Im Building My Beam In The Front Room!

[MerlinGTI 3]

Building my beam at this very moment and have some little questions if I may

 

Tortion bars:

 

The longer splined ends fit into the beam tube rather than the trailing arms yes?

 

ARB:

 

What way round does the ARB go?

Fatter splined end to the NSR or OSR wheel?

 

Ride height:

 

Im building a 309GTI beam and fitting to a 205. I have one of the group buy 'dummy shocks'. I would like the car to sit higher at the back than at the front. I'm thinking 15mm lower than this pic:

 

 

What would you suggest I set the dummy shock to?

 

Think thats it for now

 

Ta

Edited March 13, 2010 by MerlinGTI

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

Torsion bar only fits in one way round as one end is bigger than the other, my arb has a letter stamped into the end as to what way round it goes. Hope this has helped a bit

[MerlinGTI 3]

Torsion bar only fits in one way round as one end is bigger than the other, my arb has a letter stamped into the end as to what way round it goes. Hope this has helped a bit

 

 

You helped with the tortion bars (seems my 1st and only attempt was correct! I should of checked seen they only go in one way... Oh well ) But my ARB doesnt seem to have anything stamped into it.

 

So is it fat splined end to os or nsr wheel?

 

Cheers for your help Davie

[jimistdt 1]

On the end of the ARB, there should be a slight difference between the two. On the L/H end there is more material that on the other end, imagine a thin washer stuck on the end of the ARB, thats the L/H end according to Haynes.

[MerlinGTI 3]

Brill ta, I know what you mean

 

Anyone shed any light on my ride height riddle?

[jord294 89]

thinner end of arb should ha a little notch out of it. if the end plate is already on the other end of arb, feed it through the beam tube from the o/s

 

i set my dummy shock at 315mm between shocker mounts, and i always set the n/s first

[Anthony 1,002]

Anyone shed any light on my ride height riddle?

About 15mm lower than the picture for a 309 GTi beam would be around 308mm or so, but that'll still be a fair bit higher than the front is in that picture (remember the arches are deceiving). To match the front end, you're looking at something more like 300-302mm IMO.

[MerlinGTI 3]

Thankyou everyone

 

Top notch advice, in minutes! I love this forum.

 

Thanks again

[Pugnut 9 1 Cars]

now i'de be worried if you stripped it down in your front room!

[welshpug 1,645]

I've done several beams in our front room, but its not used as one as such, more of a storage room

 

front looks a tad low to me there, I'd be checking how much space you have to the rear bump stops unless you have uprated torsion bars.

[MerlinGTI 3]

At the end of todays play:

 

 

 

And the flat stinks of bearing grease missus aint happy!

 

Beam Spec

 

Mint 309 GTI tube, blasted and powder coated.

2x new Pug arm shafts

Phospher Bronze bearings

Stainless Steel grease nipples

Solid mounts

EVERY nut and bolt new

EVERY seal new

Brakes blasted and fully rebuilt inc new pistons

 

Fronts on coilovers WP doesnt bottom out or scrub. If the back is too close to the stops I *may* trim the stops down or raise the whole car a tad.

[jimistdt 1]

Velly nice. Your not going to spoil it by putting it on the car are you?

[All Praise The GTI 3]

too much money and or time on your hands

i would never fitt something that looks that good,better then new!!

[kate205gti 4]

ooh shiney shame about the robbie williams and wedding singer dvds thou hehe

[MerlinGTI 3]

too much money and or time on your hands

 

Neither sadly This beam must be over a year in the making now! 99% paid for when I actually had spare money (before baby was born )

 

 

ooh shiney shame about the robbie williams and wedding singer dvds thou hehe

 

Not guilty honest My statement is reinforced by the Wii Fit CD also in picture. I dont do exercise!

 

Tomorrow after the mummys day visit I shall be setting the trailing arm clearences and fitting the ARB

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

ooh shiney shame about the robbie williams and wedding singer dvds thou hehe

 

Wedding singer rocks!!

[MerlinGTI 3]

Bit more hand holding required please:

 

 

Does my trailing arm/beam tube/seal clearence look ok?

 

 

Is this a problem? Or is it just down to low tollerences in the castings?

 

Also most alarmingly, would I be right in saying the only things holding the trailing arms (and so the road wheel) in are those poxy 13mm nuts/torx on the tortion bars + the 13mm bold holding the ARB end plate on? Thats a bit worrying isnt it?

 

Cheers

[Anthony 1,002]

Does my trailing arm/beam tube/seal clearence look ok?

You've put the gold ring on too far and that's left more of the rubber seal exposed than normal, but that shouldn't cause any issues. From what I can see, the arm against the seal looks fine - should be close enough that it's properly sealed and the lip of the seal is properly against the cup, but not so far on that the arm is jammed hard into the seal and will prematurely wear it.

 

Is this a problem? Or is it just down to low tollerences in the castings?

An inch odd gap does seem odd - double check the shock center measurements are identical on both sides

 

Also most alarmingly, would I be right in saying the only things holding the trailing arms (and so the road wheel) in are those poxy 13mm nuts/torx on the tortion bars + the 13mm bold holding the ARB end plate on? Thats a bit worrying isnt it?

Yes, and the stiction from the ARB endplates on the ARB. However, with weight on the wheels, the splines aren't going to move anywhere - I've seen beams where people haven't put the torx bolt back in at all and others where there's no nut on the end of the stud, but they've done countless miles like that without any Wacky Races esq wheel falling off incidences...

[Pugnut 9 1 Cars]

You've put the gold ring on too far and that's left more of the rubber seal exposed than normal, but that shouldn't cause any issues. From what I can see, the arm against the seal looks fine - should be close enough that it's properly sealed and the lip of the seal is properly against the cup, but not so far on that the arm is jammed hard into the seal and will prematurely wear it.

 

it's also back to front (well i normally put them the other way as the rolled edge is easier on the seal), but again wont be an issue as it on too far and out of the way of the seal . the first beam i did had the ring on too far and it was fine for years.

 

i always put a feeler gauge between the seal and face.Cant remember a measurement, just so long as theres some free play in there. Its not an exact science.

 

Al

[jord294 89]

when you fitted the cap to the arb, did you have to lift up or pushdown on the trailing arm to fit the 13mm headed bolt ???????????????

[MerlinGTI 3]

You've put the gold ring on too far and that's left more of the rubber seal exposed than normal, but that shouldn't cause any issues. From what I can see, the arm against the seal looks fine - should be close enough that it's properly sealed and the lip of the seal is properly against the cup, but not so far on that the arm is jammed hard into the seal and will prematurely wear it.

 

Yea thats what I thought with the seal, although didnt realise I put the gold ring on to far, oh well no biggie. The floopy lip of the seal is 'making' with the seal runner on the trailing arm but its only just so theres no gap. Its not rammed up right against the hard bit of the seal if you know hat I mean.

 

 

An inch odd gap does seem odd - double check the shock center measurements are identical on both sides

 

I have done but Im going to again.

 

 

Yes, and the stiction from the ARB endplates on the ARB. However, with weight on the wheels, the splines aren't going to move anywhere - I've seen beams where people haven't put the torx bolt back in at all and others where there's no nut on the end of the stud, but they've done countless miles like that without any Wacky Races esq wheel falling off incidences...

 

Its still given me some food for thought! I will think twice about handbrake turns in the future!

 

 

it's also back to front (well i normally put them the other way as the rolled edge is easier on the seal), but again wont be an issue as it on too far and out of the way of the seal . the first beam i did had the ring on too far and it was fine for years.

 

Good to know, ta

 

i always put a feeler gauge between the seal and face.Cant remember a measurement, just so long as theres some free play in there. Its not an exact science.

 

Haynes says 0.05 but measuring that is near on impossible with a floopy rubber seal, grease everywhere etc... I did it with the 'what looks right' method in the end, seems I just about got away with it

 

Al

 

 

Cheers Guys, going to check my bolt centers again now

Edited March 14, 2010 by MerlinGTI

[jord294 89]

when you fitted the cap to the arb, did you have to lift up or pushdown on the trailing arm to fit the 13mm headed bolt ???????????????

[MerlinGTI 3]

Bolt centers were correct, Its my ARB causing it.

 

I remember when putting it on I had a choice of either moving one of the trailing arms up a tad or down a tad so the endplate bolt holes would line up. I couldnt seem to get it to line up nice just with spline adjustment.

 

What gives?

[jord294 89]

end caps aren't aligned on arb thats why you have the difference in heights

[MerlinGTI 3]

Ha ha , we posted at the same time Missed your posts Jord sorry.

 

Oh dear RE: endcaps. Are the end caps ARB specific? like main caps are to an engine? or was my attempt to line them up feeble (spline out?)

 

Like I said though I do seem to remember it being a spline to low or a spline to high when I went about it first time round.

Edited March 14, 2010 by MerlinGTI