Beam Stripping

[futura 3]

Spent most of the day taking the beam off the car and stripping it.

 

I need to use an shock screwdriver but don't own one. Instead I was wondering if I could use a driller/screwer in hammer mode to unscrew tight bolts? Does is perform the same job as a shock screwdriver?

 

Also what is the spec of the torsion bar inner thread?

 

Thanks

[Guest purpletoddy]

Spent most of the day taking the beam off the car and stripping it.

 

I need to use an shock screwdriver but don't own one. Instead I was wondering if I could use a driller/screwer in hammer mode to unscrew tight bolts? Does is perform the same job as a shock screwdriver?

 

Also what is the spec of the torsion bar inner thread?

 

Thanks

 

Hello mate,

I take it you mean an impact driver???? when i stripped my rear beam i didnt need one..... most of the bolts are hex fitment....if some thing looks like it going to be a pain to get out i usually clean the bolt...whether it be hex etc then give it a bit of shock treatment with a hammer before trying to get it out.....as for the torsion bar inner thread i dont know off hand....maybe on the forum somewhere

[futura 3]

Thanks purpletoddy.

 

Yes I meant an impact driver. I already knackered one torx head so will try your shock method with a hammer.

[welshpug 1,657]

just a good doink with an 8lb hammer helped free most of my bolts, that and some Graphite penetrating spray that loctite don't do anymore

 

alo, on the torx bolts try gringing down the tip of the bit you use, i've noticed that many of the ones I have have a bump on the end and it prevents it from sitting as deeply as it could in some torx headed bolts.

[futura 3]

Thanks for the grinding tip

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Also what is the spec of the torsion bar inner thread?

All threads on the torsion bars are M8.

 

If you are trying to get the offset washer torx bolts out you can drill the heads off as a last resort & chisel the offset washer free to get it out.

 

Graham.

[skeggyrik 3]

All threads on the torsion bars are M8.

 

If you are trying to get the offset washer torx bolts out you can drill the heads off as a last resort & chisel the offset washer free to get it out.

 

Graham.

 

I had to do this as the torx rounded. Was a real pain. Torsion bar was still stuck fast even once the washer was out and head off the bolt gone. I needed to get it out to get the trailing arm in the press to swap the shafts. Plus there was no going back once I'd ground it off. So eventually after heat and some big blows it came out. Problem i now have is the remains of the bolt are still in the end of the torsion bar and have been battered in the process of getting it out. It looks like I'll need a new torsion bar as there's no way I'm getting it out now

 

so be careful...

 

Spare torsion bar anyone? LHS side required. I have posted a wanted ad.

[sonofsam 5]

Drilling the head off is quite a bad idea IMO, i always use a sharp punch and a hammer to turn the bolt loose, might work with the remains of your bolt skeggyrik.

[welshpug 1,657]

drill it out carefully, gradually working up the sizes till you reach 6mm, then get some eazy outs.

[welshpug 1,657]

oh, a handy tip, if the torsion bars are stuck, try bashing it the other way!!! they do come out either way!

[futura 3]

I had exactly the same problem skeggyrik. Tried everything I had read on the forum, and even the sharp punch and hammer on the torx bolt wouldn't get it to move! Drilled it a bit and gave it more shivel to get the head off, when it finally started to unscrew!

 

 

Now it's the inner bar that's giving me grief. It won't get out either side. I have tried torch blowing it, banging it, screwing it out, nothing won't do!

Just need to get the famous Ford wheel bolt, hoping it will sort things out!

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Drilling the head off is quite a bad idea IMO

Its certainly not the ideal method but it works if everything else has thus far failed. I've had to do it to one or two beanms & afaik Wurzel also has used this method with success a couple of times. If you are careful its fine.

oh, a handy tip, if the torsion bars are stuck, try bashing it the other way!!! they do come out either way!

This is the way I tend to get them out of the radius arms once the offset washer is removed. I fit a short M8 hexhead bolt into the stud end of the bar to protect the splines & use my club hammer to get it moving. I've never needed heat to get a bar out of any arm yet.

 

Just need to get the famous Ford wheel bolt, hoping it will sort things out!

Bandix caliper mounting bolt is a much better (& stronger) bolt to use, I've had a Ford wheel bolt shear & ruin the end plate so I've never used one since.

 

To get the other arm & bar off the centre tube, with eveything disconnected & all nuts / bolts removed hit the radius arm to drive it free.

 

Graham.

[futura 3]

Thanks for all the tips Graham. I hope one of the methods will eventually work

[futura 3]

After days of daily WD40 treatment, the damn plate came out with a lot of persuasion, involving me standing on the ratchet

 

All this effort to find out that my beam looks like this on one end:

 

I have another good beam, the only trouble is that its outer diametre is less than a GTI beam as came from a standard 205.

I'm not too keen on fitting something of smaller diameter, does anyone know if it will impact handling and rigidity?

[max0 5]

I have another good beam, the only trouble is that its outer diametre is less than a GTI beam as came from a standard 205.

I'm not too keen on fitting something of smaller diameter, does anyone know if it will impact handling and rigidity?

 

The standard beam should be fine, as long as its in a usable condition. Just use the torrsion bars and anti roll bar from the GTi to keep the GTi handling.

[Guest BrainFluid]

involving me standing on the ratchet