Cast An Eye Over My Beam....

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

Whilst lower the beam I decided to have a look at the shafts... I was quite happy with what I found, could be better, but could have been much worse. Do you guys see any problems with just putting back together. With the view to a rebuild later in the year...

 

You can feel the indents, but there not that big. Could I knock the bearing in little so it runs on fresh shaft?

 

Smooth as...

 

 

Just got to free the torsion bar from the trailing arm! Oh and do the other side... oh and make a dummy damper....

 

 

Mad.

Edited February 3, 2011 by madspikes

[welshpug 1,655]

They're knackered sorry! You'll have play and they'll eat through the bearings quite soon

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

not really an answer i'm afraid, but it shows off the bad design of the bearings pretty well, that shaft doesnt look old at all but you can feel the dents! shows why beams can fail so quickly

[Anthony 1,002]

That top trailing arm shaft does need replacing, no question of that, but it should be fine to put back together as-is for now if you're planning to do a rebuild on it later this year. I'd be tempted to press it out and back in round 180 degrees though if you've access to a press, so that the pitting is moved to the unloaded side.

 

While it's apart, replace the outer crossmember seals (515408) and re-grease the beam, as typically old seals don't like being disturbed and tend to let water in, quickly destroying the beam. Providing you do that, it'll probably live for a few months without getting significantly worse, but it does need to be rebuilt at some point in the near future before that pitted shaft chews up the bearing.

 

To be honest though, if you've already got the beam off the car and apart, why don't you just rebuild it now and save yourself having to remove and refit it again in a few months?

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

This thread make me sad

 

Guess what Anthony - You have a PM!

 

Mad.

[Tom Fenton 1,540]

That top shaft is reclaimable, I turn them down, build up with TIG weld deposited stainless rod material, then machine back to original size and polish.

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

That top shaft is reclaimable, I turn them down, build up with TIG weld deposited stainless rod material, then machine back to original size and polish.

 

If I had the means I would, but by the time I get someone to press the shafts out, weld and machine them... Thats got to nearly the cost of a new shaft!

 

mad.

[Tom Fenton 1,540]

I'll pay you £5 plus post for the old shaft then!!

[Alastairh 47]

Get it sorted now before the tube becomes scrap!

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

Talking about peer pressure!

 

You're all be pleased to know that the beam is now detached from the car ready for stripping before making its way to see miles...

 

Now I've got to decide if I'm going to paint it....

 

 

Mad

[TU_Later 0]

Buy my rear beam

 

Lowered, matches the front when you've got -50mm on standard Gti shocks

 

It was fitted about 18 months ago, I'm sure I still have the £800 receipt the previous owner paid!

 

Just a thought..

 

 

Steve.

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

Thats ok, I already have adjustable dampers to go on... and I'm not spending anywhere near £800 on a beam, plus I'd like to finish rebuilding the beam myself, so I know whats gone into it.

 

Thanks for the offer.

 

Mad

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

This was the shaft at the other end of the beam... Glad I decided on a rebuild!

 

 

 

What about the rubber mounting bushes, mine look ok fill firm enough - but is it still worth changing them?

 

 

Mad

[Anthony 1,002]

Yeah, that end is knackered well and truely and would quickly have destroyed the bearing. Judging by the rusty looking colour, I'd guess that the outer seal has started to fail and let moisture in.

 

As for the mounting rubbers, are you talking about the four for the front mounts, or the two sandwich mounts at the rear?

 

The front ones generally seem to last extremely well and can usually be reused just fine, but otherwise just replace them with Group A solid mounts - there's minimal increase in NVH inside the cabin, they'll last indefinitely, and seem to make the tail a bit more predictable on the limit. Some may disagree, but I've never been a fan of passive rear steer and the axle effectively moving around (although it's far worse on 306's IMO and the solid mounts on those make a very noticeably improvement)

 

The rear sandwich mounts are usually knackered unless they've been replaced in the past few years, and certainly any evidence of perishing or movement around the join and they're fit only for the bin. Some of the pattern replacements seem to be far more flexible than the OE ones, and generally if they need replacing I either put Group N ones on, or do the front mounts as well and put solid Group A ones on.

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

Still deciding on what type of bushes, as people keep giving me on conflicting advice!

 

Whats the standard pug bushes part number is it 5131 43 (without white paint mark) or 5131 74 (with white paint mark)... I have used the old search button but havent really found an answer.

 

If I went the non OE route, where would the best place to get them be? BBM?

 

(Beam is getting there - Now has nice shiny shafts and bearings)

 

Mad.

Edited February 17, 2011 by madspikes

[jord294 91]

as i've mentioned somewhere on drivers before, i use 5131.74 bushes

 

i use these when building either 205 or 309 beams

[Anthony 1,002]

If I went the non OE route, where would the best place to get them be? BBM?

Yep, I usually buy them from Stew and can't fault the product or service

[matty_gti 20]

I'm re-building my beam at the moment and the price for standard bushes/mounts compared to the Baker BM ones are iirc more expensive!. I'll be calling Baker BM tomorrow to order some...

[Stevo309 0]

I had the same dliemna myself recently regarding beam mounts and after much advice and deliberation opted for the group a mounts from BBM. Fitted my rebuilt beam to an otherwise standard 1.9 gti and I have to say that it was the right decision. There's possible a little move vibration from the exhaust in the car but the handling is superb.