Rear Beam Grp A Mounts

[rgp205 2]

Hello folks,

 

I'm swapping my 1.6 rear beam for a 309 GTi rear beam, in the process I'm fitting a Grp A mount kit (from AB Motorsport). The aluminium mounts are fine, the poly bushes are a bit more difficult...

 

...I've dug out the old bushes (at the expense of a knuckle! Just one mind. They'd obviously been in there for 24 years!)

 

...and bent a 2' clamp trying to press the new bushes in... f**k! Fairy liquid didn't help.

 

Anyone got any tips for getting the new bushes into the axle?

 

Anyone know what the inner diameter of the axle mount should be? The old bushes were a bit worn and the inside of the 'sleeve' is rather rusty, it's possibly narrower than it should be because of the rust but I don't want to risk cleaning it out too much in case I oversize it.

 

Thanks, all advice appreciated!

 

Gary

[Baz 421]

Have you removed all of the old bush, including the metal outer sleeves? This may be why you can't fit the new ones, has been a problem for some in the past.

 

Try a search as i'm sure it'll be covered with lots of info/pictures etc that may help.

[rgp205 2]

Metal outer sleeve... ah!

Unfortunately the rust is that bad that I can't tell where the bush outer sleeve ends and the axle inner sleeve begins... looks like all one piece of metal... hmmm!

Thanks for the help Baz, much appreciated. :-)

[Tom Fenton 1,536]

Have you got the beam tube totally stripped? If so I have a press tool to press the sleeves out if you can bring me the beam tube. Posting from my phone so can't see your location.

[Baz 421]

Glasgow!!

[davey sprocket 14]

Perhaps a bit late now but have you read this Gary?....clicky

[rgp205 2]

Have you got the beam tube totally stripped? If so I have a press tool to press the sleeves out if you can bring me the beam tube. Posting from my phone so can't see your location.

Thanks for the offer Tom, but Glasgow is probably too far...!

[rgp205 2]

Davey, will read shortly, never too late (even if it's only to confirm how you should've done it!) - read it! That's exactly what I was planning on doing, I'll give the WD40 a chance to work, then try pulling them out, if need be I'll cut them with a hacksaw and 'peel'!

 

Last night I managed to separate the outer flange of the sleeve from the axle... was rusted soo badly could hardly tell they were separate... managed to start to peel the sleeve away (at the expense of a chisel, it'll not be much use now) then sprayed with copious quantities of WD40, will do so a few times to see if it gets in between the sleeve and mount then will try extracting. Hope all this effort is worth it!

Edited June 7, 2012 by rgp205

[rgp205 2]

Hmmm, just noticed the comment about copper grease... I had previously been told that adding copper grease to poly bushes or rubber bushes was not a good idea (although I've done it in the past) 'cause the copper grease attacks the rubber/plastic over time degrading it. These pushes are nylon though, don't know if the change of material makes any difference? Anyone know, one way or the other?

[davey sprocket 14]

I don't think anything will damage the nylon to be honest.

 

If I remember correctly I used a smear of grease on the bushes and then nuts on a length of threaded bar with a couple of big washers to wind the bushes into the holes.

[welshpug 1,646]

I just used a bit of red teflon grease and a copper hammer.

[rgp205 2]

Damn these metal sleeves are proving difficult... lots of hammering with a (now well f*cked) chisel and a 30mm external diameter socket, copious quantities of WD40 and all I've got are two metal sleeves partially 'rolled back' into the axle mount... getting there but it's a bl**dy pain (sorry for the language but I'm sitting here looking at my swollen knuckle, having spent too many hours on this already and wondering when it's going to be done... )

 

Anyone got any tips for getting these out?

 

Will a blow torch help? Too much metal around them to think about heating that, but if I heat the sleeves themselves, try to make them more maluable, does that help?

 

I haven't tried the hacksaw yet, though that's likely coming... have been concerned about cutting too deep and going into the axle mount itself... (I'm a bit clumsy that way )

[Tom Fenton 1,536]

They are a tight press fit in anyway even before a number of years of corrosion.

 

if you are not pressing them out then you need to put a hacksaw cut down them in order to release the interferance pressure. Try to be careful doing it but to be honest if you do cut a little into the cast mount itself it won't really hurt it.

[rgp205 2]

Hacksaw it is then! Thanks Tom.

[rgp205 2]

Finally got the remainder of those bushes out! They did not want to budge!

Time to celebrate with a beer and football (note the wife & kids are out...) ;-)