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Reply to "New Owner"

@KenTO wrote:

"1. I have to hold the steering wheel at a 45 degree angle right for the car to go straight, with the steering wheel strait it looks like the right front wheel is turned out, needs alignment?

2. When I use the turn signal the horn goes off, any advice to fix this? It looks like if I push it away and turn it does not, but towards me or neutral it does."

Way back up above you also mentioned that you don't work on cars, you work on people so this is detailed for you or your chosen mechanic.  

Just out of curiosity, what type of people work do you do?  I used to deal with computers - They were probably easier to deal with.  

Ken:  I think both of these are related and to be safe you should have a 4-wheel alignment done on the car just to know everything is tight and safe.  Peace of mind is a wonderful thing.

     So for either you or the trusted mechanic that you're gonna find (print this and show it to him/her), maybe whomever added that beautiful steering wheel didn't quite know what they were doing with the directional lever/switch just below the steering wheel on the steering column.  The switch/lever has to be installed just so and tightened properly and any wires in there tucked away so they don't contact anything.  Also, the steering wheel should be centered in the steering range, left to right.  This post will tell you how.  All of this is outlined in a Bentley VW Service Manual which you should buy:  

https://www.amazon.com/Volkswa...620856104&sr=8-1

It's done by turning the wheel all the way to the right and note the position, then all the way to the left, count the turns on the wheel right to left and note the position, then go back and get it as close to the exact middle between left and right as you can and leave it there ( don't worry about which way it's pointed - We're gonna fix that next).  

Remove the steering wheel and place it aside but do so by removing the big nut in the middle, down behind the horn button, not by removing the 6 screws around the center.  This gives you access to the directional lever behind it so you can see what's going on and correct what's wrong.  I suspect it's loose, but there may be more things to discover and sort out.  Look for loose wires or wires that have bare copper (no insulation) really close to something metal and figure out how to insulate them.  Also, with the wheel off you can find the horn wire and see if it's touching anything else and correct that, too.

Back to the steering wheel - There is a hub on the back of the wheel about the diameter of a beer can and almost as long.  That is an adapter between the steering shaft (the big rod with serrated teeth on the top that goes through the middle of the steering column) and your steering wheel.  On the bottom of that adapter is a big, curved tab that actuates the directional lever release feature.  When you turn a corner and have the Blinkah on (that Bahsten-speak for directional), that tab cancels it and makes it go off - simple as that, BUT it has to be in the right orientation (centered) in order for the system to work properly for left or right turn so there is a relationship between the directional switch cancel lever, the adapter tab and the steering wheel that has to all be in sync.  

Looking at the bare directional switch should show you where that tab wants to be to cancel the Blinkahs each time.  It comes around as you turn the wheel and contacts a little lever in the switch extended by pushing the directional lever up or down and the tab pushes it back to a neutral position and shuts off the blinkah.  Where it is now in relation to a straight steering wheel might not be where it wants to be for the Blinkahs to cancel.  If not, then remove the steering wheel from the adapter and rotate it to where the cancel tab is going to work, re-assemble the adapter to the steering wheel and then re-assemble the steering wheel/adapter to the steering shaft but this time, get the steering wheel centered as it should be going straight (remember that switch/adapter/wheel relationship).

Once all that is done, one of two things will happen:  Either it will go down the road straight with the steering wheel straight, or it won't.  If it does AND the Blinkahs cancel as they should when taking a corner, then go have yourself a beer.  If the car goes straight but the steering wheel is a little cocked to one side, you an either repeat some of the above by removing it and rotating it on the steering shaft a tooth or two to where it needs to be to go straight, OR take it in for a front end alignment.  If you do that, before your alignment, order a pair of caster shims from CB Performance:  

https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/6215.htm

and bring them along to the alignment place.  Ask them to set it up as a 1970 VW Beetle BUT set the caster to 5º - 6º NOT the usual 3º.  That will account for the lowered suspension and make the car more stable on a highway.  They will need the caster shims you bring along (they probably won't have them in stock) if they need to reset the caster for you.  

That should do it for you, and remember:

Blinkah

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Last edited by Gordon Nichols
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