Loads Of Suspension Questions From A Newbie (car Made On Non Gti Shell

[Guest gtigor]

Greetings to all 205GTI drivers, I am from Russia and this car is a true rarity in our country almost no used parts and the same story with new ones.

 

My car is not a true GTI, the shell and rear suspension is a 205 XR (or XS?) 1.4, but saloon, front suspension and brakes are 1.9GTI (just replaced wishbones, stabilizer drop links and ordered springs, OEM Peugeot shox and top mounts), and the engine is from 405SRI (XU9J2 I suppose).

 

So my question regards rear suspension and brakes. Right now I cannot order any used GTI beam assembly no one wants to bring `em from Europe, that is why I have to find some other option. If the beam is ok (I dont know it yet) can I just put GTI stabilizer, GTI torsion bars, and 206/306 rear brakes? Do I have to change trailing arms (if they are in good condition) and is there any serious difference between GTI and non-GTI beam, may be track width? I want to make it handling as it should be and I am not afraid of oversteer, so I suppose I need a good, firm rear end.

 

I read a whole lot of topics about shocks and springs I was choosing between koni sport kit (eibach springs I suppose) and OEM Peugeot shocks and stopped on the second option mainly due to recommendations from rally racers and tuners specializing in Pugs. Konis gotta be firmer but is it good for real roads and slow turns (common for rallysprints), I think not. Am I right? Is it true that koni/bilsten add some understeer due to firmer front end?

 

And one more question I put on new 185/55 R15 Michelin Pilot Exalto2 tires (instead of horrible 205/50) but they still sometimes rub inner part of rear wheel arches the cause is non-GTI shell or the rear beam? How can I avoid this with minimum investments?

 

I also find the steering rack very long and the car reacts pretty inert on steering dont know if it GTI or not. But i`ve read here in the forum, they are identical. Mine does slightly more than 3.5 turns from lock to lock.

 

Thanks for any advice in advance!

Edited July 11, 2007 by gtigor

[Jrod 7]

As you said you can change the torsion bars, ARB and brakes and the beam will then be GTI spec.

 

The rubbing will be because it's a base model shell and they have much smaller arches, to prevent this you can run 195/45 tyres but these are more expensive I think.

[Guest gtigor]

As you said you can change the torsion bars, ARB and brakes and the beam will then be GTI spec.

 

The rubbing will be because it's a base model shell and they have much smaller arches, to prevent this you can run 195/45 tyres but these are more expensive I think.

 

thanks a lot!

 

what is ARB?

 

i wont run 195/45 - first i have never seen any good tires of that size (exalto2, eagle F1 ansd so on) and most importantly roads in Russia are too bad for such low profile...

 

and if i put on 5mm spacers on the hubs and roll out or widen outer arches? will it influnce handling much?

 

or i will have to find someone who can do that type of bodyworkm but afriad its gonna cost me pretty serious sum

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

ARB = Anti Roll Bar, I think what you call "stabalizer".

 

To swap from drums to discs you need different trailing arms but AFAIK the beam tubes are the same. Anthony will know for sure, you could try PMing him or doing a search on his beam related posts. Rebuilding beams is/was something he has done a lot of.

 

3.5 turns lock to lock sounds about right for a manual steering rack, you can buy kits or new racks that are faster or use an old power rack with the power kit removed. Seems you loose some steering feel if using an old power rack though. See Alan_Ms recent thread on the subject.

 

Rob

[Jrod 7]

ARB = Anti Roll Bar, I think what you call "stabalizer".

 

To swap from drums to discs you need different trailing arms but AFAIK the beam tubes are the same. Anthony will know for sure, you could try PMing him or doing a search on his beam related posts. Rebuilding beams is/was something he has done a lot of.

 

 

You can keep the same trailing arms but you need to swap the stub axles.

[Richie-Van-GTi 71 2 Cars]

you can use the stubs and hubs from 306 or citreon zx rear beams as well.

[Guest gtigor]

ARB = Anti Roll Bar, I think what you call "stabalizer".

 

ARB - i might have guessed that

 

You can keep the same trailing arms but you need to swap the stub axles.

 

you can use the stubs and hubs from 306 or citreon zx rear beams as well.

 

thanks, that is just what i am going to do - find brakes, hubs and stubs from 306 and buy new ARB and torsion bars

 

and the question about budy/rubbing is still on

1. has any one tried to work out the inner pard on the wheel arches? doet it have any sense?

2. and it a good idea to use spacers to widen the rear track and roll out the outer arches(this job is much easier and common then the 1st option) if needed?

Edited July 13, 2007 by gtigor

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

Do a search, someone has certainly rolled the rear aches of a base model. Can't remember which country he was in but in a simialr position to you and fitted all GTi parts to a base model shell. Did a big job on it and his threads are probably what you want to try and find.

 

Rob

[Guest gtigor]

Do a search, someone has certainly rolled the rear aches of a base model. Can't remember which country he was in but in a simialr position to you and fitted all GTi parts to a base model shell. Did a big job on it and his threads are probably what you want to try and find.

 

Rob

 

I am now searching the forum, have not found anything usefull yet, but still looking...

 

i`d like to be precise - i talk not about actually the arches themself, but about the inner part of the body shell wich sometimes rubs tires, arches aro no problem - its a standart easy job to do, not very expensive though

[welshpug 1,657]

I think it was DToru, a standard shell with GTI running gear, trim and a tuned 1.9 DT.

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

The guy I was thinking about was from Egypt but I can't find him easily...

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

Found it: Linky, it also looks like Bally has looked at doing it and one of the dutch guys has converted a Multi-van look under conversions.

 

Rob

[Guest gtigor]

Found it: Linky, it also looks like Bally has looked at doing it and one of the dutch guys has converted a Multi-van look under conversions.

 

WOW thanks a lot! i remember reading this topic long time ago...

[ifcho 0]

I have done a similar conversion:

Here is the car at the beginning:

and now:

 

If you wish I can make some pictures of the inner wheel arches (i did not do them myself let the paintjob guy do them)

 

I live in Bulgaria. It's strange you do not have 205s in Russia, in BG GTIs are rare, but the base models are widespread and there are enough parts for them. Of course, when it comes to performance parts everybody looks at me like I'm some sort of mental retarded. I've had shops hang up on me when I ask them about Peugeot parts, the guys at the tyre shop could not believe that I've bought Good Year F1's for a 205...(if I was in Golf, they would bury me with all sorts of upgrades, but noo.."french can do two things only - perfumes and b***jobs")

This does cannot stop me however, I now have three of them (only one working though )

Edited July 15, 2007 by ifcho

[Guest gtigor]

I have done a similar conversion:

If you wish I can make some pictures of the inner wheel arches (i did not do them myself let the paintjob guy do them)

 

I live in Bulgaria. It's strange you do not have 205s in Russia, in BG GTIs are rare, but the base models are widespread and there are enough parts for them. Of course, when it comes to performance parts everybody looks at me like I'm some sort of mental retarded. I've had shops hang up on me when I ask them about Peugeot parts, the guys at the tyre shop could not believe that I've bought Good Year F1's for a 205...(if I was in Golf, they would bury me with all sorts of upgrades, but noo.."french can do two things only - perfumes and b***jobs")

This does cannot stop me however, I now have three of them (only one working though )

 

yes, i would appreciate some pictures...

 

in Russia people think that a car should be a sedan, the bigget the better, preferably black and german

Edited July 15, 2007 by gtigor