lol..

Just remember how old your car is and some parts may still be original... and probably worn out...

front wheel alignment is pretty important in a beetle..
caster camber...
those tyres look like great... don't see them about nowadays... fronts..

I believe You are running gas shocks on the front...
I prefer oil shocks on the front...
I find gas too hard,,,

Check the front end as Dumone said...
the king pins may be worn...
although I would have thought Your mechanic would have told You of any worn mechanicals...

You definately have a problem...
as beetles like yours should handle OK....

The roads you are driving on.. are they rough?

Lee

COFAP shocks were original equipment
and are sold by most VW parts shops...

well seeing You are driving on Highway freeway

You must have a problem...
maybe lowering the rear end would make a difference...
giving You more negative camber...

I don;t think having a front wheel alignment with a full tank of petrol would make any difference with gas pressurized shocks on the front...

oil shocks are NOT pressurised...
the oil is forced thru small holes... [simplified]

Your car looks really great....

Lee

Whats the steering box like?? Is it any good or out of adjustment? Is ther any movement in the bushes in the front end where your trailing arms fit(inner and outers)

what brand of tyres are you running?? cheap crappy tryes can also cause some of the symptoms you talk of.

He's running Vredestein tyres on the front

You can't get much better than that...

even Kumho and Hankook are OK...

when I had gas shocks on My beetle
six people could have got in without the gas pressuresized shock moving....
these were pedders comfort gas...

only tyres I've ever had problems with were Pirelli on a lancer... took 4 goes to get them balanced....

tyre pressures are 20psi on the front and 30psi on the rear....


Lee

just thinking 'bout this again today!!

as i mentioed above, my set up is almost identical, but i'm strapped into hard boofhead bucket seats..........giving a great feel for what the car is doing under corner loads etc

i've just put some wornout standard 60's lowback seats back in my ride today.........the "feel" of the car has almost completely gone, i know it still handles exactly the same, terrifically, but whoa what a different driving experience it is through the "seat of my pants"....

hmmmm

Naturally, I've never gone back to that tyre fitter...
or bought tyres from them... again...

anyone remember Pneumant tyres??

not sure of the spelling...
but i have one on a beetle rim...
I wouldn't use it as it was made in the DDR..
Demokratik Republik of Germany...

so its too old to use... IMHO...

I do remember buying some back in the late 60s early 70s.

Back in the 70s, some kind person gave Me a VW Rim with a Michelin tyre on it... plenty of tread...

Stupid Me put it on the front Left...
it blew out when i was doing about 110kmh..
and the 1302S superbug turned left off the highway...

luckily there was plenty of space off the road...

I've looked at used tyres with suspicion ever since... lol

Lee

Quote:

Originally posted by dumone just thinking 'bout this again today!! as i mentioed above, my set up is almost identical, but i'm strapped into hard boofhead bucket seats..........giving a great feel for what the car is doing under corner loads etc i've just put some wornout standard 60's lowback seats back in my ride today.........the "feel" of the car has almost completely gone, i know it still handles exactly the same, terrifically, but whoa what a different driving experience it is through the "seat of my pants".... hmmmm

feels like shite hey Matt