When braking, my oval (still kingpin setup) feels like it is dipping down and to the left and then recovers to the right. This occurs at low spend (2o mph) on up. I've read both the idiot guide & Bentley, but am not totally sure what I should be looking for as to what this symptom may indicate. Steering box is fine as there is not more than an inch of free travel. The kingpins were redone thinking that would alleviate the problem. Based on my other cars, this would seem to be something an alignment "should" take care of, but is it So, suggestions on trouble shooting - caster, camber, toe-in? TIA - DB
dips & dives
Jun 26, 2004
7 Replies
Brakes not adjusted equally on both sides? They can be very touchy...
J.
Likely a restricted hose to one side or the other. H
Hmmm, didn't think of that. will do. - DB
my bus stopped doing this when I replaced the brake hoses and changed the [very contaminated] fluid.
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My '69 was doing this after the rear wheel cylinder blew. OTOH, the pedal was going nearly to the floor, too, since I was losing lots of fluid from the rear circuit. Could be misadjusted brakes, a swelling hose, or possibly a wheel cylinder.
Also, I had posted many months ago that the left-rear brake on my '69 would grind sometimes. That has gone away now that I've rebuilt the brakes. This is one for the memory files (and Google).
Do the same with the front shocks removed. If you have the same symptoms, then it's the brakes. Otherwise it's the shocks.
Bill, '67 Bug.
It might be the rubber brake hoses or one of the hoses. With age, they will swell up on the inside and restrict the flow of fluid. I replaced mine with the stainless steel brake hoses, mainly because I thought the replacement rubber hoses were of low quality compared to the original and I thought they would not last.
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