Lowering Base Model Rear Beam

[Guest shiftyshuffle]

Would it be easier to lower a rear beam from a base model (1993 1.1) than a GTi? Are they less sophisticated in their construction to a GTi?

 

Rob

[Anthony 1,003]

Exactly the same method - only slight difference is that it might not have a rear ARB (although I think most late 1.1's did)

[DaveW 6]

My old 94 1.1 did'nt have a arb fitted...

[Guest shiftyshuffle]

Thanks,

 

I've just got this 1.1 and it's riding way too high, I mean you could take it off-road no probs. I've recently been repairing things on cars and learning from the bottom up; first brake bleed, then wheel bearings, then front brake replacement, now I want to have a go at lowering on this one. I get the impression this job shouldn't be taken lightly: is it easy to get stuck midway?

 

Rob

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

Its easier to lower a non GTI or XS as it doesnt have an antiroll bar,i managed to do one in 11mins (with air tools),i have done several though. The only main issue is if the radius arm bearings are knackered. Not sure how you have seen to lower them, but i just remove the bottom shock bolts mark the torsion bar to the radius arm, undo the 13mm nut at the end of the torsion bar,knock the radius arm off,reposition it in the new place,do the same to the other side,and build it back up when youre done,easy peasy.

Edited February 12, 2009 by pugdamo

[Guest shiftyshuffle]

It's a 93' K-plate with 84,000, no obvious camber/creaks, and the beam itself isn't too rusty compared to some 80's GTi's iv'e seen..

 

Saying that, if I were to open her up and find the outer bearings were powder or in bad shape, is it possible just to carry on regardless and end up with a useable beam - or would the dismantling mean the beam is scrap? Then I'd be thinking "if only i'd left it alone, no-one would know and it could just rust away in the background..." You see what I mean? I need to use the car daily and i'm not looking to do a full re-furb. You make the base model beams sound easy to do compared to the GTi explanation on 205gtidrivers.com - what part do I leave out when looking at this? If the absence of the ARB makes the job a lot easier/quicker I'd be up for giving it a go, otherwise if the beam falls apart because it's knakkered i'd rather leave well alone.

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

It's a 93' K-plate with 84,000, no obvious camber/creaks, and the beam itself isn't too rusty compared to some 80's GTi's iv'e seen..

 

Saying that, if I were to open her up and find the outer bearings were powder or in bad shape, is it possible just to carry on regardless and end up with a useable beam - or would the dismantling mean the beam is scrap? Then I'd be thinking "if only i'd left it alone, no-one would know and it could just rust away in the background..." You see what I mean? I need to use the car daily and i'm not looking to do a full re-furb. You make the base model beams sound easy to do compared to the GTi explanation on 205gtidrivers.com - what part do I leave out when looking at this? If the absence of the ARB makes the job a lot easier/quicker I'd be up for giving it a go, otherwise if the beam falls apart because it's knakkered i'd rather leave well alone.

 

Iv lowered loads and only had one that the bearings collapsed ,i knocked the arm off and it came off at a funny angle,i knocked it back on and told him to get a new beam. I would just do it. but i would only go one spline on the torsion bar,2 splines and its completely on the deck.

[platty 1]

undo the 13mm nut at the end of the torsion bar,knock the radius arm off,

 

You make that part sound so easy

[AdamP 0]

Its easier to lower a non GTI or XS as it doesnt have an antiroll bar,i managed to do one in 11mins (with air tools),i have done several though. The only main issue is if the radius arm bearings are knackered. Not sure how you have seen to lower them, but i just remove the bottom shock bolts mark the torsion bar to the radius arm, undo the 13mm nut at the end of the torsion bar,knock the radius arm off,reposition it in the new place,do the same to the other side,and build it back up when youre done,easy peasy.

 

Erm, XSs have a 16mm ARB.

 

I found it easiest to do it the proper way and pull out the torsion bars!

[welshpug 1,658]

Its easier to lower a non GTI or XS as it doesnt have an antiroll bar,i managed to do one in 11mins (with air tools),i have done several though. The only main issue is if the radius arm bearings are knackered. Not sure how you have seen to lower them, but i just remove the bottom shock bolts mark the torsion bar to the radius arm, undo the 13mm nut at the end of the torsion bar,knock the radius arm off,reposition it in the new place,do the same to the other side,and build it back up when youre done,easy peasy.

 

 

That's the bodge way, the proper way is to leave the arm in place and remove both ends of the torsion bar, you can them have near infinite adjustment.

[Cloverleaf 1]

As welshpug said you can remove the torsion bar altogether to give more accurate adjustment unless you are happy to go 'one notch'.

 

Personally I don't think having an anti-roll bar or not makes much difference. I've always found it's harder to get the torsion bars out, compared to the anti-roll bar, as their splines are exposed to the elements.

 

Make sure you use a high grade bolt to remove the torsion bars if you do it that way - 12.9 if you've got, one and ensure the bolt doesn't bottom out in the torsion bar while you're doing it up to draw the torsion bar through the cross beam (but make sure you have enough thread engagement so to not strip the threads).

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

If you do it by removing the torsion bars you can frequently end up with seized torsion bars,you normally find one end of the bar is seized if thats the case i undo the other end of the torsion bar,i have lowered loads and never had a problem doing it my way so the bodge way woks for me

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

That's the bodge way, the proper way is to leave the arm in place and remove both ends of the torsion bar, you can them have near infinite adjustment.

 

You cant have a near infinate adjustment as you can only adjust it by the splines on the bar,you cant go half a spline.I have tried it both ways and this way works best

[welshpug 1,658]

yeah, ok....

[Cloverleaf 1]

There are a different number of splines on each end of the bar though so changing one spline at one end gives different adjustment to changing one at the other end....if you get what I mean.

[welshpug 1,658]

I do

 

30 splines one end 32 on the other

 

I wrote this for a few forums;

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?s...c=94672&hl=

[Cloverleaf 1]

I know you do mate!

 

I was trying to back you up on the infinite adjustment comment!

 

30 splines would mean 12deg of rotation per spline and 32 would mean 11.25 deg. Therefore you can move them both to get almost whatever you want. I.e. 3 splines 1 end is say 36deg so if you do the same at the other end but in the opposite direction giving 33.75deg you end up with a net change of 2.25deg etc. That's accurate adjustment

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

I do

 

30 splines one end 32 on the other

 

I wrote this for a few forums;

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?s...c=94672&hl=

 

Obviously you've done alot of reading or pulling apart and fiddling with the rear beams,but i really have lost count of how many i have done,they all sit level,the people are always happy,iv even lowered 9 of my own Pugs and they are all fine,if it was bodgy i would at least do my own cars different. I understand what you mean now about the splines at either end,i didnt know that so iv learnt something.

Edited February 14, 2009 by pugdamo