Rear Subframe Swap - Drum Brake Stub Axles...?

[TooMany2cvs 65]

All,

 

I've got the old subframe off the car, sat next to WelshPug's freshly rebuilt one, and... there's a difference. Quite a noticeable one.

 

The trailing arms on the old subframe have stub axles. It's a drum brake car. The trailing arms on the rebuilt subframe don't...

 

Umm, help?

[welshpug 1,646]

swap them over

 

undo the hub nuts, pull drums off, knock stub axles out, swap backplates, re-assemble.

[TooMany2cvs 65]

<phew>

The backplates are already off, so the stubs just knock out...? Towards the outside of the car, or the inside?

[Anthony 1,002]

Just swap them over, surely?

 

Easy enough to do with a lump hammer as they just knock through towards the inside of the beam. Just be careful not to damage the threads - if I'm doing them on the car (ie so I can't use the press) I usually put a sacrificial hub nut on the end to hit and get the stub axle moved an inch, after which it normally taps through easily enough.

[TooMany2cvs 65]

Cheers, Anthony. Kettle's just boiled, so I'll have a crack in a bit, else it'll head over to a mate with a press.

 

It was confuzzling me because they really don't look like they'll ever move...

[TooMany2cvs 65]

It was confuzzling me because they really don't look like they'll ever move...

They really, really don't want to move, either.

 

No worries. I suddenly remembered the blacksmith's at the end of the lane. They'll have a go on Monday.

[Anthony 1,002]

You need a bigger hammer

 

They do normally move without too much trouble, but it could be that yours are particularly corroded in place hence the stubbornness.

[welshpug 1,646]

Never go by looks! The crustiest of 205 beams still come apart easier than a low miler xsara beam

Edited December 13, 2013 by welshpug

[Anthony 1,002]

Never go by looks! The crustiest of 205 beams still come apart easier than a low miler xsara beam

Isn't that the truth! I still curse Citroen for their seeming inability to grease torsion bars on Mk1 Xsara VTS beams, meaning that ~15 odd years of exposure later, they are usually an utter pig to get to pieces.

 

I've had to resort to cutting the splined section of the beam tube before to release the bars from one end so that I can get the other on the press, and even then, it normally needs a worrying amount of force before it releases with an almighty bang and a cloud of orange oxide dust...

 

I've had less trouble with Mk2 Xsara's, although whether I've just been lucky I don't know.

[jord294 89]

Isn't that the truth! I still curse Citroen for their seeming inability to grease torsion bars on Mk1 Xsara VTS beams, meaning that ~15 odd years of exposure later, they are usually an utter pig to get to pieces.

 

I've had to resort to cutting the splined section of the beam tube before to release the bars from one end so that I can get the other on the press, and even then, it normally needs a worrying amount of force before it releases with an almighty bang and a cloud of orange oxide dust...

 

I've had less trouble with Mk2 Xsara's, although whether I've just been lucky I don't know.

I totally agree

[TooMany2cvs 65]

...and they're out.

 

The blacksmiths didn't want to know. Reckoned heat/percussion wouldn't touch them, and they couldn't fit it into their press.

 

In the end, I wandered it round to a neighbour this morning (he's half way through restoring a big '50s Austin). Out with his big propane bottle and gas torch for plenty of heat, then a very persuasive amount of thumping with a copper-faced mallet and the hub nuts wound on to protect the threads. They came bit-by-bit, very evenly throughout almost all of their travel, rather than any kind of big bang and cloud of orange dust...

[TooMany2cvs 65]

The bushes are the next "challenge"... I've got both on one side fitted, and one on the other, but in pulling them into place (nothing else would work), I've managed to strip one of the bolts that goes through the bushes. Does anybody have one or a pair spare?

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=155753