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The Family Bug Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2019 Posts: 8 Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 11:10 pm Post subject: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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I have a set of 17 inch BRM's sitting on my 67 bug, really happy with them so far. The problem is that the fronts will just barely rub at maximum steering turn.
Is there a way to adjust where the steering stops or am I stuck with adding spacers if I wanna be safe? I'd prefer not to go the spacer route as I like where the wheel sits now. |
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The Family Bug Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2019 Posts: 8 Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:35 am Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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Quote from user having_a_blast on reddit:
When I installed 17 x 7's on my 73 super, I adjusted the stops and am glad I did. It was a pain in the butt as they probably hadn't moved in 50 years but totally worth it with minimal loss of turning circle.
Looks like I'll be adjusting the stops! |
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Mike Fisher Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 17970 Location: Eugene, OR
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Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 10:42 am Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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VW tires rub the inner fenders at full lock, but it doesn't hurt anything but a little paint. _________________ https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
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The Family Bug Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2019 Posts: 8 Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2021 12:35 pm Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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Unfortunately, it's not the tires that are rubbing. I've adjusted the Beam to be much lower than stock(I even blew a shock out while doing this and had to swap to the lowered style shocks) and the wheels would actually hit the axle or swap bars up at the front of the wheel, not the tires at the rear of the fender.
I adjusted my steering stops but u-turns are almost a no-go anymore. Not sure if I can buy myself any more clearance without the spacers, or just dealing with the fact I can't make u-turns and 3 point turns are my only option. Sometimes the look costs more than money, lol.
I haven't gotten a complete alignment accomplished yet, but it feels really squirrely now. I wonder if lowering the car on the adjustable beam alone messed with my caster enough to cause this or it really is just the alignment... I guess I'll have to wait until my next project day to align and then drive again to find out. |
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RandyV Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2019 Posts: 357 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:32 pm Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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Squirly could be both but caster compensation is always good.
Plus, any slop between your steering box, box to pitman arm, pitman to tie rods, to ball joints etc.......can create some squirly.
Alignment first is a great idea.
Then you can jack the car up & if you can get another person on the other wheel you can resist eachother turning wheels and see if you can find any movement from a particular place. It's hard to find such small movements but you may find it.....and FWIW, I'm always suspect of steering boxes that aren't practically new. |
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NJ John Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007 Posts: 2222 Location: HdG, MD & NJ
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2021 5:31 am Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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Bad caster, to me, actually felt like the back of the car was on ice. And the front couldn’t keep up with it. Felt worse around 60mph. Worth checking.
Mine was lowered all the way with one set of shims. A second set corrected it. _________________ 1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage |
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The Family Bug Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2019 Posts: 8 Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2021 1:17 pm Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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The old tires were not squirrelly and I really doubt it's the steering box and associated linkage as all that stuff is only 2 years old. I swapped it out along with the adjustable, 2" narrowed beams. Those narrowed beams are actually biting me right now on clearance, but c'est la vie.
I have no caster shims at all, so I might just grab a set or two before I take a day to align. They don't seem to be expensive and seem reasonably easy to setup.
Looks like you can also add camber adjustment inserts but I can't figure out where you'd put them. Almost looks like they'd go in the spindle arms? |
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NJ John Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007 Posts: 2222 Location: HdG, MD & NJ
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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They go under the lower beam tube. Longer bolts are usually needed if double stacked.
_________________ 1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage |
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NJ John Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007 Posts: 2222 Location: HdG, MD & NJ
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:49 pm Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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NJ John wrote: |
They go under the lower beam tube. Longer bolts are usually needed if double stacked. And believe me, you need at least a pair. You could be close to zero or negative caster. You can measure by putting an angle finder on the vertical supports of the beam, the parts that bolt to the frame head.
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_________________ 1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage |
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The Family Bug Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2019 Posts: 8 Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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OK, I'm definitely putting 1-2 pairs of caster shims in, but I'm curious if anyone runs camber adjusters like these?
https://www.jbugs.com/product/22-2817.html
I guess I could measure my camber in front first before worrying to much, but I wanna get the front end right before I move to the back end and putting a bigger motor in it. |
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NJ John Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007 Posts: 2222 Location: HdG, MD & NJ
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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:42 am Post subject: Re: Spacers or Steering adjustment |
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I’ve never needed them. But, I’m guessing in extreme cases it would help. _________________ 1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage |
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