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shimmy and vibration
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DesertGolfGuy
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Joined: April 16, 2006
Posts: 79
Location: Covington KY
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 3:07 pm    Post subject: shimmy and vibration Reply with quote

Ok, so I don't know what hijack a thread means. But guess it means I shold not have posted any of the following on the thing roll call...

Drops a lot of oil so I am pulling the engine next week when I get home from vacation.

Questions and assistance. Assume it has stock tranny. Would I be better off buying freeway flyer since most driving is freeway? (Doesn't an FF have 5 forward gears?)

Front vibration at 55 MPH I am sure is wheel bearings so I am changing those next week too. I had the wheels balanced and had it aligned.

There is vibration in rear at 65 and up so only had to 70mph downhill. Another person I know can get their thing up to 90mph.

Vibration not wild. How does amateur mechanic find problem...tranny? axes? cv joints? Pls recommend good tranny shop and good engine shop in Phoenix. Want to build my own engine but need to take this one apart and see if it is worth saving. Thinking a tranny shop could re-gear it cheaper than buying a new tranny.

Thanks!
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Ferretkona
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Joined: December 03, 2005
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Location: Columbia, CA
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A freeway flyer has only 4 speeds, the ring and pinion are geared higher for lower engine speeds at higher speed. Also the forward 3rd and 4th gear are changed out as well I think.

I think it would be cheaper to buy than have a shop do.
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Towel Rail
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Joined: April 15, 2005
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Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 5:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like stock gearing myself. A stock engine can feel "weak" in 4th if the gearing is too high.
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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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BHB
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:01 pm    Post subject: Ball joints Reply with quote

Replace front end ball joints.

BHB
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DesertGolfGuy
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Joined: April 16, 2006
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Location: Covington KY
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for the info. I have a 1776 in a 64 single cab, and think I will move it to the Thing. I will let you know about the vibrations.
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DesertGolfGuy
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Location: Covington KY
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 7:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks. I will pick ball joints up this week and change them Saturday. Have any clues to rear end vibrations--- not a shimmy. I have not taken the rear wheels off yet to inspect brakes and bearings.
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Fun 181
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Joined: October 20, 2006
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Location: Connecticut
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 8:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you really want to go 90mph in your Thing?

Even if it could go that fast (which I've never seen), doing so seems like an obituary waiting to happen. Besides, if you are going that fast other folks won't be able to get a good look at the coolest car ever! Cool

As far as transaxles go, check out Rancho Performance...
http://www.ranchoperformance.com/transaxles/vw.html
They can set you up with a new tranny geared however you like starting at $400.
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DesertGolfGuy
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Location: Covington KY
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 8:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LOL. Just want to keep up in the right lane of the freeway going to and coming from work. Which is easier... fixing the car or quitting work. Thanks for the tranny link, but I don't want to replace something that isn't broke so that is why I want to find out what the vibration is.
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klokard
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:19 am    Post subject: Freeway flyer Reply with quote

There is quite a bit of onfo on the FF tranny here and other places. I have had an FF in my last 2 Things and am very happy. I too do alot of freeway communting and for me it works great. The trick is to get one that has been done correctly. By just changing out the R&P your gears are much to short and the car feels gutless. The tranny I currently run was done by a reputable shop using my transaxle. All gears and R&P were changed out using stock Super Beetle gears. The car performs wonderfully and I never get even the slightest oil temp rise cruisin at 65 MPH which was my goal.
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markie61
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:24 am    Post subject: Re: shimmy and vibration Reply with quote

DesertGolfGuy wrote:
How does amateur mechanic find problem...tranny? axes? cv joints?


Buy new parts and replace them yourself. I had a shimmy in the front and started with the cheap and easy stuff, like shocks, steering dampener, and swaybar bushings. You will learn TONS of stuff about how your Thing is put together and save TONS of money from labor savings. By the way, doing those three things eliminated my shimmy and shake in the front end.

Q: What do you call someone who goes 90mph in a stock VW Thing?
A: An organ donor.
Don't do it....

Mark
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DesertGolfGuy
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Posts: 79
Location: Covington KY
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK everyone, I never intended to go 90 -- only to say that mine should go faster than 65 so I can commute to work. So can the 90 crap. (not a testy bone in my body).

Klokard... Now I really am learing something... I did not know all FF's are not the same, I (deathly) assumed FF meant the gearing we needed to keep up using a bigger than stock 1600 and on today's freeways. Thanks a ton. I will keep your notes in mind and dig for more info here.
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