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Chevy5150
Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2021
Posts: 2
Location: Greeley CO
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 Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 6:54 pm Post subject: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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| What’s up guys? My first post. I have a 63 beetle. Needed a front end rebuild so I put new king pins in links and all new steering linkage. I chose new 2 inch drop spindles and also added a caster shim. It’s still super sketchy above about 45 miles an hour. I read a lot of you guys too alking about doing 60 and 70 miles an hour in your beetle and it scares me to death. Anybody have any pointers to smooth out my twitchy handling at highway speed ‘s? |
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Glenn 
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 80413
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:01 pm Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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Did you have it aligned?
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
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עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי |
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Teeroy
Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2003
Posts: 3891
Location: Eastern WA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:09 pm Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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Correct tire pressure, alignment, good spring plate bushings, tires, shocks, tie rods and steering box. When I had the upright Type 4 in my 61, I could drive it one handed over 100 mph, very stable, but all the above was new or like new and I have wide tires both ends, sway bars on both ends and the car is evenly lowered (no rake to cause the wing lift affect)
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Chevy5150
Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2021
Posts: 2
Location: Greeley CO
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| Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:22 pm Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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| Glenn wrote: |
| Did you have it aligned? |
Yes it was aligned. I forgot that part. |
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mukluk
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2012
Posts: 7452
Location: Clyde, TX
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| Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:36 pm Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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What size tires are you running and what pressure do you have them set at?
When you had the car aligned, did you get a copy of all the alignment specs they set it to? If yes, please post them up.
Have you verified the link pins and front wheel bearings are properly tightened with no excessive play?
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glutamodo
The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26632
Location: Douglas, WY
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FL-Frank
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2015
Posts: 823
Location: Jupiter, Florida
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| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 6:34 am Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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| glutamodo wrote: |
| Tire/wheel balance can make a difference too. Years ago I bought my own bolt-on balance adapter because most tire shops didn't have machines that the VW wide-5 rim fits onto any more. |
Same here
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“Tinker Toy” 1967 Savannah Beige Beetle Sedan...........Mostly Original Survivor
“Fritz” 1964 Gulf Blue Karmann Ghia Coupe...Complete Pan-Off Restoration SOLD |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 13355
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 7:07 am Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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Since you have new king pins, there is a possibility that they are too tight & do not allow the steering to self center, this will cause you to constantly correct the steering & then re-correct as you drive which becomes twitchier as you increase speed.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
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bigdog1962
Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2010
Posts: 1586
Location: Augusta, Georgia
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| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:55 am Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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| TDCTDI wrote: |
| Since you have new king pins, there is a possibility that they are too tight & do not allow the steering to self center, this will cause you to constantly correct the steering & then re-correct as you drive which becomes twitchier as you increase speed. |
Exactly the case with my new front end rebuild. The shop had to ream them out again and what a difference it made.
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Erik G
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13586
Location: Tejas!
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| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:58 am Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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| what tire size and tire pressure? |
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toxicavenger70
Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2019
Posts: 882
Location: CO
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| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:42 am Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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| Air pressure, good steering damper are the two things I would check since you did the others. |
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viiking
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013
Posts: 3435
Location: Sydney Australia
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| Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: 63 Beetle speed stability |
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Yes what’s the air pressure of the tyres. If you aren’t running something like 18 psi up front and around 24 at the back then you’ll have problems. Find the correct pressure in the manual or Technical Archives here.
Unlike modern heavy behemoths you don’t need 36psi or more all round.
Too high a tyre pressure will make it handle like a pig.
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1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
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Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3 |
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