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Tue Aug 23, 2005 10:54 am

Hi, I've got a problem with my 71 Baja. Whenever I drive over 50 MPH or so the front end is SUPER squirrelly. On the freeway the slightest bump can send me jumping over into the adjacent lane.

I've got fair sized offroad tires up front, but they're not different from what everyone else is running. All of my ball joints are good, my steering box is tight, and everything else seems be fine.

I know of at least one other baja bug that has this exact problem. Other than driving below 50 MPH, does anyone know of a remedy that will stablize a very dangerous situation?

Thanks,

Dale Whale

Tue Aug 23, 2005 10:58 am

I'll assume Standard beetle instead of Super, right?

What have you done? Have you had it aligned by a shop?

Tue Aug 23, 2005 10:59 am

From your post I am guessing you are running a stock steering setup on an IRS/balljoint car (newer than 1968 VW). If so, What type of tires are you running both front and rear. Tell us the sizes and the style of the tires. My next thought is aliegnment. Have you ever had the car 4-wheel aleigned? Other than that, I would look at tie rods, tire balance, shocks, etc.

SHMO

Tue Aug 23, 2005 11:08 am

Truth be told, I am in Iraq right now helping out the Marines. I had a bit of time on my hands and thought that I'd try to figure my front end problems out before I got back.

My 71 is a standard beetle with 205/70/15's up front and 215/75/15's in back (if I remember right). It's been aligned and all of the front end pieces seem to be in good working order (i.e. no loose play or evidence of wear).

From stop light to stop light, the car is perfectly fine. On the freeway it's hellish. I drive with my butt puckered for fear of losing control - the car is trying to weave and slide from side to side that much. It's almost frightening at times.

Thanks for your help.

Tue Aug 23, 2005 11:13 am

The tires are radials both front and rear. There should be no problem there unless they are very worn, low on air or there is cord damage.

It sounds like worn front end parts to me, possibly tie rod ends or balljoints. Does there seem to be any slop in the steering wheel?

Either that, or the rear end of the car is WAY out of aleignment. Do you know if it was a 4-wheel aleignment you had done?

SHMO

Tue Aug 23, 2005 12:50 pm

That sounds like what I went through when i drove my bug without shock, If I went over 30 I would almost lose control and everything else was in good condition. Are your shocks at least doing something? Maybe jack up the front end and remove the wheels and shake everything around by hand, move the suspension up and down by hand, tap the steering box with a mallet to see if it moves, :shock:.

Tue Aug 23, 2005 3:16 pm

Well, nobody has pointed out the real problem. It's the steering damper.
GET A NEW ONE. Ihad the same thing happen to me. Steering damper solved everything.

Tue Aug 23, 2005 6:01 pm

bajahank wrote: Well, nobody has pointed out the real problem. It's the steering damper.
GET A NEW ONE. Ihad the same thing happen to me. Steering damper solved everything.
Really, I took that thing off a long time ago and had no problems. Maybe everyone feels things differently, lol.

Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:06 pm

check your caster angle?

Wed Aug 24, 2005 2:57 am

Then why do they make a heavy steering damper for the big 4x4's?

Wed Aug 24, 2005 8:09 am

shimmy can be assisted by the steering damper, but that shouldnt be the culprit. if all the ends/joints/bushings are good, the only thing that should be happening at 50 mph is the wheels should be spinning on the bearings. this really sounds like something important is worn out somewhere in the suspension. like suggested, check you balljoints, balljoint boots, tie rod ends, those boots, shocks, and check to be sure everything is properly greased.

Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:38 am

For the most part, steering dampeners are intend to slow the steering wheel feedback. On big 4x4's with oversized dampeners, they are intended to keep the steering wheel from jumping out of the drivers hand if those huge tires were to meet a large obstacle in their path.

They are NOT intended to keep the car going in a straight direction. If adding one to you car rectified a directional problem, it was simply a "band aid" covering up the real problem.

SHMO