Re: Scriocco speedometer etc...

["Lisa & Rick" <hugacub@whidbey.net>]

On 25 Nov 96 at 20:41, I.Mannix wrote:

> Kyle - why does moving the wheel change the turning radius?  Is that
> a Scirocco-specific thing? (shrug?!?)  I have moved my wheel several
> times on my 84 GTI, and I have the same # of turns lock to lock -
> how does the steering column know where the wheel sits?  The little
> tab which turns the directional off is in a slightly different
> place, but that tab never limits wheel rotation - it just trips the
> directional.  I don't get it.  I could see where the directional
> turns off earlier one way than another, but I can't for the life of
> me see why moving the wheel would change # of turns lock to
> lock.....clue me in?  Thanks!

I'll take a stab at this.  The steering wheel is ultuimately 
connected to the "rack", which is what really controls the side to 
side movement of the wheels.  If the tie rods are adjusted all the 
way to one side or the other, it limits the travel to one side while 
increasing the travel to the other.  I'll attempt an ascii graphic to 
help explain.

                 I                                          I                
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The left example represents a rack on a car that has the tie rods 
centered.  The steering wheel (if straight when the rack is centered) 
would have equal travel to both sides.  The right example represents 
where the rack would be when the steering wheel is straight.  Thias 
time, you may only get let's say 1 1/2 turns till the rack is at the 
end of it's travel.  Turning the other direction will let you go 3 
turns till the rack is against it's stop.  Of course, you'll be 
moving the tires far more than intended and be rubbing somethind for 
sure.  

This is a crude and simplified explanation, and if my mail program 
(or some of your readers) jumbles my lines, it won't make sense.
Here's hoping it gets to you the way I sent it :)



Rick    hugacub@whidbey.net
85 Scirocco 8V  Wolfsburg
Oak Harbor, WA
(On Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound)
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