<VV> Damper install

[Tony Underwood]

At 10:15 PM 6/19/2010, Sethracer at aol.com wrote:
>Just don't put a damper on it!
>



I agree.   If the suspension up front is functioning correctly you 
aren't gonna need a damper.   If, as suggested, the car is exhibiting 
cowl shake (common issue in a unibody ragtop) you might wanna check 
for other problems like tires out of balance which will also make the 
steering wheel wanna jitterbug at speed... if there's still some 
hassle with extra movements up front, check the front shocks.   If 
one shock is weak, and the other is still OK, the car can behave 
oddly on a rough road and cause the steering wheel to modulate in 
your hand especially if you get on the brakes.

Take a look at things like ball joints and the idler arm, both of 
which can make the wheel dance in your hands on uneven rougher roads.


Driving a 'Vair with a steering damper on it tends to make it handle 
a bit odd in turns, and it can actually hide a problem that you may 
well wanna know more about before it becomes not just a problem but a 
rather intense concern.


Now:  If your concern is cowl shake, it might be cause for concern if 
the car has any rust underneath that may not be evident.   Shake and 
twist are two different things... shake can be caused by something as 
simple as tires out of balance.   Twist, depending on how much it 
twists, could be something more alarming since it could be suggesting 
that the structure of the vehicle could be compromised.   Find a 
driveway that will allow you to run one of the front wheels up onto a 
curb while still allowing the other three wheels to sit flat on the 
street.   You should still be able to open and close the doors 
without them binding up and jamming shut.   If they stick, get the 
car onto a lift and have somebody check underneath, and look for 
cracks and flaking paint in the door jambs below the door hinges.


A *little* cowl shake is to be expected, as is a little twist as in 
enough to maybe give your arm a little pinch if it's draped over the 
seam between the door and the rear fender as you're backing out of 
the driveway looking around over your left shoulder.


By the way, cowl shake can also be caused by weak rear shocks and a 
tire out of balance, especially if the tire wiggles in tune with the 
car body's natural resonant frequency.


Either way, here's to good fortune and hopes that you just wanted to 
try a steering damper to see if it improved handling (which it won't).   ;)





tony..