I believe he's referring to caster shims (which are not specific to a narrowed beam, they may also be used to improve high-speed stability on a stock-width beam). They go between the frame head and the lower beam tube and tilt the beam in relation to the chassis, so they WILL affect the alignment of the steering column. To correct, one must shift the installed location of the steering box slightly. If it's only off by a little, loosening one bolt and tightening the other may be enough...for major changes, you need to file out the notch in the steering box clamp that indexes on the lug welded to the surface of the beam tube. This often needs to be done on a completely stock installation when using a Brazilian beam (their quality control is abysmal and the lug is more often than not welded on in the wrong location). BUT FIRST, check that the clamp half is installed correctly - it has a notch on each side, one which locates the box correctly for a Beetle and one which tilts it back slightly to line up with the more-horizontal angle of the shaft in a 'Ghia. It may well be that all you need to do is remove it, turn it around, and bolt it back up. --- Eric Larson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> What kind of shims are you installing and why? Are > they for a lowered beam? Don't those go under the > bottom beam? They shouldn't effect your steering > shaft unless they are under the top beam. I'm a link > pin guy myself, so I don't know much about the ball > joints. 8) > > Eric > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Chuck Kuecker<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Air-Cooled Volkswagen Discussion > List<mailto:[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 5:08 PM > Subject: Re: [vintagvw] narrow beam install > problem > > > Loosen the two bolts holding the steering shaft > cover to the bottom of > the dash - there's a bit of adjustment there. > Pre-'68 cars have a rubber > collar that is clamped to the dash by the curved > strap the bolts hold to > the dash - you will need to break this loose and > slide it down a little. > '68 and newer cars have slots in the top part of > the column where the > ignition key is, and that's the range of > adjustment. > > Did the wheel line up properly with the original > beam and steering gear? > A narrowed beam should still be the same distance > from the place the > steering gear fits to the wheel... > > Chuck Kuecker > > Peter Perez wrote: > > ok, 2" narrowed bj beam installed. also > installed > > shims under beam. started to install steering > coupler > > and noticed angle of steering shaft to steering > box > > isn't straight on. bolted everything up thinking > it > > might all come together and the round coupler > got > > "curvy" looking from the bad angles. looked at > the > > steering wheel and there was like 5/8" gap > between the > > steering wheel and the turn signal collar. So i > loosen > > the beam bolts and slide out the caster shims > and > > tighten everything back up. remove the steering > > coupler and see that the steering shaft and > steering > > box are almost lined up straight, and the > steering > > wheel is perfectly spaced with the turn signal. > put > > the steering coupler back in and the steering > wheel > > only sticks out about 7/16". Is there something > > adjustable I'm missing? can the steering column > be > > slid up to make up for that 7/16"s? Thanks > folks. > > ;=- pete > > 707CA > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > vintagvw site list > > [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > > http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw<http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw> > _______________________________________________ > vintagvw site list > [email protected] > http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/ _______________________________________________ vintagvw site list [email protected] http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw
