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gus111
Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2004
Posts: 215
Location: Western MI
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 Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:44 pm Post subject: speedo |
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I just bought a 74 thing, and the wife and I took it on a trip this weekend (about 400 miles).
When I had the speedo up to 55 mph, it seemed like we were doing above 65 mph. I checked the tire size, which is ER 78 14. And also did a search on factory tire size and it looks like I have a little under sized tire @ 25 1/4 dia.
I've had and also have a few beetles (one other 181 that havn't driven), and when your doing 55 it feels like 55. Are the things the kinda car that you feel the speed more, or do I have a bad speedo? |
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markie61
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005
Posts: 583
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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Undersized tires would register FASTER than actual speed on the speedo...right  More tire revolutions per minute = faster indicated speed.
Best way to check is having a watch with a second hand and mileage markers on an interstate. 60MPH = exactly one mile in exactly one minute.
Mark
BTW My speedometer seems accurate, but my odometer is off (1 mile on the odometer = 1.2 miles in actuality)
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Whut is that-there Thang!?
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Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!? |
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kubelmann
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2003
Posts: 3266
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| Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| How do you spell GPS? |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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25.25" isn't too far off from the stock tire size (~25.7") -- I'd check your speedometer per GPS, like K-mann suggests. It's what I'll have to do once I get my 29" tires on, because otherwise I'll be getting a lot of speeding tickets. 
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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bciesq
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2005
Posts: 495
Location: Orlando, FL
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:51 am Post subject: Re: speedo |
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| gus111 wrote: |
I just bought a 74 thing, and the wife and I took it on a trip this weekend (about 400 miles).
When I had the speedo up to 55 mph, it seemed like we were doing above 65 mph. I checked the tire size, which is ER 78 14. And also did a search on factory tire size and it looks like I have a little under sized tire @ 25 1/4 dia.
I've had and also have a few beetles (one other 181 that havn't driven), and when your doing 55 it feels like 55. Are the things the kinda car that you feel the speed more, or do I have a bad speedo? |
A GPS is really the only way to go. My speedo indicates 2.5 miles higher than actual (not too bad), but the odo is underreports by 20%!
Also, when I first got my Thing, it always felt like I was going faster than I was -- I think it was a combination of noise and the element of danger inherit with driving an iron maiden on wheels.
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'73 Thing -- making 45 mph exciting again. |
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gus111
Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2004
Posts: 215
Location: Western MI
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:12 am Post subject: |
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No "GPS" here 
I'll try the mile marker thing. |
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gus111
Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2004
Posts: 215
Location: Western MI
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| Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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| 58 seconds from marker to marker (tryed 3 times). So I think that would be 62 mph. So its not off by much. |
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n0limdon
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2005
Posts: 192
Location: Cresco, Ia.
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| Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:14 am Post subject: |
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| Isn't sixty MPH considered a mile a minute? 58 seconds would be just under 60?? not 62 |
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TimGud
Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2002
Posts: 6459
Location: Rio Rico Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:43 am Post subject: |
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| Just the oposite: takes less time to reach the same distance at a higher speed. |
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n0limdon
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2005
Posts: 192
Location: Cresco, Ia.
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| Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 10:04 am Post subject: |
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| OK stupid me! |
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kubelmann
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2003
Posts: 3266
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| Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Not to worry Don, 4 out of three people do not understand fractions anyway... K-mann |
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