Rear-axle Beetle

Hey guys,

Has anyone by any chance ever tried to align the rear axle on a Beetle or similar vehicle?

I don't mean in terms of left or right, but rather at an angle to the vehicle's longitudinal axis.

Background:
My car always pulls to the side of the road, and the tires, alignment, and brake pads have been ruled out as the cause.
According to the ADAC bicycle test, my bike pulls to one side (specifically, to the right) by 14 meters per kilometer. According to the measurements, the right side of the rear axle is 18 minutes 'in the plus,' while the left side is 5 minutes 'in the plus.'

Based solely on the data, it should be feasible.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I'm familiar with that problem from my experience with golf.

The rear axle is not adjustable. However, it does have a track width, as you already mentioned, which is 5 or 18 minutes ahead. This also causes the rear axle to induce a change in track, which is compensated for by the steering system to allow for straight-line driving.

So, it's essentially the same as pulling a "Bollerwagen" backwards, meaning with the steerable wheels at the rear. Then you realize how a misaligned rear axle can also affect the properly aligned front axle.

Unfortunately, there are not many adjustable settings available for the Golf IV/Beetle. For the Golf III, there was supposedly a "correction disc" that could be used to realign the kingpins. "These are no longer available for the iVer."

Looking at the rear axle, it's no surprise. The wheels are attached to the end of the axle shaft, while the axle itself is mounted to the chassis on the other side. This lever, which is perhaps only 40 cm long, only needs to bend slightly to the side to change the toe angle. A master mechanic once told me that almost every new car is delivered without proper alignment (due to tolerances), and that the rear axle can also become misaligned with strong crosswinds.

Here's what you can do: Take your car to a reputable workshop and have them perform a wheel alignment, including what's known as a "dachshund correction." In this process, the alignment of the front axle is adjusted so that the car drives straight even if there is a misalignment in the rear axle.