Club 80-90 Forums

LLOYDIE wrote:Got all tracking done at VW dealership. They are the only ones set up to do the camber adjustment.

Brickwerks are fully set up and equipped to do the caster/camber/tracking and are experienced with this vehicle in standard and modified forms; myself and others can testify how nice our vans drive and how even the tyre wear is once given the brickie treatment, Simon also understands how to set up left and rhd vehicles for both drive on left and drive on right applications

I wonder if your caster is correct, often it isn't and often due to previous front end/corner collision damage poorly repaired/set up previously, eg Terry's and Patrick's buses

I'm very happy with the combo of sweet upper balljoint spacer from Ian at Holman Engineering and the expert adjustment and setup from Simon at Brickwerks. Cured all driver noticeable tracking, camber, whatnot issues on my LHD iffy cornered, lifted 16.

Also the front tyre is wearing on the outer edge. I have had all the tracking, camber etc etc done, but it still continues to wear?
I have replaced the anti roll bar drop link arm bushes for some polly ones. (Not the easiest to get in!!!)
Front springs and shocks also all replaced.

All sounds suspicious and possibly linked to the problem

I have replaced the anti roll bar drop link arm bushes for some polly ones

I know she put the kettle on, but did she fit those drop-arm link bushes?

If so...

I have just removed my whole arb, not long after a drop-arm broke post poly bush fitting.
Cotswold trip assured me that handling on tarmac curves not seriously affected.

In theory arb mitigates towards some understeer, stabilsing and safetyising the handling... so was watching for oversteer0type tightening up through long sweepers or when being pushed seriously. Didn't find it conclusively and balance is that a smidge more articulation off-road

Have just been under for a closer look..... found that the 'VW Dealership' has wound both radius arms right up so bringing whole suspension set up forwards!!!
I totally agree with taking van to Simon's... just wish he was a little nearer. Its the one thing that scares me about owning and running a vehicle such as this everyday for work...nice but you seem to be waiting for the next thing to go wrong!
Cant really afford the time off to attempt the repairs when you are self employed!
As for our local VW garage....a waste of time. The 'technician' wasnt even born when my van was made!! If its not on the computer...then they havent got a clue.
Time to think what to do....
Thanks for all your info guys.

found that the 'VW Dealership' has wound both radius arms right up so bringing whole suspension set up forwards!!!

You let them within a mile of your truck... Arghhh!

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Why would they do that, were they aiming at setting the caster correctly? - or just playing around for effect ?

All I can say is... the 'technician' was very red in the face when he eventually appeared and the man behind the desk basically said we'll charge you £90 for the pleasure of not knowing what we were doing!!!
I think...if I keep it...a chat with Mr Baxter is required and a trip up North!!!

If the tyre was rubbing on the seat box at full lock and full compression, that would be one way of keeping it away,m pullig it fully forward

LLOYDIE wrote:Have just been under for a closer look..... found that the 'VW Dealership' has wound both radius arms right up so bringing whole suspension set up forwards!!!
I totally agree with taking van to Simon's... just wish he was a little nearer. Its the one thing that scares me about owning and running a vehicle such as this everyday for work...nice but you seem to be waiting for the next thing to go wrong!
Cant really afford the time off to attempt the repairs when you are self employed!
As for our local VW garage....a waste of time. The 'technician' wasnt even born when my van was made!! If its not on the computer...then they havent got a clue.
Time to think what to do....
Thanks for all your info guys.

Are you sure your upper wishbones are on the right way round might have been trying to compensate for that. ??

Have today removed lower control arm from body to find that the rubber bushing has been worn away on the one side and the central steel tube is no longer central!!! I think the adjustment probably sent it on its way!!
Also the two 'donut' rubber bushes on the end of the radius rod are well split. All this probably doesnt help the situation.
Any views or ideas (apart from the obvious)

Yeah buy a 14" proper westfalia that can out run a lorry like the rest of us.

I have the polybush kit for them but haven't had the time to fit them yet so can't really comment, I remember reading somewhere that Simon (brickwerks) thought this would or should cure this.
Apparently a lot of syncros suffer from this due to the angle of the lower control arm, my bushes have moved quite a way out on one side and obviously quite a way in on the other, if yours has been adjusted wrongly this could exacerbate the problem.

o the two 'donut' rubber bushes on the end of the radius rod are well split. All this probably doesnt help the situation.

You'll need the sleeve tube as well, which will be corroded to bits. Re-assemble with either red rubber grease or copper slip to keep water out in future

You should find the whole thing will steer and handle a lot better, once it's all set up and straight with new radius arm bushes

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/St ... and_bushes

I bought some stainless sleeves from Brickyard after I saw how bad the ones replaced only a year ago were on my 2wd.
Rob.

has it worn the subframe oval. if it has it`ll need repairing or you`ll get the washers knocking on the subframe.

has it worn the subframe oval.

Ah! Good point. Not seen it on my two, but got onto the rad arm bushed early on (probably says something about what I thought of the steering, when first encountered )

make sure the garage didnt jack up the van on the prop protection bars,,,they my have bent them making the prop hit them.
It happened to me