Rear Beam Identifier

[Gohn 68]

Got two rear beams here

One is a base model beam from an Si, but not sure on the other (it came on a car that had been 'converted' from Si to GTi)

Is there some way of easily identifying a GTi beam ?

 

The part catalog says that both the Base model and GTi beams have either 18.1, 18.5, 18.9 diametre torsion bars, with either 28-30 or 30-32 splines, and either 14, 16, or 19mm diametre ARB's.. so no help there in narrowing it down.

 

The TB's on the Si beam have 3 and 1 white stripes for the Right TB, and 2 and 2 white stripes for the Left TB

Calipers showed 18.7 which I figure is really 18.5

 

The unknown beam has 2 white and 1 green stripes for the Right TB, and 2 white, 2 green stripes for the Left TB

They measured 18.2mm, which I spose is really 18.1mm

 

Cant remember ever measuring the ARB's

 

The swing arms on the Si beam are pretty plain, whereas the unknown beam has lots of numbers and markings cast into its swing arms

 

Probably too much detail above. Should have really put up some pics, maybe tomorrow

 

 

 

[SRDT 180]

I think the GTI beam is thicker than the regular beam, it was also used on other 205 like the convertible or the automatic. The arms shafts also have more "meat" on the inside but maybe they became standard at some point.

There was none of this on the 309 so I'm not too familiar whith this.

[Gohn 68]

thanks b,

went and measured but still not obvious if the unknown are GTi as both beams are 60mm diametre

 

pics show the Si beam top and bottom first,

then the unknown beam second which also noticed is HOLLOW cast with a drain hole and more numbers

its really nice casting so credit to peugeot

 

[Gohn 68]

woops, the pic order got scrambled

the known SI arms are the last two pics (on the car with the blue drum brakes - it was the only colour left in the shop)

[Gohn 68]

also,  bought 2 sets of 205 rear shocks on their own from a guy that had parts everywhere

both stamped 'Peugeot ULR' with a string of numbers

 

one set has a blue stripe 

the others have a yellow stripe and are a bit beefier

 

I never owned a GTi so not sure but could the yellow ones be from a GTi ??

[DamirGTI 342]

Yes , yellow stripe beefier shocks are deffo GTI item .. blue ones would be some of the base model , but both of them OE Peugeot shocks (Peugeot ULR) .

 

Unsure about the beams , looks like 309 to me ? as (if original paint) 309's had black colour tubes while 205 ones where mainly yellow .

Also there was a lot more different TB/ARB dimensions/variations on a 309 beams than on the 205's .

 

Never seen so many stamps on the arms either , they do have some but not as much ... that might even be new aftermarket beam from "IM Axle" or similar , those too are with black tubes .

 

Measure the length of the tubes .. if 309 item it'll be longer than 205 .

 

D

[Gohn 68]

cheers D

aust never got any 309's but I'll run out a tape anyway

 205's here have black rear beams (maybe yellow was for euro markets ?)

the swing arms just look better than the other ones

best guess the previous owner's Si to GTi conversion was Koni shocks, uprated front brakes, GTi trims, badge, bumpers, and a GTi beam

 

its all Turbo Diesel now which if I can read the catalog right got the GTi rear shocks (anyone ? )

so think I'll try those above

 

 

[jord294 92]

I've seen yellow 309 tubes and black. 205 gti mainly yellow, but new genuine tubes came black.

 

309 tube measures 81cm between the 2 bushes and bearing housings and 205 measures 77cm

[Gohn 68]

51 minutes ago, jord294 said:

309 tube measures 81cm between the 2 bushes and bearing housings and 205 measures 77cm

thanks andy, spot on 77 !

 

3 hours ago, Gohn said:

205's here have black rear beams (maybe yellow was for euro markets ?)

what I should have said was all the 205 Si's here have black beams - never owned a GTi so don't know for them

 

the GTi beam was removed yesterday, dismantled and rebuilt today

when on the car the left is higher, ground to wheel arch Right Rear 661mm, LeftRear 668mm

(its got TD front springs/struts so sits a bit higher than petrol 205's)

thought I must have done something wrong but after super careful rebuild today its still uneven

the Right is still sitting lower, dont know why

is it possible its just sagging from being on the drivers side or flogged on a racetrack ?

 

 

[Ozymandis 97]

Yes they do sag after a few years use, dont worry about that.

 

The ground to wheelarch measurments not where Peugeot measure ride height, the bodyworks not always identical side to side.

 

You could set the dummy shock a tad longer on that side if you wanted, as its fresh it will all come apart easily to re-set.

[Gohn 68]

 

 

10 hours ago, Ozymandis said:

Yes they do sag after a few years use, dont worry about that.

right on jay

 

will try bring Left down to Right side level when putting the GTi shocks on

 

currently set the dummy shock length to 325mm both sides

 

just to confirm , does a DECREASE in the dummy shock length DECREASE the ride height ?

[Gohn 68]

update -

 

remeasured the GTi beam again before adjusting anything and its dead even

thought about putting it back on the car but no need as the Si beam's going great

 

did put the GTi rear shocks on the car and had a shortish test drive over a bendy lumpy road

they feel a little stiffer, and seem to hold tighter into corners

being a plodder, think I prefer the extra softness of the Si shocks so they'll be going back on

[Anthony 1,003]

7 hours ago, Gohn said:

just to confirm , does a DECREASE in the dummy shock length DECREASE the ride height ?

 

Somewhat surplus now, but yes it does, at somewhere around a 1:2.5-3 ratio (i.e for each 10mm decrease in dummy shock length, you'll reduce the ride height by around 25-30mm)

[Gohn 68]

3 hours ago, Anthony said:

Somewhat surplus now, but yes it does, at somewhere around a 1:2.5-3 ratio (i.e for each 10mm decrease in dummy shock length, you'll reduce the ride height by around 25-30mm)

thanks anthony, not surplus at all, still tinkering

the original beam swap was to try drop the rear ride height a little

but both beams were set the same 325mm so it didn't work

got sidetracked and figured a bit out though, now they're both nice and even and the shocks are tested think I'll drop one beam down a bit

using the sill to guage, the rear sits about 40mm higher than the front so like to drop it by about 15mm

 

made a mistake with my dummy shock too - put 2xM14 ends on it instead of of 1xM14 and 1xM12

dang

 

 

 

 

[Gohn 68]

dummy shock fixed to what it was supposed to be, now 1xM12 end and 1xM14 end

dropped it 5mm from 325 to 320mm

slotted the torsion bars, L then R

measured up and the ride height dropped by 15mm !

 

thanks all for the tips

 

 

[Leslie green 110]

9 hours ago, Gohn said:

dummy shock fixed to what it was supposed to be, now 1xM12 end and 1xM14 end

dropped it 5mm from 325 to 320mm

slotted the torsion bars, L then R

measured up and the ride height dropped by 15mm !

 

thanks all for the tips

 

 

Any pics of your dummy shock looking to make one for myself Gohn 

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

2 hours ago, Leslie green said:

Any pics of your dummy shock looking to make one for myself Gohn 

By far the easiest way, should you know what ride height you want, is a piece of 2x3/4” timber with one 12mm hole and one 14mm hole drilled at the appropriate centres. 

[Gohn 68]

its surprising how often you need wood when working on a car !

tom's is an easier and cheaper solution as the one below was a bit of faffing

mine's copied from PeterT from an earlier post somewhere

salvaged the shock ends from the local metal scrappy, ID's M14 and M12

larger blank is outside 30mm square, smaller blank 25mm square, both 2mm thick x 280mm long

only marked lengths 330mm to 310mm at 5mm intervals

but its plenty for my use as I like original components and ride height

 

others have better rigs with one shock end welded onto a threaded bar

that way you can just screw it out or in to the desired length

 

 

[Leslie green 110]

Thanks lads will be looking at my axle soon but no idea what setting it is at ,car offroad 16 years but has lowering springs on front and had bottomed out at the rear as the underseal has a tyre pattern at the top of the arch worn down to the metal so too low but bumpstops were missing too.

[Gohn 68]

Baker BM has bumpstops (from memory think they've even got stainless cups)

 

few years ago I set my rear beam ride height too low (not on purpose either)

it kept hitting the bumpstops mid corner and throwing the whole thing off track

least that's what I think was happening, handled like a Ford Falcon