TheSamba.com :: View topic - Why does my Ghia lean

Thu Dec 11, 2003 12:13 pm

Hello listers
I just got my first KG - 74 cab with a judson and a gas heater ( under the rear window - is this normal). My question is after I towed it from Boston to Savannah,ga and unloaded it ...I noticed that it leans to the drivers side by a good 1 1/2" to 2 " when viewed from the rear????? the front look pretty even side-to-side. whats up with that..... I have had very rusty Porsches but they did not lean - they want to break in the middle - but not lean..... thanks

Thu Dec 11, 2003 3:33 pm

Hello Listers......LOL thats funny.

It may be "sag" which can be corrected by turning rear suspension a few splines. Or I have heard people say that new shock absorbers have leveled out there car. I am more inclined to think that years of one person siting in the drivers seat has sagged the drivers side of the car. Luckily your VW' was built with this in mind. If you do a search for suspension you will find a how too. A good shop manual like the Bentley or the Hayes will also explain how to do this.

Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:25 pm

Listen to 140. My old 1964 Ghia had that lean for a while. They all do that. Then again, if you were over 30 years old you'd lean to one side as well :D

Thu Dec 11, 2003 10:08 pm

Hey Im over 50 and my Ghia leans too. Guess Ill just have to make left turns only.

Thu Dec 11, 2003 10:28 pm

The right side of my 65ghia coupe sits 1.25 inches lower than the left side. Unlike yours however, the front view show the difference.

I believe this car had a minor front end wreck that completely bent the twin bar and link pin type front end. I've since replaced the complete front end, but the height difference still shows. At some point I will get serious about finding a way to either raise the right side, or lower the left.

Was your car ever in a bad wreck..,?

www.evozine.com

Fri Dec 12, 2003 7:25 pm

i have a 73 coupe that also leaned on the left side. my VW mechanics replaced the 4 torsion bar bushings with red polyurethane bushings and also replaced the left torsion bar and viola! no lean!!

Fri Jan 09, 2004 10:55 pm

Hey guys, I'd like to receive some clarification on the earlier suggestions:

(i) Can you "turn the rear suspension a few splines" in a 65 ghia.

(ii) Regarding the suggestion to "replace the left torsion bar and viola! no lean!!" Are you talking about the front end twin beam bar. I've already replaced the front end spindle to spindle?

thanks,

Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:36 pm

The answers are Yes, and Yes. Apparently this is a common problem as the weight from the engine and transaxle (all in the back of the car) can wear on a 40 year old car..

Mon Jan 12, 2004 9:46 pm

my ghia leaned in the left rear, they replaced the left rear torsion bar and all of the rear bushings.