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#1
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73 Super Steering Binds
I need some help - I recently replaced most of the front end on my 73
Super Beetle; I had no idea how old the parts were and they were showing some serious wear. To make a long story short, the car now has a new center tie rod, new outer tie rods and ends, new ball joints, and a new(er) steering damper. After installing all these parts I had the car professionally aligned for safety. Almost immediately afterwards I noticed a significant increase in steering effort - the wheel will usually not return to center on its own exiting turns. This is also accompanied by a sort of binding/grinding sound from the front of the car. Even stranger, the symptoms get worse the warmer the temperature. On days less than 60 degrees I hardly noticed anything, above 80 or 90 and I was afraid to drive. I realize the severity and have ceased driving the vehicle - but the problem needs addressing. I have tried (unsuccessfully) to isolate the cause of the sound. It is impossible to tell where it is coming from - no matter where you crawl under or put your ear it sounds different. Even with the entire front off the ground the noise and increased effort persist. I have disconnected the damper and it checks ok. Could the steering box itself be a possibility? Or the universal joints on the steering column? I'm becoming desperate, but I don't want to tear everything apart unless there is no alternative. Thanks in advance for any advice! |
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#2
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Steve Dechant wrote:
> I need some help - I recently replaced most of the front end on my 73 > Super Beetle; I had no idea how old the parts were and they were > showing some serious wear. To make a long story short, the car now > has a new center tie rod, new outer tie rods and ends, new ball > joints, and a new(er) steering damper. After installing all these > parts I had the car professionally aligned for safety. > > Almost immediately afterwards I noticed a significant increase in > steering effort - the wheel will usually not return to center on its > own exiting turns. This is also accompanied by a sort of > binding/grinding sound from the front of the car. Even stranger, the > symptoms get worse the warmer the temperature. On days less than 60 > degrees I hardly noticed anything, above 80 or 90 and I was afraid to > drive. I realize the severity and have ceased driving the vehicle - > but the problem needs addressing. > > I have tried (unsuccessfully) to isolate the cause of the sound. It > is impossible to tell where it is coming from - no matter where you > crawl under or put your ear it sounds different. Even with the entire > front off the ground the noise and increased effort persist. I have > disconnected the damper and it checks ok. > > Could the steering box itself be a possibility? Or the universal > joints on the steering column? I'm becoming desperate, but I don't > want to tear everything apart unless there is no alternative. Thanks > in advance for any advice! Pull the Pitman arm off or disconnect the center tie rod from the Pitman arm. See if the binding is still there. If it *is*, I'll bet the shop "adjusted" the steering box. If no bind with the Pitman off, look at the idler arm bushings. Often they will freeze up solid and I suppose it could be temp dependent. Inspect the U-joints for wear (they will fall apart on you if worn), but the binding doesn't really sound like them. Speedy Jim http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/ |
#3
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Speedy Jim > wrote:
> Pull the Pitman arm off or disconnect the center tie rod from the > Pitman arm. See if the binding is still there. If it *is*, > I'll bet the shop "adjusted" the steering box. That's my first guess, too. Open the bonnet and take out the spare floor. In about the 1 or 2 o'clock position of the spare is a round cap in the floor. Pop the cap out with a screw driver and you see the top of the steering box and the adjustment for it. Loosen the 17mm nut and turn the adjustment counter-clockwise to loosen the stiffness. There's an obvious neutral point where the play is gone and effort is least. -- David Gravereaux > [species: human; planet: earth,milkyway(western spiral arm),alpha sector] |
#4
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Appreciate the advice; I should get a chance to give it a look later
this week due to the coming holiday. It would be nice if it was something that simple (the box adjustment). If not, and it *is* the idler how difficult of a change is that? Nothing more complicated than what I've already done I wouldn't think? Thanks again, and if I need more help I've found the place to come. Happy Thanksgiving. |
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