Rear Disc Brakes

[shalmaneser 26]

I've been priced out of the market when it comes to 309 rear beams, they go for silly money IMHO. What's the next best thing?

 

So, everyone bangs on about the Xsara VTS having the best rear swingarms due to the negative camber. Fair enough. Are the arms standard across the range of disc braked Xsara's (HDi etc)? Seems likely they are.

 

Cos my cunning plan is to nab some from the scrappy with calipers and discs for not much money, then assuming that my beam tube is OK (there's no camber or binding and it's only done 80K so i guess it is) I'll bolt up the TBs and ARB to the Xsara swingers, pop on the brakes and new beam bearings and away we go. The Xsara swingers are fairly plentiful, and if it all goes all wrong I'll just get some from a 306 HDi, KSi, etc etc anyway and do without my precious camber. The spur is bound to be in good condition as well given that these will be a lot lower mileage than almost any 205 I can find...

 

Will this go horribly wrong? Please enlighten me if it will! Crucially, are the splines the same? If this all goes well I should have a fully rebuilt beam for not much more cost that a horrible (probably) knackered definitely in need of a rebuild 'genuine' 1.9 item...

 

Thanks as ever!

[omega 82]

cant help you but will watch with intrest as it sounds a good plan and if it works will copy it!!!

[welshpug 1,626]

yup, that'll work, not sure offhand what the geometry is like on them though.

[BackStreetRacecars 3]

AFAIK the splines should be ok!! watching on with interest to find out the geometry of the different arms!!! keep us posted!!

[Baz 421]

Xsara's aren't the best arms IMO. But then it depends what you want them for...

[shalmaneser 26]

Xsara's aren't the best arms IMO. But then it depends what you want them for...

 

What are then d'you reckon?

[Anthony 1,000]

Yes it'll all fit together fine and I've built a few beams now using ZX/306/Xsara arms. The arms are a direct replacement for 205/309 ones, with the only small exception being that the rear disks are different to 205/309 ones (so make sure you order the right ones!) although they use the same calipers.

 

Be warned that the beams fail in exactly the same way as 205/309 ones, and I've seen a suprisingly high percentage of ZX/306/Xsara beams that have dead trailing arm shafts, some with less than 100k miles on them - I think the higher effective spring rate (TB+ARB) and heavier weight of the cars is killing them even quicker than 205's and 309's. Certainly I wouldn't buy one "blind" and expect the shafts to be mint, put it that way.

[welshpug 1,626]

if you do go for a xsara/306 beam, get the one with the skinniest torsion bars, I've managed to bag a mint tube + trailing arm shafts like this a few times

[Dj_mini 7]

Iv got a xsara vts and gti6 beam for sale if there of any use to you?

I ran the zx trailing arms on my beam they seamed to work very well and all went together a treat!

[shalmaneser 26]

Thanks for the replies all.

 

In terms of wear I'm not bothered - My local scrappy has a great selection of 306's/Xsaras anyway, so I'll be tearing them down 'in situ' as it were and ensuring nothing is worn myself.

 

Should give me a good feel for the beam itself too in readiness for the eventual rebuild.

 

Didn't know about the different rear disc offset - will be good to bear in mind.