major wobble when I hit bumps

[peenoot]

my 74 thing shakes violently when it hits bumps in a road, any suggestions as to what may be causing the problems?

[Miguel Arroyo]

Have you checked the steering damper?

[ThingDriver]

Jack it up and shake the front wheels. Check the ball joints, tie rod ends and then make sure the wheel bearings are not loose. Something's not right there somewhere.

[thingman74]

Hey peenoot....i just fixed a friends 73 thing ....the cause was historsion arm bushings .... it would shake so violent you could not hold on to the steering wheel ..i would take thing drivers advice first ....just somthing else to check....

[kubelmann]

This list is getting good.

1. shock damper (easy)
2. front wheel bearing adjustment (easy)
3. steering column doughnut (medium easy)
4. wheel balance (easy, outside help needed)
5.. tie rod ends ( pretty easy)
6. ball joints ( outside help needed to press in and out the joints)
7. front torsion arm bushings ( moderate)

If all this is new and you still have front end issues the solution is a major issue that will require help/

And that's all I got to say about that". Forrest Gump

[radioman]

What is the "steering column donut?" My steering column rattles in the tube? Is that it? What parts and from where to fix?
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It's a Southern Thing, 73, stock.
Bill

[Miguel Arroyo]

I believe it is: http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D111%2D415%2D417%2DMX

[Buckly]

the 74 has a different steering column than the 73. The 74 has a bearing in the tube that the steering shaft goes thru. Its not too hard to fix, and I would. its right underneath the big nut at the top of the column.

I think k-mann's list is pretty good, although in your 74 they are torsion arm bearings, I believe 50mm bottom and 48mm tops or smething like that, and I would add sway bar bushings to the list.
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Cool runnins,
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Bucky

[kubelmann]

The doughnut is the bearing/bushing in that holds the steering shaft from it shroud or sheath. The 74 has a later model steering column that is shared with certain water pumper Vws. The 73 Thing has the same spline pattern as the very late model Bugs. When I redo or rework a decades old VW front end I replace all bushings, boots and such with urethane parts. I really like the urethane and ss band clamps for the front sway and rear sway bar. My offroad Thing has all urethane suspension parts and that car has one of the unified flexible body/ suspension systems going for its class. That stuff works great.

[radioman]

I have 73 and you can feel and hear the slight bump as the steering column moves inside the tube. Is this slop fixable? With what and from whom?
_________________
It's a Southern Thing, 73, stock.
Bill