Newbie tips- sand steer brakes

[lastmanx]

Don't leave the pavement without at least cable operated sand steer brake levers. Ok here's the deal: it's a pair of simple metal levers with a hole to mount each park brake cable. One for left rear, one for right rear. Your VW transaxle drives only one rear wheel at a time. It always drives only the wheel with the LEAST RESISTANCE ! This means when you go offroad and your right rear wheel begins to spin due to loss of traction; it will continue to always spin. Now you are stuck. With the individual steer levers you can now pull that right rear lever up; which activates the park brake shoe causing more resistance than the left rear wheel. So now the transaxle will turn the left rear wheel which now has the least resistance. Hopefully that wheel has better traction and you are now not stuck. They used to be sold in chrome everywhere inexpensively. Clever individuals made their own. With the introduction of higher horse power motors, hydraulic operated levers were introduced; mainly for longer sand rails. The hydraulic levers activate the brake wheel cylinder which is better and stronger and will actually steer a sand rail. But i'm simply addressing the traction issue. Granted good tires and low tire pressure usually work. I have only had to use the cable steer brakes a couple of times in 20 years. It got me out of trouble instantly without help from others. Without them I would have needed a tow. Who knows how long it would have taken, because of course I was in an area no one should have been driving. (just one of those newbie learning experiences). Yes my wife was with me and won't let me forget it. If you leave the stock park brake lever in place; with the cables on the steer levers it will lock them up for parking. This is how I use them. They are there when needed and still park the buggy. If you are still building your buggy consider installing them.At the least you will now have the "look" of a real offroad buggy. Keep smiling and buggy on!

[jsturtlebuggy]

I use hydraulic steering brakes in both of my buggies. They have a better feel and actually work better then the mechanical ones.
Yes I spent many years using mechanical ones before finding out how good hydraulic ones work. I also had them in the off road racing buggies that I built and drove.
Installing them you have to be creative in were you place it. Where I have them in both buggies work great pushing and pulling for left and right turns. I not having to reach or bump elbows with the passenger.