Front wheel question

[rogtwo@aol.com]

How about the tire? My first guess would be that the tire cords are failing,
causing a bulge in the tire. "It felt like a cheap basketball bouncing up
and down." If the tire has a bulge, then that is exactly what it was doing.

Roger
White '63
Seattle

In a message dated 9/16/03 7:17:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
echemike@sbcglobal.net writes:

> While at Holland a small group of about 5 amphi's were heading up via land
> about 5 miles to the mouth of lake Michigan to do a dusk/night water trip
> back to the Koops who live on the lake. On the trip my right front wheel all
of
> a sudden began to shake. It felt like a cheap basketball bouncing up and
> down. I don't recall hitting a pothole or bump of any kind. At first I
> thought I'd lost my steering and believe you me I was not sure I was going to
make
> it to a safe stop. Once I did pull over nothing??? Shock, spring, etc. all
> looked fine. We made the water trip but then back on land the car was making
> a few strange sounds never heard before. I was able to drive slowly back to
> the hotel.
>
> I have not pulled the wheel yet to check things out but prior to going to
> Holland I did repair one cylinder on that wheel which was sticking causing the
> car to pull left during braking. After the repair the braking was fine. I'm
> guessing I'll fine a bad bearing or possibly a brake shoe problem when I get
> in there. I have no problem with my steering box or tie rods etc. Any
> guesses?
>
> Thanks



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

 

[rogtwo@aol.com]

echemike@sbcglobal.net writes:

> Thanks Roger,
> Tires are fine.
> Mike

Have you jacked up the wheel and spun it and shaken it?

Dose it spin freely and smoothly? If someone applies the brakes, can you
still rotate the wheel at all?

If you grab the top and bottom of the tire and try to rock the tire up and
down does it move?

Have someone hold the steering wheel stationary. Grab the tire at the front
and back and try to turn it (i.e., turn as in how it would move if you were to
turn the steering wheel). Does it feel loose?

Roger


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

 

[Michael Echemann]

While at Holland a small group of about 5 amphi's were heading up via land about
5 miles to the mouth of lake Michigan to do a dusk/night water trip back to the
Koops who live on the lake. On the trip my right front wheel all of a sudden
began to shake. It felt like a cheap basketball bouncing up and down. I don't
recall hitting a pothole or bump of any kind. At first I thought I'd lost my
steering and believe you me I was not sure I was going to make it to a safe
stop. Once I did pull over nothing??? Shock, spring, etc. all looked fine. We
made the water trip but then back on land the car was making a few strange
sounds never heard before. I was able to drive slowly back to the hotel.

I have not pulled the wheel yet to check things out but prior to going to
Holland I did repair one cylinder on that wheel which was sticking causing the
car to pull left during braking. After the repair the braking was fine. I'm
guessing I'll fine a bad bearing or possibly a brake shoe problem when I get in
there. I have no problem with my steering box or tie rods etc. Any guesses?

Thanks

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

 

[Michael Echemann]

Thanks Roger,
Tires are fine.
Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: <rogtwo@aol.com>
To: <amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 9:27 PM
Subject: Re: [amphicar-lovers] Front wheel question


How about the tire? My first guess would be that the tire cords are
failing,
causing a bulge in the tire. "It felt like a cheap basketball bouncing up
and down." If the tire has a bulge, then that is exactly what it was doing.

Roger
White '63
Seattle

In a message dated 9/16/03 7:17:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
echemike@sbcglobal.net writes:

> While at Holland a small group of about 5 amphi's were heading up via land
> about 5 miles to the mouth of lake Michigan to do a dusk/night water trip
> back to the Koops who live on the lake. On the trip my right front wheel
all of
> a sudden began to shake. It felt like a cheap basketball bouncing up and
> down. I don't recall hitting a pothole or bump of any kind. At first I
> thought I'd lost my steering and believe you me I was not sure I was going
to make
> it to a safe stop. Once I did pull over nothing??? Shock, spring, etc.
all
> looked fine. We made the water trip but then back on land the car was
making
> a few strange sounds never heard before. I was able to drive slowly back
to
> the hotel.
>
> I have not pulled the wheel yet to check things out but prior to going to
> Holland I did repair one cylinder on that wheel which was sticking causing
the
> car to pull left during braking. After the repair the braking was fine.
I'm
> guessing I'll fine a bad bearing or possibly a brake shoe problem when I
get
> in there. I have no problem with my steering box or tie rods etc. Any
> guesses?
>
> Thanks



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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[capon23@aol.com]

Re: Re: Front wheel question

John,
if his weights fell off it would happen often... it sounds to me like the
shock was stuck in the up position and when he hit that bump it was like a
jackhammer... the shock then came loose and worked properly, remember there is
not
alot of weight up front on these and if the shock shaft has a groove in it from
wear it might hang up... Mike said it only happened once and it seems to me
to be a failing shock and he should check to see if it is leaking or if it has
pressure by taking one side of the shock off and pushing on it.... good luck
Mike... john (cigarguy)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

 

[a_colo_native]

Mike,

Look over your wheel along the rim, inside and outside. See if any of
the wheel weights are still there or moved. Sometime they get tossed
like a horseshoe. Then all of the sudden your wheel is no longer
balanced. Then it will go "Bouncy bouncy".

John