I disagree. It's quite typical for a bug to occasionally go into a "wobble" under tow, particularly if there's no engine in it and the rear end is riding high (reducing caster), even with a functioning steering damper. With normal caster it's seldom an issue provided the front end is in reasonably good condition (until ~1960, bugs didn't even HAVE steering dampers). If and when you get a wobble, accelerating rapidly will usually make it stop, but that's not always an option depending upon traffic (and the speed limit) which is why I always take a length of rope along which can be used to limit the steering wheel travel to ~¼ turn in either direction by tying it off to the seat frame with just a little slack. This makes tight turns awkward but if you've got to tow a "bad" one any distance it's worth the trouble to tie it before going on the highway and untie it when you get off.
--- "Gerald V. Livingston II" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Not normal. Bad steering damper. Be glad you didn't > hit any holes bad > enough to slam the beetle wheels to full stop left > or right while driving > at high speed. > > When I first got the bus it would do that if it's > wheels were turned a bit > as I pulled away or if I was starting our with the > lead vehicle turned. The > only way to make it stop was to come to a full stop > then ease forward about > a car length to center the steering wheels. It made > pulling out of a few > parking lots very "interesting". > > Centrifugal force on the tires keeps them spinning > "straight" (no shimmy) > at higher speeds unless an immovable obstacle (like > a good sized hole) > intervenes and suddenly points them another > direction. > > It stopped doing it completely, regardless of how I > start out, after I > replaced the steering damper. > > Gerald ____________________________________________________________________________________ We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love (and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list. http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/265 _______________________________________________ vintagvw site list [email protected] http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw
