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skinner2k3

Rear Beam Front Mount Removal

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skinner2k3

Is it possible to drop the rear beam far enough without disconnecting the brake lines to get access to the bolts holding the front beam mounts and remove the mount?

 

I am fitting a BBM Group A beam kit and would like to avoid disconnecting the brake lines and completely dropping the beam if possible.

 

From the other thread showing of people shiny rear beams it looks like it may be doable.

 

Cheers

 

Ben

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Tom Fenton

I will say forget it, the beam mount bushes are a bit of a pig to get out at the best of times, let alone struggling trying to do it under the car with limited access.

 

Even if it is possible, I would say that it will take longer due to bad access than just dropping the beam off.

 

If you have rear disc brakes it is possible to leave the brake lines and handbrake cables connected, remove the disc, and manouever the caliper off the trailing arm to allow you to remove/refit the beam without disturbing the brake lines.

 

If you have drums it is still possible, by removing the drum, then unbolting the back plate from the trailing arm.

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skinner2k3

Fair enough. I thought it may have been possible to remove the housing that the two nylon bushes sit in and replace them on a bench. Having never taken a beam apart I was just guessing though.

 

Thanks Tom, I will have a go at getting the brakes off connected then.

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Tom Fenton

The housing is pressed onto the beam tube, I've never tried to get one off but suffice to say you would need a very big press to get them off.

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skinner2k3

Ah ok, must have been looking at the wrong bit!

 

Cheers

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Ryan

I've taken my beam off twice without have to open the brakes lines.

 

If you unbolt the calipers, unclip the pipes and handbrake cables from the trailing arms, and undo the brackets from the bottom of the shocks then you can twist everything out of the way and drop the beam.

 

Just taking the brakes off and bleeding them is probably loads easier, but I didn't have anyone about to help me bleed them, so I did it the awkward way.

Edited by Ryan

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Anthony

Whilst it's not too difficult to rebleed the brakes on your own, there is simply no-need to when dealling with rear disks - as Tom says, it's just as easy to leave the brakes connected up and swing them away from the beam. It's what I do whenever I swap disk beams, and takes about 10 minutes per side and is far less faffing / risky than disconnecting the brakes and having to re-bleed them.

 

Rough guide is as follows...

  • Remove 21mm lower shock bolt nut, and remove brake pipe hanger
  • Remove 13mm ARB endplate securing bolt, remove brake pipe hanger and unclip brake line from it
  • Remove 5mm hex / T30 torx bolt that secures the other brake pipe hanger near the caliper, if fitted
  • Unclip handbrake cables from fuel tank to give you more slack
  • Remove disk retaining screw, if still present
  • Remove two 19mm bolts that secure the caliper to the beam
  • Pull calipers back enough to remove disk
  • Swing calipers and brake lines outwards and over the arm, and then tuck them in underneath where the spare wheel would be
  • Drop the beam down, and carefully hook the brake lines over the front beam mounts and then the calipers outwards away from the beam
  • Withdraw beam from underneath the car

Reassembly is the reverse of removal, taking care to ensure the brake lines are clear as you jack the beam back into place.

 

Hope that helps :lol:

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skinner2k3

Thanks for that guys. Hopefully I will have the new mounts for next weekend so will have a go.

 

I wanted to avoid bleeding the brakes as I had to find one that would pressurise the system last time. Might have been to do with the bias valve trapping bubbles.

Edited by skinner2k3

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skinner2k3

Seeing as I am going to be removing this beam it would be a good time to replace the seals and bearings if required.

 

Recently whilst looking for possible causes for a nervous back end (haha!) we did notice some rotational play in the radius arms by a few degrees which I put down to play in the ARB splines???

 

It was rebuilt with pug parts less than 2000 miles ago, though 5ish years! There is no negative camber suggesting the beam bearings are shot, the beam moves freely, equally and sits level.

 

Is there anything else I should/can check whilst the beam is still on the car to determine if it really is worth rebuilding whilst off?

 

Thanks

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welshpug

There will be a certain amount of movement that feels like free play around where the torsion bar is not under any tension, whether there is any actual free play I have not come across any that do.

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Tom Fenton

It is more likely wear to the splines in the trailing arm than wear to the bars. I have come across this before.

 

To make getting the bushes out easy, get yourself a 25mm HSS holesaw.

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skinner2k3

Again, thanks chaps.

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swordfish210

Ben, if you want to hold on until next weekend i would happily pop over with some tools and give you a hand.

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skinner2k3

Cheers Mark thanks for the offer.

 

I will try and get the beam off and start removing the old rubber front mounts this weekend. If I did it next weekend it would give me time to get the rebuild bits.

 

Before I remove it tomorrow I will have a good look, bounce, pry and see what play I have where then go from there.

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skinner2k3

Took the beam off and got the rubber bushes out of one side (what an arse of a job that is).

 

Prior to taking it off I had a good pry at it and again only found a small amount of angular play in the radius arm. Seeing as it could be due to worn splines (which dont sound to repairable to me) I think I am going to just refit it and see how it goes.

 

Cheers for the offer of some help Mark, may take you up on that later in the year if I do rebuild.

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Tom Fenton

If you use a holesaw, you can quickly remove the centre of the rubber bush, then get in with a hacksaw, slit through the metal sleeve, then punch them out without too much trouble.

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skinner2k3

Minus the hole saw that was what I did on the first one. I ended up using a length of stud bar through a large socket to try and draw the center out. Snapped two bits of stud bar in doing so, one of which sprang back and smacked me in the head :D.......I will get a hole saw for the other side.

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Tom Fenton

The bushes are made of tough stuff, I am not suprised you failed trying to just pull them apart.

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skinner2k3

Oh I didnt let it beat me, they let go in the end :) My error was using the only bit of stud bar I had that was long enough, which happened to be one I had previously started to cut in the wrong place and weakened haha.

Edited by skinner2k3

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