Over about 60 mph on my 2015 Vintage Speedster the steering becomes extremely light. So much so, that it would be hard to make a sudden evasive turn. It feels like the front end has lost weight, even with a full tank.
How can this be remedied?
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More caster(aftermarket shims under the lower beam), a little negative camber, and a little toe-in. I'm good to 125 mph.
Do you currently have a front sway bar. Seems for years VS did not install one (even the skinny OEM one). Are you using caster shims? Does your VS have the single beam adjuster?
Good questions. I'll have to go under and check. Thanks.
AND the weight. Add weight to the to the beam unless you have a spare and tools in the frunk. I have 26 pounds added to my car. 6 degrees of caster (2 shims per side). Front sway bar and rear camber compensator. You need all that stuff.
Radial tires 22psi front 26 in the rear.
I guess you did mean over 60mph and not 60 y.o. for the driver. We couldn't help with that.
I couldn't resist
Yeah, a couple bags of tools and some extra oil work for useful weight.
Is this a problem with Spyders as well? I am waiting on a Subaru Spyder so barely any room in the frunk for spare weight or spare tire.
Are caster shims and a sway bar something I should ask Carey about while I am on the waiting list?
Becks don’t use caster shins as the beam is welded into the chassis in Spyder and their older Speedster. The new Speedster suspension doesn’t use a beam.
A big battery in front helps too. Even a larger 12.5 gallon gas tank helps with weight. Also does it have a working steering damper? It helps prevent steering wheel vibration. I'd also look at ball joints - some replacements are known to bind. I assume VS rebuilt entire pan back when it was built - but many aftermarket parts are suspect.
I'm still working on my VM Speedster handeling in general. I have one set of caster shims, two and the steering is too hard, a larger sway bar and 60 lbs of weight in the front. Its a lot better over 60mph. Cheers.
@americanworkmule posted:Is this a problem with Spyders as well? I am waiting on a Subaru Spyder so barely any room in the frunk for spare weight or spare tire.
Are caster shims and a sway bar something I should ask Carey about while I am on the waiting list?
NO, beam is welded in. You'll be good. I have maybe 20 pounds of tools and oil up front biased toward the passenger side. It's plenty.
@DannyP posted:NO, beam is welded in. You'll be good. I have maybe 20 pounds of tools and oil up front biased toward the passenger side. It's plenty.
It just dawned on me, with a Subaru radiator in the front, how do we make service access ports for the steering box and beam adjusters like on the air cooled cars?
You will find that Carey makes the car right.
Spyders are generally fine to 110 mph or more when they're aligned properly. You won't be needing to add weight up front, you can't use caster shims. A front sway bar will make it better yet. Like Danny says, a kit of tools and spares will do it no harm whatsoever. They get light in the nose around 115. That could be a problem if you're racing, but if it causes trouble on the street you might want to change cars.
And countries.
