Shortly after we bought our '71 Super Beetle Convertible (in 1990!) I went through the entire front suspension and replaced all of the rubber bushings, strut inserts, tie rod ends, ball joints, steering damper, and the idler arm bushing. Even with new (at the time) Michelin tires, the Super Beetle shimmy continued.
Fast forward 28+ years and yesterday I finally installed a urethane bushing kit and the shimmy is GONE!
(Why did i wait so long???? Well, maybe because 1990 was only around 18,000 miles ago!)
Urethane Front Suspension Bushings for '71 Super Beetle
- vwlover77
- IAC Addict!
- Location: North Canton, Ohio
- Status: Offline
Urethane Front Suspension Bushings for '71 Super Beetle
Don
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78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick
"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen
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78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick
"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Re: Urethane Front Suspension Bushings for '71 Super Beetle
Do you find harshness or anything that would point to urethane?vwlover77 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:52 pmShortly after we bought our '71 Super Beetle Convertible (in 1990!) I went through the entire front suspension and replaced all of the rubber bushings, strut inserts, tie rod ends, ball joints, steering damper, and the idler arm bushing. Even with new (at the time) Michelin tires, the Super Beetle shimmy continued.
Fast forward 28+ years and yesterday I finally installed a urethane bushing kit and the shimmy is GONE!
(Why did i wait so long???? Well, maybe because 1990 was only around 18,000 miles ago!)
Do you categorically blame the compliance of the original rubber?
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
- vwlover77
- IAC Addict!
- Location: North Canton, Ohio
- Status: Offline
Re: Urethane Front Suspension Bushings for '71 Super Beetle
Not as yet. Noise, ride, and steering behavior seem the same as the rubber bushings so far.
Based on the immediate disappearance of the shimmy, I do.
Don
---------------------------
78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick
"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen
---------------------------
78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick
"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen