When towing a bug or ghia, I've always used a fairly stout bunjee cord looped around the steering wheel and hooked to the springs under the front seat to limit the steering wheel a bit and dampen any shimmy. Might also keep you from bending the tow bar if you 'accidently' back up. . . . still lets it turn OK when going around corners.
glenh :<) marc vellat wrote: > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ vintagvw site list [email protected] http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw
