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BuggyMeister
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2006
Posts: 287
Location: Southwest Illinois near St. Louis
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 Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:18 am Post subject: Broken Steering Shaft Coupler |
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I was driving my son to a boyscout BBQ fund raiser yesterday when I noticed the steering feeling a little sloppy as I turned into the parking lot. It wasn't too bad, it felt like it maybe was coming loose from the steering box. So I pull in to a parking spot and peered under the left front fender. 
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BuggyMeister.com
Es ist eine luft abgekühlte sache... das sie nicht verstehen würden!
Translation: It's an air cooled thing... you wouldn't understand! |
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sturgeongeneral
Samba Member
Joined: June 23, 2005
Posts: 2460
Location: Sacramento, California
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:26 am Post subject: |
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At least it was an easy fix. And things really could have gotten hairy on the freeway! Glad you are ok!
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BL3Manx
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2006
Posts: 6768
Location: Northern California
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Dale M.
Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2006
Posts: 20751
Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite Valley
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:21 am Post subject: |
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Another application where using urethane products is very questionable......
Dale
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“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns"
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ... |
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drclock
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2006
Posts: 122
Location: Chambersburg Pa
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:27 am Post subject: |
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| Go OE and be safe ~ |
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didget69
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2004
Posts: 4940
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:45 am Post subject: |
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Glad to see that no one got hurt & you proved out your forum name...
Bryan
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I never found the need to impress people with any mechanic certifications, trophies or track wins... unless it was for Mom to post on the refrigerator door. |
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BuggyMeister
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2006
Posts: 287
Location: Southwest Illinois near St. Louis
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:58 am Post subject: |
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It was a real easy fix, my brother did it while I was serving brats and pulled pork. He replaced it with a genuine VW steering coupler.
I was thankful that it happened in a parking lot. At this point I still was able to steer but it was REAL loose so traveling at a higher speed it could easily have drifted in any direction.
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BuggyMeister.com
Es ist eine luft abgekühlte sache... das sie nicht verstehen würden!
Translation: It's an air cooled thing... you wouldn't understand! |
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dirtbugger
Samba Member
Joined: February 17, 2007
Posts: 198
Location: Sydney
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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One of my buggy buddies over here in Oz had the same thing happened to one he had after only being on for a few months. I had a reasonably new one I got from the same shop so I ducked under my buggy to see how it was going.
Sure enough, it had a dirty big crack in it.
OEM if possible for me from now on and I'd seriously urge anyone who has bought a so called urethane couple for under 10 bucks to grab a torch and jack and have a real close look at it. |
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MURZI
Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2005
Posts: 5066
Location: Madisonville, La
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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I have seen tranny mounts do the same thing. I try to use RUBBER on everything. That red stuff is junk....on just about everything. I don't even use the trailing arm bushings....
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mwcopi
Samba Member
Joined: April 28, 2008
Posts: 247
Location: fairmount in
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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| You made me a believer. Im going back to oem. |
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vincent9993
Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2006
Posts: 2025
Location: Montreal
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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It would be nice to hear about the circumstances. I've also heard bad things about urethane but I run that coupler and have not seen any evidance of fatigue. And you all know that I drive my buggy!
Is the steering shaft at a sharp angle? Does the buggy see a lot of off-roading? Just curious. |
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MURZI
Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2005
Posts: 5066
Location: Madisonville, La
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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| vincent9993 wrote: |
It would be nice to hear about the circumstances. I've also heard bad things about urethane but I run that coupler and have not seen any evidance of fatigue. And you all know that I drive my buggy!
Is the steering shaft at a sharp angle? Does the buggy see a lot of off-roading? Just curious. |
No....they are just junk
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62 vert
2276
Tim’s welded heads
45 Dells
A1 sidewinder
Fk44 cam |
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Dale M.
Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2006
Posts: 20751
Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite Valley
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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Urethane may make great bushing for torsion bars but makes lousy shift couplers and steering couplers.......
When I was rebuilding my buggy from ground up everybody I came into contact with said stay away from urethane products.... I'm glad I did...
Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns"
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ... |
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BuggyMeister
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2006
Posts: 287
Location: Southwest Illinois near St. Louis
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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| vincent9993 wrote: |
It would be nice to hear about the circumstances. I've also heard bad things about urethane but I run that coupler and have not seen any evidance of fatigue. And you all know that I drive my buggy!
Is the steering shaft at a sharp angle? Does the buggy see a lot of off-roading? Just curious. |
This coupler began its life on my buggy in spring of '06. The steering shaft is straight with no angle at all, and the buggy has never been off road.
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BuggyMeister.com
Es ist eine luft abgekühlte sache... das sie nicht verstehen würden!
Translation: It's an air cooled thing... you wouldn't understand! |
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vincent9993
Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2006
Posts: 2025
Location: Montreal
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Surviver wrote: |
| This coupler began its life on my buggy in spring of '06. The steering shaft is straight with no angle at all, and the buggy has never been off road. |
Wow, very disturbing... One would think they should outlaw this product... I probably threw away the warning that said this was for off-road use only, who knows.
You made me a believer and I've got my next week-end mini project cut out for me.
If only I had the time to work on the buggy, seems we're always out driving it! I supose our Canadian winter will be here soon enough.
How about sending a copy of this thread to all our sponsors on this forum that carry this product. I mean, most of them carry the OEM one anyways, no? |
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lostinbaja
Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2004
Posts: 4036
Location: Frankfort, Illinois
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:03 am Post subject: |
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I would be sure to take it back for a refund. The money isn't the point the point is that there needs to be some documentation on the books that they are actually failing.
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66 Shorty
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2007
Posts: 917
Location: Rhode Island
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:32 am Post subject: |
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That's not the first time I've neard of or seen this happen! As mensioned earlier, the shift couplers fail as well! I also try to use OE RUBBER on EVERYTHING! Urethane squeaks like a bitch too, if it's not greased enough with enough of the proper grease too! 
Glad you are OK! That would REALLY be bad if you were on the freeway!
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dirtbugger
Samba Member
Joined: February 17, 2007
Posts: 198
Location: Sydney
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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I managed to find that Pic of the coupler on my mates buggy.
It was only months old and as you can see from the condition of all the surrounding hardware, the buggy had never rolled a tyre in the dirt.
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NatedoggAZ
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2008
Posts: 145
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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Wow - that is just not right...and it just plain sux!
Before I placed my mini-order with CIP1 a few months ago I spoke to the CIP1 sales guy. I bought both a red urathane steering and shift coupler - EMPI brand.
I asked him about the urathane performance and he had "sold" me on the fact that the are supposed to last longer...
...after seeing that - how could urathane be trusted at all?
Yes, I am sure that there are some people out there that never have problems with it - but when could they be due...
It doesnt look like urathane gives any warning as to when it is going to give up. At least with rubber it could still show signs of wear...
...just my .02
ND
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chris_parks
Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2008
Posts: 204
Location: SoCal
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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Wow.
That has me worried in several ways.
I am going to tear back in to the buggy again.
Thanks for the early warning, and I am glad you and yours are safe.
This really drives home the value of this forum to me. |
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