| [ Total Views: 1340 | Total Replies: 16 | Thread Id: 104658 ] |
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 karmann141
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| posted on January 9th, 2014 at 07:44 PM |
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Close Call – Cotter Pins serve a Purpose.
Just like to relate a potentially disastrous incident I experienced today.
I’ve done a minor resto on our 74 L Bug for the kids to learn to drive as I’m determined to have them learn to drive a manual; no power steering
and no a/c is a bonus. Car is very original and straight, I even have the log books when it was first purchased in Canberra in late 1974 and every
service and $ spent on it. Has original radio and no speaker holes in door cards. Original 1600 engine with 189,000km and starts first turn of the
key.
I’ve replaced all fuel lines, bushes, shocks etc and improved braking dramatically with 944 ventilated discs and callipers all round and Boxster
16x6” wheels with good rubber – great, safe learner’s car with enough power to keep you out of trouble.
Had a 4 wheel alignment done several months ago by a reputable tyre and suspension shop. They were chasing extra caster on the front right – so they
fitted a couple of shims to bring it into spec.
While out supervising my 16 yr old daughter practicing hill starts in a quite hilly estate – we heard a clunk and she was unable to steer the car
– luckily we were in first gear going slowly.
The f..ckwits who did the wheel alignment didn’t replace the cotter pin in the nut attaching the swaybar to the lower control arm. I know it was
there before as I had installed SuperPro polyurethane bushes and replaced the cotter pins. I know it will be vehemently denied when I let them have
it.
If this had happened last night when we were doing 100kph on the motorway with a learner at the wheel – I’m sure I wouldn’t be writing this
now.
I’m not saying I’m PARANOID but I don’t trust many people to work on my cars (even dealerships) – unfortunately I’ve let my guard down.
There are just too many people out there these days happy to tell you how good they are – but really don’t have a f..king clue.
Have many more stories of bad experiences with mechanics, service depts. thinking you’re an idiot and panel beaters.
Had my wakeup call again – if I do it myself (or see it done) I know it’s done. Learn to do it yourself – it’s not rocket science, but do it
well – everything has a purpose – you can’t just leave shit off. Or find someone you can trust.
My close call and dummy spit for the day.
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1961 K Ghia - Porsche 5 sp, EJ20T, Brembo's, Dble A arm susp
1974 L Bug - Porsche 944 brakes, Boxster 16's
1974 Bay Camper - EJ20, twin radiators, Boxster 16x7's
Half Beetle trailer with Boxster 16x7's
2011 Tiguan TDI 4Motion
2010 LR Discovery 4 TDV
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coletrickle
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| posted on January 9th, 2014 at 08:58 PM |
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Thatsa bit of a bummer but at least no body got hurt,A couple of rules round here is if its shiny its probally shit and do it yourself you can effit
for free.There are plenty of wheel alignmet kits out there summit have some good ones.You dont have to do many to recoupe your money.
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Joel
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| posted on January 9th, 2014 at 08:59 PM |
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Similar thing happened to a friends Beetle when it went in for a RWC, they took the rear drums off to check the shoes, wheel cylinder etc and didnt
put split pins back in.
10mins down the road from the work shop the back wheel came off with the drum still attached, the axle nut was rattling round loose in the hubcap no
split pin in there though.....
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Isola
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| posted on January 9th, 2014 at 09:06 PM |
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Glad to hear you are all ok! What a pain in the butt of a thing to have to deal with. The last thing a learner needs is the fear that the car can just
all of a sudden not do what they ask it to!
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AA003
A.k.a.: Phill
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 06:32 AM |
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Why would they remove the split pin there for an alignment?
(I'm only used to real Beetles. No experience with 1302s)
I read it on samba, so it must be correct.
Sometimes Volkswagen dealers sell spare parts. Amazing isn't it!
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karmann141
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 09:20 AM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by Isola
Glad to hear you are all ok! What a pain in the butt of a thing to have to deal with. The last thing a learner needs is the fear that the car can just
all of a sudden not do what they ask it to!
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Thanks - has shaken her confidence in the car a little, but it was fixed in 1/2hr once I got it home. Luckily she does'nt realise the consequences if
it happened at speed.
1961 K Ghia - Porsche 5 sp, EJ20T, Brembo's, Dble A arm susp
1974 L Bug - Porsche 944 brakes, Boxster 16's
1974 Bay Camper - EJ20, twin radiators, Boxster 16x7's
Half Beetle trailer with Boxster 16x7's
2011 Tiguan TDI 4Motion
2010 LR Discovery 4 TDV
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cnfabo
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 09:21 AM |
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I had a wheel alignment shop who did not tighten my pitman arm nut but I could not figure out why I had 7" of play in the steering wheel,drove 45
minutes to a volksy shop for him to discover the problem in 5 seconds..that could have been a nasty one!!
Oh,and this one is my fault,narrowed tie rod " welded" broke in half while I was reversing out of a carpark,woopsie...I happened to be on the
freeway just before I made it to this carpark:-[
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karmann141
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 09:33 AM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by AA003
Why would they remove the split pin there for an alignment?
(I'm only used to real Beetles. No experience with 1302s)
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They installed a couple of shims to gain more caster - hence removal of the split pin and nut.
I must admit this is my first 1303 and have always been wary that the front suspension seems fragile. Nowhere near as robust as a BJ or KP/LP front
end. and yet to be convinced of the huge handling improvement.
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1961 K Ghia - Porsche 5 sp, EJ20T, Brembo's, Dble A arm susp
1974 L Bug - Porsche 944 brakes, Boxster 16's
1974 Bay Camper - EJ20, twin radiators, Boxster 16x7's
Half Beetle trailer with Boxster 16x7's
2011 Tiguan TDI 4Motion
2010 LR Discovery 4 TDV
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vwo60
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 09:59 AM |
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Thats the problem , any clown can hang shingle out and proclaim to be a expert, just have a look at the crap restos you see a few years after they are
finnished, maybe the guy driving the alignment machine has no training, just picked it up on the job.
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1303Steve
A.k.a.: Steve Carter
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 10:50 AM |
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Hi
Nice bug, I'm glad you and your daughter and the car were able to survive this.
I'm sure you will find your children will be better drivers having learnt the old school way, teach them how to do a clutch start as well, I come
across many people who have no idea how to do one.
You can buy offset caster bushes for the sway bar if you still need more caster.
Steve
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karmann141
Wolfsburg Wizard
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 11:06 AM |
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Thanks Steve - is there anyone else other than Topline selling offset caster bushes. Have emailed them a few times with questions and no reply.
Well I got the response I looking for from my daughter when we took her grand-mother's Tiguan TDI 7 speed DSG box for a drive and said " I much
prefer the Beetle because I feel like I'm actually driving - not just steering".
1961 K Ghia - Porsche 5 sp, EJ20T, Brembo's, Dble A arm susp
1974 L Bug - Porsche 944 brakes, Boxster 16's
1974 Bay Camper - EJ20, twin radiators, Boxster 16x7's
Half Beetle trailer with Boxster 16x7's
2011 Tiguan TDI 4Motion
2010 LR Discovery 4 TDV
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
Aircooled Master
Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138% - YIKES --
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Mood: Really Mentally Ill - all of the time -
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 03:52 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by Joel
Similar thing happened to a friends Beetle when it went in for a RWC, they took the rear drums off to check the shoes, wheel cylinder etc and didnt
put split pins back in.
10mins down the road from the work shop the back wheel came off with the drum still attached, the axle nut was rattling round loose in the hubcap no
split pin in there though.....
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That is a weird one Joel...
I have found mechanics who drive My beetle for about 20 minutes before giving Me the pink slip... lol even longer sometimes.. lol
but never undoing anything... lol
LEE
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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colin
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 05:17 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by karmann141
| Quote: | Originally
posted by AA003
Why would they remove the split pin there for an alignment?
(I'm only used to real Beetles. No experience with 1302s)
|
They installed a couple of shims to gain more caster - hence removal of the split pin and nut.
I must admit this is my first 1303 and have always been wary that the front suspension seems fragile. Nowhere near as robust as a BJ or KP/LP front
end. and yet to be convinced of the huge handling improvement.
|
Putting shims in will in fact reduce the caster angle, the sway bar is fixed so shimming will bring the wheel towards the rear of the car which is
negative caster. Think of a motorbike , they have lots of positive caster.
The easiest way to increase caster on a 1303 is to buy from Pierside Parts offset sway bar bushs.
They increase the caster angle approx. 1/2 a degree positive.
Or for motorsport purposes redrill the top holes for the struts, remembering that the holes need to be towards the rear of the car which leans the
strut back from the top.
Cheers Col
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vlad01
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 05:54 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by colin
| Quote: | Originally
posted by karmann141
| Quote: | Originally
posted by AA003
Why would they remove the split pin there for an alignment?
(I'm only used to real Beetles. No experience with 1302s)
|
They installed a couple of shims to gain more caster - hence removal of the split pin and nut.
I must admit this is my first 1303 and have always been wary that the front suspension seems fragile. Nowhere near as robust as a BJ or KP/LP front
end. and yet to be convinced of the huge handling improvement.
|
Putting shims in will in fact reduce the caster angle, the sway bar is fixed so shimming will bring the wheel towards the rear of the car which is
negative caster. Think of a motorbike , they have lots of positive caster.
The easiest way to increase caster on a 1303 is to buy from Pierside Parts offset sway bar bushs.
They increase the caster angle approx. 1/2 a degree positive.
Or for motorsport purposes redrill the top holes for the struts, remembering that the holes need to be towards the rear of the car which leans the
strut back from the top.
Cheers Col
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I was thinking the same thing. I looked the other week on one of the cars I am building atm, thought I could shim it for extra caster. Nope, decreases
it. Either adjustable strut tops of shorter radius rods.
71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE |
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
Aircooled Master
Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138% - YIKES --
Posts: 11654
Threads: 449
Registered: August 31st, 2002
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Location: SCONE in UPPER HUNTER VALLEY NSW
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Mood: Really Mentally Ill - all of the time -
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 06:44 PM |
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Karmann141
YIKES
You were very LUCKY...
and no doubt the idiot who left it out didn't really know what he was doing..
and would have denied it...
but the split pin should still have been there somewhere..
That's why You aren't allowed in workshops now...
so, You can't see all the bits left over... lol
LEE
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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karmann141
Wolfsburg Wizard
Posts: 485
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Registered: August 27th, 2009
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Location: Carindale - Brisbane
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 06:54 PM |
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Thanks for the info - actually not sure now if caster needed to be increased or decreased (must check computer printout), but it was out of spec.
Will check nothing has been bent and will get alignment rechecked. No shaking/shimmying or tracking but front end doesn't quite feel right since the
incident.
1961 K Ghia - Porsche 5 sp, EJ20T, Brembo's, Dble A arm susp
1974 L Bug - Porsche 944 brakes, Boxster 16's
1974 Bay Camper - EJ20, twin radiators, Boxster 16x7's
Half Beetle trailer with Boxster 16x7's
2011 Tiguan TDI 4Motion
2010 LR Discovery 4 TDV
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vlad01
Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber
Posts: 4270
Threads: 109
Registered: June 3rd, 2010
Member Is Offline
Location: Kyneton, VIC
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Side ways
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| posted on January 10th, 2014 at 08:39 PM |
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Increasing caster is the way to go, regardless of spec. as long as both sides are equal when doing so.
It really does wonders on turning in, directional stability, more firm steering with better feedback, increased dynamic camber.
71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE |
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