Anti wind device.

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by S1mon, Jul 23, 2020.

  1. Hi all so I know the vans are as aerodynamic as turd after 10pints of Carling and a vindaloo.
    But just hit by 20mph wind ish and changed lanes on the motorway.

    Any tips for improving the handling.
    Don’t want to slam it.
    Van is all standard and working as it should. Thanks!
     
  2. Give your steering a good going over, ball joints, steering box, etc. You shouldn't be getting blown across three lanes.
     
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  3. Check tracking first.
     
    Lasty likes this.
  4. Check the steering box adjuster isn't over tightened and as above - tracking...

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
     
  5. Yes proper commercial tires massive difference. kwikfit do them!
     
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  6. Try these o_O:D

    16B689D8-2668-460C-A62E-1610E0AFE587.png
     
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  7. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    Steering column coupler rubber bit.
    Sloppy ball joints.
    Sloppy drag link.
    Knackered steering box.
    Tracking.
    Camber angle uneven on front wheels.

    Anti roll bar upgrade at front , add one at rear.


    My lowered bus now runs true on the motorway. I can actually lift my hands a fraction off the wheel and it stays running straight.

    What happens with bad tracking or camber angle (which makes the bus run in a big circle) is that you are normally driving along steering against that tendency. Then the wind pushes hard in the other direction and all of the slop has to be taken up before the wheels are under control of the driver.. its scary. My drag link was about to fall off...
     
  8. Pudelwagen

    Pudelwagen Supporter

    I think these buses were designed before motorways.

    That should give you a clue!
     
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  9. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    But if its set up right and you drive it watching the traffic and the terrain to the side of the road, the leaves on the trees beside the road, you can drive it at 60-70mph on a windy day.

    Helps if one of the other things you do is drive a RIB at 25 knots across waves..
     
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  10. davidoft

    davidoft Sponsor

    The first thing to check is the steering damper , remove it to test , they commonly fail and cause the symptoms you have , cheap to replace too and only a 5 mins job
     
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  11. Soggz

    Soggz An inquisitive supporter

    Just wondering now you said that... are there better than standard ones?
     
  12. davidoft

    davidoft Sponsor


    Not that I’ve seen
     
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  13. Coda

    Coda Supporter

    I used to have an expensive adjustable one on my tank-slapper-happy motorbike, but I can’t see myself doing wheelies in my bus.
     
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  14. Soggz

    Soggz An inquisitive supporter

    Also, how can you test a steering damper?
     
  15. Take it off, work it back and forth like a shock absorber (which it is ;))
     
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  16. davidoft

    davidoft Sponsor


    Unbolt it , knackered ones usually have zero resistance
     
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  17. Having been blown across the motorway in my high-top bus on several occasions I replaced the steering damper and the swivel pin, but the thing that made the biggest difference was getting the tracking adjusted... it's been fine since.

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  18. A big ol’ cork? :thumbsup:
     
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  19. Soggz

    Soggz An inquisitive supporter

    Ok. I must admit... I have never checked mine, tbh.
    But when it’s really windy, my van tends to want to go sideways. Ball joints are all good, tyres at even pressures,etc.
     
  20. It's a good call, changing the one on my Bug seemed to make the world of difference. I went for a Koni, it was about twice the diameter of the stock one. I ought to check the one on the Bus too.
     

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