205 Beam Which One?

[Death_Machine 0]

Hi all i need your opinions i took off my beam and petrol tank to get a few spots welded up, i got a 1.6 gti setup on the back as its off i was thinking about buying and fitting a 309gti beam because it wider and its got disc's. But searching threw the past posts im now thinking its not as easy as changing just the beam as i have 1.6 mastercyc and a single pipe to the back can i keep the single pipe and mastercyc with 1.9gti or 309 beam. Can some one maybe tell me whats invloved and will i gain any handling better than the 1.6 beam? i got 1.9 front calipers and hubs if that helps.

[welshpug 1,658]

if your beam is good, I'd rather fit uprated torsion bars.

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

I fitted a 309 beam and will never go back. Improves the rear handling 10fold. Solid mounts also helped IMO

 

Only problem is trying to get hold of a 309 beam and then it will probably need a rebuild. You'll be lucky if it doesn't.

 

What about a 1.9 beam with uprated torsion bars and 306/ZX arms?

[welshpug 1,658]

What about a 1.9 1.6 beam with uprated torsion bars and 306/ZX arms?

 

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Curse you Welshpug!

[Anthony 1,003]

But searching threw the past posts im now thinking its not as easy as changing just the beam as i have 1.6 mastercyc and a single pipe to the back can i keep the single pipe and mastercyc with 1.9gti or 309 beam.

That makes no difference whatsoever - you can run the 1.6 MC, compensator, and single line to the back without any problems whatsoever, and indeed in some ways I prefer that to the "proper" 1.9/309 setup as the compensator seems to be much more reliable. I have run the setup that you're proposing with a 309 beam (and rear disk brakes) on a 1.6 MC/compensator/singleline for several years now, and it works perfectly

 

As for handling differences between a 205 and 309 beam, it's one that's been done to death on here and searching should reveal hours worth of reading...

[Death_Machine 0]

ok so keep 1.6 beam, will any 306 or zx arms give me the rear discs i need will i be able to keep mastercyc and single break line?

[Death_Machine 0]

i do really like the 309 look thou my wheels just seem too in!!! i can get a friend to rebuilt it , but would be nice to find a pretty sound one.

[welshpug 1,658]

I'd rather have the wheels sit in a little, handle well, and not rip the rear quarter panels apart when I hit a bump.

 

 

it doesn't hurt the 106 being narrower at the back, they're 40mm narrower than a 205 at the back and the same width up front.

 

then again, as Anthony said, its been done to death

[maturin23 10]

I fitted a 309 beam by mistake

 

Makes the car less twitchy and less fun in my opinion. Also had to cut away the wheelarches a bit.

[Death_Machine 0]

less twitchy sounds good this thing has nearly killed me a few times ha ha yh arch scrubbing is not a prob my 1.6 beam is lowed far past the comfort zone. I dont like it i wanna raise it its so low it making a hole in my petrol pipe this is the way i got the car i got some damper and hight spax's its on its lowest at the front to look inline with the back at the mo but looking at raise just nicely above the tyre so i can get a nice level back its not a track car more road and santa pod!

[welshpug 1,658]

my 205 is not twitchy at all, and its 100% standard at the rear apart from the ride height.

[Death_Machine 0]

my twichin is prob how low it is ha ha soon to be sorted.

[welshpug 1,658]

very much so, you'll probably find it'll be leaning on the bumpstops with alarming consequences.

[Death_Machine 0]

it hasnt got any honestly this thing is a death trap hence the name ha ha just needs a little love

[fast_eddie 0]

No bumpstops?