1.6 Drum Beam Onto Base Diesel

[randomcaller 3]

Would a 1.6 drum rear beam be much of an upgrade to my 1.8d base model one? I'm keeping drums for simplicity and I will build the new beam with new brakes, shocks and updated beam mounts, also lower it a little. Will this be worth the buy or should I just do it all to my base diesel beam?

 

Many thanks

Chris

[welshpug 1,646]

it will have stiffer bars, simplest route with the brakes is to swap all your base model stuff over, backplates and all.

 

gti used a single rear line and pressure limiter, base models are diagonally split using inbuilt pressure limiters.

[randomcaller 3]

Thanks Welsh, so I should be able to use the original lines off my old beam and not have to swap any of the brake load limiters round?

 

Saw one on eBay earlier but the guy told me the anti roll bar is missing so I'll be giving it a miss.

[welshpug 1,646]

yeah just swap all your existing brake parts over including the backplates.

 

if your beam isnt completely shot I'd look for some torsion bars & ARB form a gti and rebuild what you have.

[randomcaller 3]

For normal road use and the odd spirited drive would you say a gti drum rear beam would have much of a noticeable improvement over my diesel rear beam? Or would it be negligible after its been lowered a little bit and has stiffer/solid rear mounts and new shocks?

 

I'm trying to keep the car a bit of cheap fun but not a death trap like the handling is right now.

[Tom Fenton 1,536]

The GTI torsion bars and anti roll bar will make a noticeable difference.

[Robbiedundy 58 4 Cars]

Sorry to hijack your thread.. I've bought a straight diesel and I think it may have a 1.6 GTi beam, the rear brakes don't work, took the hub nut off (which was just more than finger tight) to find that there's one old brake shoe which seems to fit the drum and three new narrower ones which don't fit the drum properly. Could it be someone's replaced the original axle with a GTi one and tried putting base model brake shoes in it? If that's the case I'll order GTi ones. What else will I need to run the GTi setup? I've got spare 1.6 front brakes I'm going to replace the old ones with as well. Will I need a new servo or anything?

 

Cheers

Edited November 7, 2014 by Dundy53

[randomcaller 3]

I'm not sure about 1.6 gti front brakes as I remember in a thread on the main page I think they are different but don't hold me to that. I'm running 1.9 gti calipers and discs on the front of mine with braided lines and they fit fine and a straight swap, good pedal feel so didn't have to use a larger master cylinder and they just squeeze under 13 inch steels!

 

I'm also after a 1.6 gti rear beam for mine and want to renew the drums, I need to know if I can run my base model lines and compensators and hook them up to the gti drums even if I use new shoes/drums (gti items) on the 1.6 gti rear beam which I assume I can hopefully.