Itinerant Air-Cooled

It has been quite a journey so far. I put on some new tires, Michelin LTX MS 195-75-14s in Livonia Michigan and it has been nothing but wandering and darting and misbehavior. Jacked tire pressures up to 40/50, down to 32/44, no difference. Had a weird lurch to the left every time the car took a wind gust from the left. That sounded like too much toe-out on the rear (the loading up of the suspension causes rear wheel steering) so I pulled off the road and jacked up the right rear.


Loosened those big bolts/nuts holding the spring plate/diagonal arm/wheel bearing housing and kicked the entire mess forward, here you can see the matchmarks are now about 1/4" forward of the spring plate.


And here I have moved the tire in at the bottom to get rid of a little camber to match the left rear wheel's camber in the jacked state.


After tightening the bolts/nuts, I hit the road to enjoy some more fierce wind. And, indeed, the left lurching was now gone, but the wander was still apparent. So I then decided to reduce the positive camber on the right front wheel and remove a little toe-in on the front axle (positive camber requires a little toe-in, when you remove the positive camber, you remove a corresponding amont of toe-in). After this adjustment, the wander was a little better, but the steering was stickier (positive camber helps get the steering axis under the tread, negative makes the steering effort go up).

Then the skies opened up. Had a busy couple of days with Locoqueso followed by mattg, both of whom have very nice cars (here's while at Locoqueso's):


Tried to get to the Galena campout in nw Illinois when the skies opened up some more with even fiercer winds while on the narrowed I-90 corridor under construction. Finally called the gang in the mud out there and told them that I had decided to get booking to Montana.
Then the skies fell some more. . . next post.
Colin

Amskeptic wrote:Then the skies opened up. Had a busy couple of days with Locoqueso followed by mattg, both of whom have very nice cars (here's while at Locoqueso's):

Ahhh yes, I remember that moment. I was trying so hard not to drop the plug as I screwed it in. Thank you very much for your help Colin.

Amskeptic wrote:

Is the diet coke necessary for this operation?

Missed you around the mud n flood campfire. We drank you cold beer after you called and wimped out on us.

chitwnvw wrote:Missed you around the mud n flood campfire. We drank you cold beer after you called and wimped out on us.

I wanted to be there. I was cursing the gods for the rains and wind all the way to yesterday morning when they decided to snow on me instead . . . in JUNE, PEOPLE!!