[T3] front end woes

[Jim Adney]

On 28 Jun 2015 at 21:29, Fiesta Cranberry wrote:

> Oy vey.  As Rodanne Rosanadana used to say, "If it's not one thing, it's
> another."

One of my very favorite SNL characters, right along with Emily 
Laetella.

> I think my front end is shot.   Well, not *my *front end, but The
> Baroness'.  I took her up to Marin yesterday, over the bridge.  Every time
>  hit an expansion joint, the front end would jerk violently to the right,
> and it was quite difficult to steer it back to the left; very sloppy
> feeling.  Same thing on curves to the left; it wanted to go right.  I
> eneded up driving the whole way back at 40 mph. 

There are LOTs of things that this COULD be, from a flat tire to a 
sway bar coming loose, or even a wheel bearing that's completely 
disintegrated. You'll need to take it to someone who knows front ends 
to find out the actual problem. Yes, it could be a ball joint or tie 
rod end. A decent front end shop should be able to diagnose it for 
you, but anyone willing to just look under there might be able to 
find the part that's coming loose.

You might want to tell us what the diagnosis is before you pay 
someone to fix it, as the Type 3 front end is different from a 
Beetle's, which leads to misdiagnosis sometimes.

Yes, don't drive it any more than absolutely necessary before you get 
it fixed.  

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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