Gohn 62 Posted August 2, 2022 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SRDT 146 Posted August 2, 2022 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 3, 2022 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 3, 2022 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) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 3, 2022 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 ?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DamirGTI 323 Posted August 3, 2022 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 4, 2022 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jord294 87 Posted August 4, 2022 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 4, 2022 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 ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ozymandis 96 Posted August 4, 2022 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 5, 2022 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 ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 5, 2022 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anthony 1,000 Posted August 5, 2022 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) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 5, 2022 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 11, 2022 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 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leslie green 80 Posted August 11, 2022 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 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fenton 1,524 Posted August 11, 2022 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. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 11, 2022 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 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leslie green 80 Posted August 12, 2022 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gohn 62 Posted August 13, 2022 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites