| [ Total Views: 1024 | Total Replies: 3 | Thread Id: 1038 ] |
|
|
 happycamper
Learner Dubber
Posts: 9
Threads: 2
Registered: October 6th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: omeo
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: sapped
|
 posted on October 6th, 2002 at 10:21 PM |
|
|
swaying kombi
g,day guys & girls this is my first post ,so here goes. Does anybody no how i can drive down the road in my 74 camper and not fight even the
lightest of winds ,its very frustrating.I have all new gas shocks etc but it is still a pain.
any ideas would be appreciated.
Glenn
|
|
|
KOM123
Custom Title Time!
Smiling Assassin
Posts: 1164
Threads: 121
Registered: August 26th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Sydney
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Always cheery!
|
| posted on October 6th, 2002 at 10:26 PM |
|
|
Welcome Happycamper  I get the wind battle but only in high-winds at
higher speeds (drive a '76 camper). By the way how much did it cost you to have the shocks done?
|
|
|
KruizinKombi
A.k.a.: Col
Bishop of Volkswagenism
Seriously Obsessed Cyber Dubber
Posts: 3493
Threads: 104
Registered: August 25th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Gippsland, Victoria
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Indifferent
|
| posted on October 6th, 2002 at 10:57 PM |
|
|
Check your wheel bearings, balljoints, tie-rod ends & other steering linkages, and adjust the steering box. Also check that there is no lateral
movement of the trailing arms.
Kruizin Kol
|
|
|
KruizinKombi
A.k.a.: Col
Bishop of Volkswagenism
Seriously Obsessed Cyber Dubber
Posts: 3493
Threads: 104
Registered: August 25th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Gippsland, Victoria
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Indifferent
|
| posted on October 7th, 2002 at 05:20 PM |
|
|
Although I agree with all that Simon said about T3 Synchros, I don't believe the front diff is what makes the difference.
Crosswinds create a lateral force on the vehicle. If there is any lateral play in the suspension or play in the steering, then the front wheels will
change direction slightly even though the steering wheel remains in a fixed position.
A tall vehicle like a kombi is always going to have some difficulty in strong crosswinds. This is because of the castor on the front steering. Think
of a shopping trolley, if you push it sideways, it turns. The front steering on your car is the same, except that you can fight it by hanging onto the
steering wheel tightly. Worn components will allow the front wheels to turn regardless of how tightly you hold the steering wheel.
Kruizin Kol
|
|
|
bus914
Custom Title Time!
Posts: 1230
Threads: 233
Registered: August 29th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Central Coast
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Could be worse
|
| posted on October 23rd, 2002 at 03:46 PM |
|
|
i know this is an old topic but here's something that i think wasn't labored enough.
Quote comes from this web site: www.familycar.com/alignment.htm#Cas
Caster
"Positive caster improves straight line tracking because the caster line (the line drawn through the steering pivot when viewed from the side)
intersects the ground ahead of the contact patch of the tire. Just like a shopping cart caster, the wheel is forced behind the pivot allowing the
vehicle to track in a straight line.
If this is the case, then why did most cars have negative caster specs prior to 1975 ? There are a couple of reasons for this. In those days, people
were looking for cars that steered as light as a feather, and cars back then were not equipped with radial tires. Non-radial tires had a tendency to
distort at highway speed so that the contact patch moved back past the centerline of the tire (Picture a cartoon car speeding along, the tires are
generally drawn as egg-shaped). The contact patch generally moves behind the caster line causing, in effect, a positive caster. This is why, when you
put radial tires on this type of car, the car wanders from side to side and no longer tracks straight. To correct this condition, re-adjust the caster
to positive and the car should steer like a new car."
I went and checked and my bus indeed has negative castor, and yes it's very difficult in winds.
Here’s a site explaining caster better: www.ie.net.au/ausrotary/articles/Wheel_Alignment/Alignment.htm
Caster angle is corrected with caster shims.
|
|
|
JOE751
Slammed & Awesome Dubber
Posts: 81
Threads: 15
Registered: November 12th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: melbourne
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Apathetic
|
| posted on November 12th, 2002 at 06:24 PM |
|
|
OH YEAH
If you think winds adversy effect bugs (earlyer topic) and kombis you should drive a splity. Lighter and narrower than the later models, it aint much
fun in high winds. I dont take the ring road if winds are going to be up.
I do agree with some other posts:
all the wt is up the back
the clearance is high
they are narrow vs width
and they are flat sided:puke
|
|
|
70AutoStik
Insano Dub Head
Posts: 730
Threads: 18
Registered: August 30th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Dandenong. Victoria
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
|
| posted on November 16th, 2002 at 07:22 PM |
|
|
HappyCamper - you've discovered one of the great joys of owning a Kombi. My Kombi would also sway under heavy braking and I foud the solution is
to yell "Yeeharr!" I have also used this technique when driving a 3&1/2 ton van into a creek at 70kph+ and hitting a missing piece of
road at 110kph in a 4WD - launching it about 10 foot in the air, and found it very effective. If you have the money, there are some areas that could
do with improvement in the Kombi's suspension - but you'll find it will still suffer some "wanders" in high winds, like any van.
|
|
|
