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Zed999
Samba Member
Joined: March 04, 2018
Posts: 1248
Location: UK
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 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 9:33 am Post subject: Re: Front stock suspension. |
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| Stock size light commercial 104 rated van tyres at the pressures on the sticker on stock steel wheels. And as said earlier I've swapped them about which hasn't helped. No abnormal wear over 16,000 miles from new. |
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airschooled
Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012
Posts: 12728
Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 9:40 am Post subject: Re: Front stock suspension. |
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| Zed999 wrote: |
| Stock size light commercial 104 rated van tyres at the pressures on the sticker on stock steel wheels. And as said earlier I've swapped them about which hasn't helped. No abnormal wear over 16,000 miles from new. |
What year bus? The stickers on early bays were for bias ply tires; radials are typically run a few PSI higher. Is your sticker load dependent? The rears should be adjusted for load according to VW.
35psi/46psi in the front/rear (with a lot of cargo, but not full) is my bus' happy place when the roads are decent.
Robbie
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SGKent 
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Front stock suspension. |
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| Zed999 wrote: |
This is my 5th bus over 20 years and I spent 8 solid years fixing just T2's for a living during which time I drove hundreds. On my country commute I'd amuse myself by getting all 4 wheels off the ground at 70mph if the road was deserted which it normally was. Buses inherently drive superbly at speed over rough roads, it's one of the big pluses for me and only the self emptying cupboards slow me down.
But this bus has a problem that is not born of expecting it to drive like a car or naive driving expectations. We have windy bridges in the UK too where peoples poptops have been known to blow right off and disappear over the side. I still drive it at 70mph if the wind isn't sideways but there IS something wrong with it.
I've located several sets of springs, I think most likely a combination of that plus my oveoading habit are to blame. Fingers crossed. |
have you tried more than one tire pressure gauge?
Have you measured wear on the tires to see if any are wearing abnormally?
Have you inspected the sway bar and mounts?
Have you checked the dampener?
Have you tried pushing the two front wheels together and apart when both the wheels are off the ground (needs two people)
Have you double checked the bearing play in all 4 wheels?
Can you borrow a set of tires and wheels from a friend with a similar bus to see if that changes things?
Have you adjusted the lash in the steering to spec?
Have you checked the steering box to see if it is still tight at the center spot, or whether it is so worn that it is tight on either side of center?
Verified all 4 shocks are good?
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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Zed999
Samba Member
Joined: March 04, 2018
Posts: 1248
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:46 am Post subject: Re: Front stock suspension. |
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| SGKent wrote: |
| Zed999 wrote: |
This is my 5th bus over 20 years and I spent 8 solid years fixing just T2's for a living during which time I drove hundreds. On my country commute I'd amuse myself by getting all 4 wheels off the ground at 70mph if the road was deserted which it normally was. Buses inherently drive superbly at speed over rough roads, it's one of the big pluses for me and only the self emptying cupboards slow me down.
But this bus has a problem that is not born of expecting it to drive like a car or naive driving expectations. We have windy bridges in the UK too where peoples poptops have been known to blow right off and disappear over the side. I still drive it at 70mph if the wind isn't sideways but there IS something wrong with it.
I've located several sets of springs, I think most likely a combination of that plus my oveoading habit are to blame. Fingers crossed. |
have you tried more than one tire pressure gauge?
Have you measured wear on the tires to see if any are wearing abnormally?
Have you inspected the sway bar and mounts?
Have you checked the dampener?
Have you tried pushing the two front wheels together and apart when both the wheels are off the ground (needs two people)
Have you double checked the bearing play in all 4 wheels?
Can you borrow a set of tires and wheels from a friend with a similar bus to see if that changes things?
Have you adjusted the lash in the steering to spec?
Have you checked the steering box to see if it is still tight at the center spot, or whether it is so worn that it is tight on either side of center?
Verified all 4 shocks are good? |
Yes to all but pressing wheels together. But I have tried a range between too much toe in and straight to prove to myself that the toe driving wasn't a mile from toe in at rest. No improvement in driving behaviour but too much toe in was definitely too much toe in so I concluded this wasn't the problem. I can't imagine it developing more toe IN driving so didn't bother setting it to toe out
Box was centred from scratch, wheels centred, drag link adjusted and steering wheel put on straight. Done this dozens of times on other buses so I lnow the procedure. |
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airschooled
Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012
Posts: 12728
Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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| Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 11:07 am Post subject: Re: Front stock suspension. |
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I was thinking about this yesterday… Do you have actual numbers from a front end alignment machine? I'd like to go into the realm of voodoo and spray-paint and palm alignment tests, but have you had it up on a rack to verify?
Ignore the rear 1968 error, use the '69+ specs:
Have you swapped your front tires to rear to eliminate any tire-related issues?
Robbie
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Zed999
Samba Member
Joined: March 04, 2018
Posts: 1248
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2019 2:33 am Post subject: Re: Front stock suspension. |
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| asiab3 wrote: |
I was thinking about this yesterday… Do you have actual numbers from a front end alignment machine? I'd like to go into the realm of voodoo and spray-paint and palm alignment tests, but have you had it up on a rack to verify?
Ignore the rear 1968 error, use the '69+ specs:
Have you swapped your front tires to rear to eliminate any tire-related issues?
Robbie |
Front end alignment machine? I have dunlop tracking gauges. These are professional £500 gauges. Then I have a digital inclinometer for camber. Drive in 4 wheel laser places are totally incompetent here, they can't even agree with each other let alone my idiot proof dunlop gauges.
Yes, been setting camber and tracking to those numbers. And for clarity I understand degrees, minutes, seconds, radians and +ve/-ve camber.
"Had it up on a rack" What does that mean? On a lift? Sure, walked about under, looked, barred wheels for ball joint play, shook with his shaker attachment looking for play etc.
Swapped wheels about? Yes as I've noted several times above. After 16000 miles there is no uneven wear confirmed by MOT inspector. His volunteered comment was that my tyres are wearing very evenly.
Unfortunately I haven't made any physical progress since starting this thread, it's around freezing, I'm a car park mechanic these days and I'm not as young as I was so more inlined to sit in front of the stove reading.  |
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