joni 0 Posted March 16, 2007 I've just fitted a 309 gti rear beam on my 205 with the drum brakes from my 205 1.6 gti. Thanks everyon for their help so far. I havent adjusted the torsion bars on this beam so i think it sits at normal ride height with about a 2inch gap between the top of the tyre and the plastic arch. THe old beam sat lower with say half an inch between the top of the tyre and hte wheel arch. The old setup didn't have any bump stops and the new one now does. I took the car out for a shake down and to take a few yumps to see if the tyres would be catching the arches given the wider track of the 309 beam. The rubbing isnt so much of a problem but i do seem to have the tail kick back that a lot of people talk about with the 205's. i.e. i take off, land and the tail bounces up and down in the air while i fight hte steering wheel. i'm guessing this could be down to the damping rate of the shocks (which i assume are standard) or the ride height or the bump stops coming into play or a combination of all of these. ANy suggestions about what it might be and how to stop it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Craigb 2 Posted March 16, 2007 Welcome to rallying a 205 . The only solutions that i have seen proven in rallying are Bilstein rear dampers going from 205 gravels to 306 Tarmacs in various bump and rebound rates These help , but do not eradicate the problem . The only true solution i have experience of is Proflex rears , which is costly but effective. On last years 205 challenge round at Tywford , there was a vicious jump , where nearly all the 205's who were pushing on were landing on there Noses. I was co driving in a 205 with proflex and we were taking the jump flat out see pic. courtesy of Andy MAnston http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/cbgb/leejump.jpg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joni 0 Posted March 16, 2007 Welcome to rallying a 205 . The only solutions that i have seen proven in rallying are Bilstein rear dampers going from 205 gravels to 306 Tarmacs in various bump and rebound rates These help , but do not eradicate the problem . The only true solution i have experience of is Proflex rears , which is costly but effective. On last years 205 challenge round at Tywford , there was a vicious jump , where nearly all the 205's who were pushing on were landing on there Noses. I was co driving in a 205 with proflex and we were taking the jump flat out see pic. courtesy of Andy MAnston http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/cbgb/leejump.jpg Craig - Nice Pic! I guess proflex is out of my price range. I didnt have the problem with my last setup and i'm used to flying through the air! so perhaps i'll change the dampers over to see if it makes a difference until i can afford some better ones and maybe remove the bump stops or cut them down to see what effect that has. I think Dampers are probably the key though. Any other suggestions? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nick 3 Posted March 16, 2007 I'm running a 309 beam on an otherwise std road car. I had Spax non-adjustables on the back to start with which were just hard and crashy (combined with the 309 t/bars) I've now switched to std dampers which has got rid of the crashiness but it now does what you are describing (which it didn't do with the Spax) For me with a road car there must be a happy medium, I think I need some adjustable dampers to find the middle ground. Nick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Craigb 2 Posted March 16, 2007 Craig - Nice Pic! I guess proflex is out of my price range. yes and mine !! I didnt have the problem with my last setup and i'm used to flying through the air! so perhaps i'll change the dampers over to see if it makes a difference until i can afford some better ones and maybe remove the bump stops or cut them down to see what effect that has. I think Dampers are probably the key though. Any other suggestions? with your current set up , why not take the bump stops out rather than cut them , just to see if it is the bumpstops thats your issue . if it still rebounds then its not the bumstops, what dampers are you using ? I think the 306 gravels i am using are about £100 ea Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joni 0 Posted March 16, 2007 yes and mine !!I didnt have the problem with my last setup and i'm used to flying through the air! so perhaps i'll change the dampers over to see if it makes a difference until i can afford some better ones and maybe remove the bump stops or cut them down to see what effect that has. I think Dampers are probably the key though. Any other suggestions? with your current set up , why not take the bump stops out rather than cut them , just to see if it is the bumpstops thats your issue . if it still rebounds then its not the bumstops, what dampers are you using ? I think the 306 gravels i am using are about £100 ea Dampers - bog standard afaik. Will get saving for new dampers - don't think i'll have them before tomorrow night anyway! Will try taking out the bumpstops tonight and give the same yump another go. Trying to get some shoes for the drums has been a bit of a nightmare. First i got bendix which were wrong next girling which were the right make but wrong width of pad by the looks of things. Off back to GSF now to get it sorted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joni 0 Posted March 16, 2007 Dampers - bog standard afaik. Will get saving for new dampers - don't think i'll have them before tomorrow night anyway! Will try taking out the bumpstops tonight and give the same yump another go. Trying to get some shoes for the drums has been a bit of a nightmare. First i got bendix which were wrong next girling which were the right make but wrong width of pad by the looks of things. Off back to GSF now to get it sorted. Yeh dampers must be the way forward! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MartinM 0 Posted March 16, 2007 Let the tyres down Honest. I put mine down from 28 to 24 and the kick pretty much disappeared. Flame suit ready.....but it worked for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MartinM 0 Posted March 16, 2007 PS where can you get Proflex dampers for the 205 from? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Craigb 2 Posted March 16, 2007 Proflex UK Ltd Thorn St Garage, Thorn St, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 2LJ Tel: 01200 442345 Motor Sports Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joni 0 Posted March 16, 2007 Let the tyres down Honest. I put mine down from 28 to 24 and the kick pretty much disappeared. Flame suit ready.....but it worked for me. Hmmm..... interesting technique. Are they more prone to coming off the rims at 24psi? Martin did u do the enduro event last weekend? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackherer 543 Posted March 16, 2007 if the beam is still at standard 309 ride height then on a 205 its going to be higher than standard due to the lack of weight compared to a 309. In my experience a factory height 309 beam on a 205 doesn't work very well at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MartinM 0 Posted March 16, 2007 (edited) Hmmm..... interesting technique. Are they more prone to coming off the rims at 24psi? Never had one come off yet. Martin did u do the enduro event last weekend? Sure did - car 21 - 205 Rallye. Had a great time, especially 5th o/a on Portreath 1 ! Edited March 16, 2007 by MartinM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joni 0 Posted March 20, 2007 jackherer - indeed you are correct. i need new front and rear bumpers! Despite that got 4th overall so very happy. Martin - are you out for the plymouth rally? if so will see you there. I may have a video (only a digital camera one) of your car on the recent enduro - will have to check. My current 309 setup is bad. Too high and not adequeately damped i guess and so the tail was slightly unpredictable causing the odd spin. The last setup was perfect. So i assume i need to lower it a bit - should be fun. My only concern being the clearance with the arch lip. What do people do to overcome this problem? Its been suggested that i should bend the lip in effectively flattening it but i think this would leave a gap between the plastic gti arch and the bodywork. Any suggestions? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MartinM 0 Posted March 20, 2007 Plymouth - 80% chance. My navigator (son) has just got a job at a fairly famous motorsport company in Cockermouth in Cumbria and may not be able to get down to Plymouth. We'll see....if we're there, introduce yourself! Where was the video you might have taken? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joni 0 Posted March 20, 2007 Plymouth - 80% chance. My navigator (son) has just got a job at a fairly famous motorsport company in Cockermouth in Cumbria and may not be able to get down to Plymouth. We'll see....if we're there, introduce yourself! Where was the video you might have taken? 2 videos. 1 at the exit of a forest near dartmoor on late afternoon of first day as competitors came downhill left of a cone then finished at the bottom of the hill. The other on the saturday near halwill junction around a shicane of cones which wasn't as impressive for most cars. Aha... Ford! Some great roads up that way, thats where i'm from. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
