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pulling ghia with towbar: ghia was pitching and diving *wildly* at 20 MPH

got ready to tow my ghia home today (20 miles away), got it all hoooked up with the correct aircooled type towbar, everything all nice and snug, with safety chains and all, but only got about a block - looked in the rearview mirrow, and the ghia is "pitching and diving like a wild-ash MO-FO" back there. steering wheel on the ghia looked like it was going "lock to opposite lock" about once every second. ghia front wheels oscillating back and fourth WILDLY, looked like it was about to "scrub the tires right off the dang RIMS", in fact. went back to shop, unhooked ghia, removed towbar, pushed ghia back into shop, gave up for today.

possible causes (my guesses, please 'confirm'):

too much air in ghia tires: 30 lbs all around? that too much?

no load in ghia front: gas tank removed, no spare at front under hood? (also engine out of car, and at shop, if that matters, plus seats are removed/also at shop). also, ghia key was in ignition, and turned to 'on', so steering wheel lock's not the issue....

or...

maybe bad ghia steering damper? could that be it?

or maybe something else entirely? everything "just right for towing" near as I can determine: ball to coupler nice'n'snug, ball strut into receiver hitch "all good and tight ready to go" and snug, towbar to lower front ghia suspension "all good to go", snug, and not loose, and hooked up correctly...

baffling (and kind of scarey). good thing I noticed this happening at 15 to 20 MPH and not at 70 MPH...but would'a rather got it home today :-(

anybody else ever had this happen? any ideas?

thanks guys :-)

toolie

-- ps: replies by e-mail need to remove the 'weirdstuff' from my email addess before clicking 'send'. thanks

--

Reply to
dave
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LOL

Read this story on my web site about my experience:

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Back to your mishap. The lack of weight is no doubt to blame.

Yes, let the air out. Get the frt tires down to about 15-18 lbs. Maybe load thr frt with cinder blocks?

A new damper would be a quickie job that may help. If it's still goofy, I would adjust the toe-in for more toe.

Oh.......and make sure the thing is in NEUTRAL!

Speedy Jim

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Reply to
Speedy Jim

I towed a bug 900+ miles from FL to VA using the clip-on the front beam VW tow bar. It had old tires and had sat in barn for 5+ years (brake drum was locked for first couple miles even) . Had no problem at all. Is the tow bar near level with the TV hitch or are you towing with a high SUV hitch? If so I'd get or borrow a dropped hitch. I'd check the steering stabilizer too -- and look at the ball joints for excessive wear. Dumb thought but if it was in gear that might cause that too -- as it tried to pull car back as engine turned over.

Reply to
Wolfgang

i just towed the Thing 400 miles and that happened 3 times...always after a sharp turn and accelerating. I was told it you bungee the steering wheel in a center position so that it can move but wants to return to centre...that will help. I think the reason why it happened was in the steering box. I had about 2 inches of play in the steering wheel...all adjusted now.

I do wonder about turning off the ignition and letting the car lock its wheels and let it free wheel like the back wheels...it would stop the flopping around....its only theories now guy.....

Reply to
Morgan Anderson

Do not tow with the key lock engaged on the steering wheel.

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">Den's1977 Puma

Reply to
Dennis Wik

Definately not!

Reply to
73_Ghia

I can't answer why, but I can tell you that weight may not be the cause. I towed my totally stripped down Ghia several times while I was doing bodywork. It had no engine, nothing in the interior, stripped trunk, etc.. Never had that happed. I even drove as 'fast' as 50 mph

Reply to
Mel P.

Now a good steering stablizer will help that problem out and did you take a sharp turn too slowly? Usually those two things make that wheel turn back and forth like that. Sometimes if you just slow down some it will subside. You might need something that causes resistance with the steering in the towed vehicle.

I have towed a Beetle with another Beetle from Iowa to Chicago without a problem. Of course I was young and dumb then. lol

later, dave (One out of many daves)

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Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

When I towed my bug home I admit that I did not have to tow it but a few blocks and not very fast since I used my lawn tractor and a couple of peices of tubing. I did get some looks but it towed just fine and I felt good that I solved my problem of how to get it home by myself. I have since been doing a lot of work trying to get it ready for the road. I had to cut the top off and I will be replacing the floor pans. I have had to go all through the wiring since it had been flipped into a lake. I am disabled and that is why it has taken me so long to get it fixed up. I have met a number of great people and I have to put a plug in for the best guy around. He is David at Aircooledparts.com. I had ordered some parts from him and some how got the wrong front shocks and he went way out of his way getting the right ones and he drove them right to my house about 90mi's from his store. Now that is service that you just don't see in this day and age so David get the highest marks that I can give to anyone. Check out his site

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and buy anything from him just to let him know that all of use out here trying to keep the old bugs going really appreciate good service. You can trust him to do what he say's. Phillip Coyle

Reply to
Packrat46

I sold a piece of glass to The guy that runs that site. Of course it was a "sunday" deal and I was just close by when this occurred.I suppose it's difficult to find glass on Sundays around Dallas/Ft. Worth. Nice enough guy. He came to the house and picked the glass that best suited him...............I haven't looked at his site lately, but last time I looked he had a fair selection of the stuff that everyone else carries. And he is very local to me. I just havent had any need to buy any parts in a very long time since there is an overabundance of vehicles around the house still. Glad to hear you had a good experience though.

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MUADIB®

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MUADIB

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