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Thing #6 Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2021 Posts: 34 Location: The Wilds of Northern Nevada
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2022 3:01 pm Post subject: Crawford Thing Suspension?? |
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The car is a Crawford Thing (see pics in the earlier thread about this buggy).
On pavement or dry lake, it handles just fine.
On a gravel road (even relatively flat), it hunts like Joe Biden at a slumber party!
I'm looking for ideas to resolve this.
Info:
Built on a '67 Beetle pan
Swing arm rear
Wheelbase shortened from stock (94.5) to 85 inches (pan cut and rewelded)
I don't know if there has been any suspension work on this -- it looks original
Old tires, properly balanced and inflated
Very stiff suspension (probably original springs) |
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Mal evolent Samba Member
Joined: March 31, 2009 Posts: 2912 Location: San Antonio, Nuevo Mexico
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 10:16 am Post subject: Re: Crawford Thing Suspension?? |
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lease don't bring politics here. I come here to get away from that, thank you _________________ 73 Beetle Baja, Ghia front brakes, Type 3 rear brakes, 2220 ( 94 X 80 ), Weber Progressive, Bosch SVDA, '97 Mustang seats
Baja Bugs for Volkswagen Virgins: Index |
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Dark Earth Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2015 Posts: 1054
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 9:18 am Post subject: Re: Crawford Thing Suspension?? |
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I dunno, I thought it was funny. It was a joke after all. _________________ My Build: '69 Baja - Dark Earth Version
~I'm almost done. I just lack finishing up.~ |
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vwtrey Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2004 Posts: 587 Location: NM
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 11:05 am Post subject: Re: Crawford Thing Suspension?? |
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Mal evolent wrote: |
lease don't bring politics here. I come here to get away from that, thank you |
But if you take the time to reply, is it still true? |
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dustymojave Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007 Posts: 5802 Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 6:08 pm Post subject: Re: Crawford Thing Suspension?? |
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You might want to provide a link to the original thread in here. _________________ Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet. |
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Thing #6 Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2021 Posts: 34 Location: The Wilds of Northern Nevada
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oprn Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016 Posts: 12730 Location: Western Canada
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 3:56 am Post subject: Re: Crawford Thing Suspension?? |
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First you want to be absolutely certain that all ball joints, link pins, tie rods and the steering box are in good condition and tight. Unbolt the steering dampener on one end too and check for air pockets in it. It could be an alignment problem too so that needs to be verified. I see by the pictures that you have quite a bit of positive camber at the rear. That is not helping!
If all that is good then review your tire combination. If you have a buddy with a Buggy that handles better, twist his arm and try his tires.
I suspect though that it is a combination of things starting with the shorter than stock wheel base, lighter than stock front end and rear camber. Buy a set of castor shims for the front beam. They are not expensive, are easy to install and do make a difference on higher speed handling. _________________ We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age) |
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Thing #6 Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2021 Posts: 34 Location: The Wilds of Northern Nevada
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2022 6:05 pm Post subject: Re: Crawford Thing Suspension?? |
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Thanks, that's the kind of advice I was hoping for.
The big symptom is that it's fine on pavement, so I'm thinking alignment and/or too much spring. |
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BFB Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2014 Posts: 1762
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2022 6:37 pm Post subject: Re: Crawford Thing Suspension?? |
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It’s odd that its fine on pavement but not on gravel road. Unless your gravel road has bad tire ruts that’s causing your bugs to hunt back and forth between the ruts, or your tires aren’t good on gravel and just causing it to feel squirrely?
How are you going down these gravel roads? _________________ Forced induction can overcome a lot of obsticles that gets in it's way
"You are the Engineer and the Mechanic.
Build it your way not the way someone else does it. Their way might not work for you." - clonebug
An interesting thing happens in forums where everyone starts parroting the same thing and "common knowledge" takes over.
“ The monkey see monkey do mentality seems to run deep in VW people. "Gene Berg said it was so 30 years ago so thats the way it is" “ - bdkw1 |
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Multi69s Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006 Posts: 5364 Location: Lefty, CA
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Thing #6 Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2021 Posts: 34 Location: The Wilds of Northern Nevada
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2022 6:50 pm Post subject: Re: Crawford Thing Suspension?? |
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SUCCESS! No more slumber party!
The cure was to simply replace the front shocks. A couple of Monroes cost me less than $50, went on in just a few minutes, and now it goes where I point it, even on a washboard road near here, pick the speed.
Thanks to everyone who made suggestions. |
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