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Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:20 pm

The OLD MAN needs some advice (again) The 71 Bus is now running, I hope I didn't ask this before but consider my age (77)
The steering wheel is shot on my bus. It is a 17 inch. Would it be ok to put on a Grant 14+. Some of my friends say no. :(
I would like some answers from other VW guys and gals
Thanks Bud

Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:24 pm

Its going to be a lot harder to turn when your stopped or going slow. The big wheel provides lots of leverage for turns. Id stick wth the 17 inch wheel.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:59 pm

x2 on the original wheel.

WOW 77 and still Veedubbin? sweet!

Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:12 pm

busmania24 wrote: Its going to be a lot harder to turn when your stopped or going slow. The big wheel provides lots of leverage for turns. Id stick wth the 17 inch wheel.

And you know this from experience? Everytime someone posts this question they get that same answer, and it's wrong. I put a smaller Formuling France wheel on my '79 Westy a few years back. Didn't make it any more difficult to maneuver at all. The reason I took it off was because with the smaller wheel, it's impossible to do the "Bus Driver's Lean" on the wheel on long trips. I hated that. One longish (1000 miles) trip with it and it was gone. I also have to say, stick with the stock wheel.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:46 pm

parallel parking is a lot harder with a small wheel. driving is fine.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:43 am

Stick with the original, i just put a brand new one on my bus as mine was tatty from justkampers.com £70 fits nice.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:53 am

Stick with the original! The smaller wheel will block of your speedometer and make your turn signal lever a PIA!

Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:37 am

VDubTech wrote: busmania24 wrote: Its going to be a lot harder to turn when your stopped or going slow. The big wheel provides lots of leverage for turns. Id stick wth the 17 inch wheel.

And you know this from experience? Everytime someone posts this question they get that same answer, and it's wrong. I put a smaller Formuling France wheel on my '79 Westy a few years back. Didn't make it any more difficult to maneuver at all. The reason I took it off was because with the smaller wheel, it's impossible to do the "Bus Driver's Lean" on the wheel on long trips. I hated that. One longish (1000 miles) trip with it and it was gone. I also have to say, stick with the stock wheel.

Simple physics say they're right. Plus, this driver is 77; he's not young and strong like you Brian.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:45 am

ccpalmer wrote: VDubTech wrote: busmania24 wrote: Its going to be a lot harder to turn when your stopped or going slow. The big wheel provides lots of leverage for turns. Id stick wth the 17 inch wheel.

And you know this from experience? Everytime someone posts this question they get that same answer, and it's wrong. I put a smaller Formuling France wheel on my '79 Westy a few years back. Didn't make it any more difficult to maneuver at all. The reason I took it off was because with the smaller wheel, it's impossible to do the "Bus Driver's Lean" on the wheel on long trips. I hated that. One longish (1000 miles) trip with it and it was gone. I also have to say, stick with the stock wheel.

Simple physics say they're right. Plus, this driver is 77; he's not young and strong like you Brian.

driving down the road is easy but trying to parallell park, or manuver in the back yard are a bitch with a itty bitty steering wheel. i know this not from experience in a bus but in a 65 chevy truck with a little wheel on it. i hated turning that damn thing in the back yard to get it out of the shop. but going down the road was easy as pie.

stick with the 17

Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:41 am

Quote: busmania24 wrote:
Its going to be a lot harder to turn when your stopped or going slow. The big wheel provides lots of leverage for turns. Id stick wth the 17 inch wheel.

And you know this from experience? Everytime someone posts this question they get that same answer, and it's wrong. I put a smaller Formuling France wheel on my '79 Westy a few years back. Didn't make it any more difficult to maneuver at all. The reason I took it off was because with the smaller wheel, it's impossible to do the "Bus Driver's Lean" on the wheel on long trips. I hated that. One longish (1000 miles) trip with it and it was gone. I also have to say, stick with the stock wheel.

Funny you should ask. Yes, I do know this from experience. Its the turning the wheel when your stopped or barely moving that is more difficult, not when driving.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:28 am

Thanks for all your support and answers.
And at 77, I weigh about 175 lbs and "chit" I can only bench press about 250 lbs. Getting old is a number :lol:
Thanks again
Bud

Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:35 am

66-Ghia wrote: Thanks for all your support and answers.
And at 77, I weigh about 175 lbs and "chit" I can only bench press about 250 lbs. Getting old is a number :lol:
Thanks again
Bud

Obviously a wimp; probably even uses a jack to lift his bus off the ground. lol

Older I get, the more I'm going to have to remember that statement: "Getting old is a number". Thanks.

J.R.
68 Westy
(+ others)

Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:37 am

For me it is not the years, it is the miles. :P

Got one of these on there?

http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3051&search_phrase=steering%20wheel&start=

Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:10 pm

Ok guys, I can blame it on my age :oops:

I bought a replacement 17 inch wheel on this site, because the PO tried to remove the horn button and "chewed" up the shaft part under the horn
(not the steering wheel itself) When I took my bus to my mechanic along with the "new" wheel, he told me it wouldn't fit , something about the shaft size :?:
That is the only reason I thought about changing to a Grant wheel.
I have pictures of both but don't know how to post them on this site.
Bud

Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:57 pm

68 to mid 74 steering wheels are the same and will fit.