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I hope someone can suggest what the heck to do to reduce the front end lightness and general roughness experienced in my Speedster. (Swing Axle not IRS)
In general, my car rattles over bumps quite a bit. (even the small ones? In fact, it's really beginning to bug the heck out of me. I believe the car was assembled correctly and made with some great care, so I am a little frustrated. There were shims added to the car, and the car is equipped with a sway bar up front. When I go over bumps I seem to get quite a bit of sqeaking, as if I'm shaking something loose or the body feels less than secure??
My local mechanic lowered the car 1/2 " to try and compensate for the problem. He did this because he described my cars ride as if if were a pinball machine.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone experienced similar problems? Is this just the nature of the this type of car?
Any advice would be appreciated!
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I hope someone can suggest what the heck to do to reduce the front end lightness and general roughness experienced in my Speedster. (Swing Axle not IRS)
In general, my car rattles over bumps quite a bit. (even the small ones? In fact, it's really beginning to bug the heck out of me. I believe the car was assembled correctly and made with some great care, so I am a little frustrated. There were shims added to the car, and the car is equipped with a sway bar up front. When I go over bumps I seem to get quite a bit of sqeaking, as if I'm shaking something loose or the body feels less than secure??
My local mechanic lowered the car 1/2 " to try and compensate for the problem. He did this because he described my cars ride as if if were a pinball machine.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone experienced similar problems? Is this just the nature of the this type of car?
Any advice would be appreciated!
No, it's not a new problem to my car. I guess I'm becoming more critical as I drive more and become more aware of the stiffness of the ride and the lightness of the front end. I will take your suggestion and lower my pressure. Currently, all tire are at about 30psi. Is this too high?
Paul,
Tire pressures are too high, in my opinion. Many of the drivers on the board run five or six pounds less in the front than the rear. I am currently running 23# front and 28# rear which gives me good handling. I also have a swing axle, but no suspension mods. All is as delivered from VS. The rattle you are experiencing, could it be the doors? This has been a continuing problem with my car, but mitigated by adding or replacing weather stripping to give a tighter seal. This may not be what you are experiencing, but when you said you were hearing the noise even over small bumps, it brought the problem to mind; This was the symptom I had.
Good luck
John H
2000 VS
Your tire pressures are too high for even a beetle. Too much pressure in front can contribute to more oversteer. That is why the fronts are run with less air. The fronts should have 5 lbs less air than rears. The rattles are another problem. I hate rattles myself. These noises should be hunted down and eliminated one by one. These little light cars are not going to ride like a Mercedes or Cadilac, but you shouldn't have to live with rattles.
This site is really helpful. Here is what I have determined and will probably go forward.
1. Decrease Air pressure in the ratios suggested.
2. Check the door seals etc. Tighten any loose bolts etc.
3. Change out the shocks? This is sugggested from the following archived item from JPS Motors from the old message board. It reads as follows:

OK, the big secret to making the front of a Speedster handle and not plow and still give you a great ride is "Use the cheapest softest shock you can buy, the Cofap or similar cheap off brand shock but before you install them bleed them in the upright position at least five to six times, this is done by holding the end down and extending the shock the full length and compressing them back down completely five to six times as you do this you will feel the shock start to move evenly through the stroke." The shocks will not bleed out on the car by themselves and will bind up in one position if not completely bled.



JPS Motorsports

John P. Steele
(818) 985-8891

I have only one question regarding bleeding of new shocks. Does the new shock bleeding process take place before installation? What tools or process is needed to complete this bleeding process. Any further clarification would be appreciated.
Hello Paul,
With regards to the bleeding process; Yes, you need to bleed the shocks prior to installing them. To do this, you merely place the bottom of the shock on a bench top (or other stable surface) and then push the top of the shock downward until it will travel no further. Then, pull it back up until it is fully extended. Do this five of six times. As you do this you will notice that the shock will indeed begin to glide more smoothly and will have a nice even-feeling pressure throughout the entirety of its' travel.

Happy Motoring!
Scot

(Message Edited 8/18/2002 2:11:50 PM)
Paul,

Add the following 2 things to the excellent suggestions already offered:

1. Go buy the cheapest brand (Acme excluded) of front shocks available at your local parts store. I mean cheap, and I mean soft. Per John Steele's (owner JPS) instructions on an earlier post last month, do the folling: Exten the shock out as far as it will go, then push it back in all the way, repeat this 5 times before installing it. There is a possibility that the previous owner or builder may have put a stiff or performance shock on.... bad news on a light replica 356 based on a VW Pan. The El Cheapos, having been flexed per the above will soften that ride some... hopefully.

2. Add weight to your front end. How? For me, I added a spare on a 4" rim and stock beetle sized tire, plus a scissor jack, tool bag, and the battery. Others use some type of metal ballast bolted up front somewhere (make sure it is centeredm or even concrete/sand bags laid in the front... ask around, many will share their method. The point is, adding weight up front will definitely mellow out that front end skitishness.

That's my suggestions... and I use exactly the samer PSI's as my friend, John H, does 23/28 on 185/65-15s.

Fraternally,
Jim OKC Dub U Tub
I would only add that both my CMC-C are dropped to like 5-6 inches. You know those turn lane turtles they put everywhere. I don't even drive over those just in case :) Anyway, I have some large anti-sway/handling bars. They tie right into the suspension and I believe they make the suspension on these cars stiff. I believe that is the core difference in ride between a Type 1 and Speedsters. I agree with others, 18 lbs front tires, 24 lbs rear. Soft shocks. Then stiff bars to control lean and handle.
The last post, soft tires and stiff suspension...I like that. I didn't rev pat 4000-4500RPM on a break-in run yesterday, but did feel that familiar drift & pitch a few times, reminiscant of the plowing I used to do in the German versions.

Left to my own devices, I know I got it backwards this time out... It's supposed to be upgrade brakes & suspension first, then the engine, but what the Hell.

I'll go fast in a straight line for a while until good cents prevails.

MM
WideRidezzz

PS How was the Monterrey jaunt?
I don't know how I got the dates be-fuggered up :-(
Does anyone experience some of the problem due to how the fiberglass body is attached to the pan and frame? Could it be that some of that squeaking and rattling may be due to loosening of the main bolts holding down the body??
I just changed out the shocks and do find that the ride has improved. This ofcourse, is combined with the deflation of the tires as recommended. I guess I am asking for perfection in the ride and expect the front not to sqeak and rattle over bumps. I guess the investigation continues?
thanks for all the suggestions User Group...
Are you sure your problem is with the body rattling -- could the noise be worn ball joints, bushings or other front end wear symptoms, or perhaps your steering stablizer is toast? A good front end shop with Vw experience should be able to find any of those problems in a jiffy -- all could make a rattle.

How many miles are on your car, who is the make, was it factory or owner built... If it was factory built and doesn't have too many miles on it I wouldn't think it was the body mounting at fault. Is your front bumper tightly secured? Is there stuff in your trunk that could be rattling when you hit bumps?
The car is approx 3 years old. Professionally built, JPS. Awesome quality I might add. So all the goodies are taken care of. Nothing in the trunk to rattle around, plus the bumpers are attached securly. It has Approx 5k miles on her and the rest of the car runs / lookds awesome.
I will take your advice and seek out a VW front end repair solution. It might just be one of the problems as you suggested.
I hope this can put an end to the problem (s)
thanks-
Paul
Also, jack it up and get under there. Grab stuff and shake it see what rattles. Look all over under there. Get a rubber mallet and pound around a little bit. You may find that you have a some stuff that can easily be tied down, reshapped not to rattle, or that's bent and rattling on the torsion bars. Something may also have loosened up.
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