Another Year, Another Rear Beam Warning

[Anthony 1,000]

I've said this plenty of times before but it's been a while since I last did one of these threads, so I figured it would be a stark warning to those new to the forum and those longer-standing members that are still in denial.

 

Jonmurgie dropped off two beams to me this morning - one 309 GTi and one 205 GTi 1.9 - for me to rebuild for him, as he'd heard some of my previous tales of woe and thought that he really ought to get a reconditioned beam onto his car. The 309 GTi beam off his old Goodwood was the prefered choice as this obviously comes with the thicker TB's and ARB, plus the wider track.

 

I think the pictures of when I got the two beams stripped down should say it all....

 

 

 

The 205 beam (the top of the two photos) was compeltely destroyed on the drivers side with over half of the bearing completely missing. Needless to say, the beamtube was well past the point of being reused.

 

The beam had been previously lowered by someone and I believe this to be the root cause of all that damage - when you lower a beam you disturb the seals, and once they're disturbed they never seal properly again if they've been on the beam a few years. Water then gets in, and from that point on, it's a rapid decent until it looks like that.

 

The 309 beam (the lower of the two photos) was in better condition but was unfortunantly still too far gone as the shaft had worn through the bearing and caused the beamtube to be ovalled. Had this one being overhalled 6 months to a year ago, it probably would have been serviceable, but not now.

 

I've said it before and I will repeat it - it is much better/cheaper to get your rear beam looked at whilst it still appears to be good, as in my experience by the time they are showing signs of failure (excessive camber, play between arm and tube, loud creaking etc) they are normally too far gone to be reconditioned.

 

Indeed, I'm now of the opinion that a rear beam is almost a serviceable item in much the same way as a cambelt, in that you leave it at your peril. I'd say that rear beams should be overhalled every 5 years, with atleast a regrease and some new seals (and preferably new bearings as well) to keep them in tip-top condition.

 

Jon has just learnt the hard way about dead beams. Don't be the next one.

Edited April 2, 2005 by Anthony

[Jonmurgie 2]

arses is all I can say

[Adam B 0]

Dammit I was going to ask you about that beam (the one in the garage yes?)

[Alex G 0]

Anthony, can you still supply a rear beam, if the one you take to rebuild is knackered,

 

My rear beams are fine so i dont have to worry, im just wondering! (Denial)

[Clapshot 0]

How much does it cost to rebuild the beam?

[Anthony 1,000]

Anthony, can you still supply a rear beam, if the one you take to rebuild is knackered,

Yes, if (and this is a big if) I can source you a replacement - getting hold of another 309 GTi beam say is not an easy task, and one that gets ever harder as more and more beams die.

 

I rarely have ready-reconditioned beams in stock, as what ones I do have usually get sold pretty quickly. I've been taking a couple of months break from doing rear beams and thus I've not got any beams awaiting reconditioning "in stock" as I've not been sourcing them from scrappies or the like - the only beams I have at the moment are ones that people have dropped off for me to have a look at for them.

 

How much does it cost to rebuild the beam?

Depends on what's wrong with it and how much needs doing. I charge £100 for a basic recon including all the bearing and seals, and this is all that a "good" beam should need. If one or both of the trailing arm shafts are corroded/pitted then these are £70 a pop (including pressing the old shaft out and the new one in) to replace.

[S33GAV 0]

Good explanatory post Anthony, nice one.

 

Nice work on my beam btw

[Jonmurgie 2]

Well after my heartache yesterday over those 2 knackered beams it's taught me to now mess about when it comes to beams, if in doubt get it checked out and refurbed ASAP even if you 'think' your beam is in good nick!

 

As for me, I've now decided to get myself one of the mose hi speced beams out there... sean's old one

 

Rear Beam Rebuilt 2003 (all new pug service parts used), 23mm TBs, 25mm ARB, SBC Neg Camber, stud conversion, nuts, drilled disks, mintex 1155 pads

[canardo 0]

once mine is back on the road think its going to have to come down to you Anthony just to check and service it

 

it "appears" fine but I think I would rather get it checked than destroy another beam

[jonnie205 1]

Anthony i think you should go round scrappies getting lower spec 309 beams and using the good tubes and shafts from them and converting them to 309 gti spec. The lower spec models do seem to wear less due to the thinner torsion bars putting less stress through the beam. Also the wide wheels on a gti and the nature of how they get driven will also lead to more wear on the bearings than a standard 309. I know if water can get into any beam and rot the bearings but in my experience of looking at beams it always seems that the gti ones go worse

[Anthony 1,000]

Anthony i think you should go round scrappies getting lower spec 309 beams and using the good tubes and shafts from them and converting them to 309 gti spec.  The lower spec models do seem to wear less due to the thinner torsion bars putting less stress through the beam.  Also the wide wheels on a gti and the nature of how they get driven will also lead to more wear on the bearings than a standard 309.  I know if water can get into any beam and rot the bearings but in my experience of looking at beams it always seems that the gti ones go worse

I agree as alot of the base spec 205 and 309's seem to have beams that are in much better condition than alot of the GTi ones out there, and as you say I have stripped base-model beams in order to get a serviceable beam tube plenty of times now. That said, there are plenty of knackered base model beams too with siezed or cambered arms, so just like GTi beams people should check them before handing over any cash.

 

Problem is that by the time you've bought a base model beam (for the tube) and usually two new shafts as well, the rebuild starts to become very expensive for people even with me pricing my time very lowly as I do.

 

As for why the base-model tubes seem to be in better condition than the GTi ones, I'd imagine it's for a number of reasons:

• Less loading on the bearings thanks to softer bars and less enthusiastic driving
  
• The bearings/shafts rotate more (thanks to the soft suspension) to spread loading
  
• More base-model cars are scrapped for little or no reason whereas GTi's are usually only scrapped when something major (like the beam) fails
  
• Base model beams are rarely taken apart to lower them (and hence the seals/bearings aren't disturbed)
  

Edited April 3, 2005 by Anthony

[bobs205 0]

Anthony have you got any 309 gti spec arb's and torsion bar's spare i'm going to use a lower spec tube and my 1.9gti arm's? so i can build a 309 width beam?

[McPikie 0]

I'm going to be a really nice chap here (for once) and I am going to donate ANY parts off my 205 1.9 beam that are usable to you if you want Ant, saves you hunting the scrappers.

 

I will pull it apart sometime this week, take some pics, and you can tell me if you want anything off it.

[maxi 36 1 Cars]

Just to add to Jonnies comment, no one throw away a 309 GTi beam, even if the bearings are worn. The torsionbars and trailing arms,etc can be used again and built into a new cross tube from a lower spec, later car. I have done this a few times with new shafts pressed into the trailing arms.

 

Nobody should re use a knackered beam as it will be wankered again in no time, but for thefact all disc braked rear beams are getting so rare now, nobody throw any away. All can be salvaged and put into new cross tubes etc.

 

Maxi

[bren_1.3 1]

i recently just lost a 1.9 rear beam. nothing of the outer bearing on the drivers side remained.....i recieved a cloud of dust.

 

im now using a 1600 beam tube, i notice that that both the passenger side shafts and bearings were spot on.....and both the drivers side were gone no question????? is that just coincidence?

 

just managed to catch the 1600 beam in the nick of time. the inner bearing race had just split in two. but im not so sure if its ovalled. how can u tell?

Edited April 5, 2005 by brens_1.9_wide_arch

[Anthony 1,000]

im now using a 1600 beam tube, i notice that that both the passenger side shafts and bearings were spot on.....and both the drivers side were gone no question????? is that just coincidence?

Nope, that's normal and on beams that I see it's almost always the drivers side that shows problems first and is in the worse state of health. The reason however I'm not entirely sure as there's no obvious reason from the design of the beamtube - there's a few likely reasons I can think of though.

 

just managed to catch the 1600 beam in the nick of time. the inner bearing race had just split in two. but im not so sure if its ovalled. how can u tell?

All the damage will be to the surface at the top of the oval (assuming the beam to be sat as it would be on the car) so that's where you need to look. There will be some pitting, and whilst you can get away with a small amount (especially if tidied up with chemical metal or something) any large or deep areas of pitting are a no-no as the bearing won't be properly supported and will fail prematurely. As for ovalling, the easiest way is to look at the lip just past where the outer bearing sits - on a good beam this should be about the same all the way around, but if it's heavily worn and ovalled, the lip will be worn away at the top.

[tashanoodles 0]

All this talk is starting to get me rather worried, is there any way i can check the state of mine as it is, or do they have to be removed before you can tell?

She's 15 yrs old this summer, and i know its never been re-conned, the only thing in my favour as far as i can tell from reading the posts is that she's never been lowered.

Idiots guide for checking pls?

[alex205mi16 1]

agreed!!! my 309 beam uses a lower spec 309 beam tube with the gubbins from a buggered 309 gti beam.. and works a treat.

 

i think anthony should have a beam servicing dept.

[Jonmurgie 2]

So does that mean that my 309 beam could be saved? Anthony?

[petert 550]

I had two GTi rear ends stored away and all I managed to salvage from both was one shaft. The outer drivers bearings were so worn that the tubes are damaged beyond repair. I had to pay AUS$250 for just a good 2nd hand tube.

[Anthony 1,000]

So does that mean that my 309 beam could be saved? Anthony?

Well, you can use the GTi torsion and anti-roll bars from the remains of your one and get new shafts and a lesser-spec 309 beam (for a replacement beam tube) and make a good one from that, and I have done this before for people, but it starts to become horribly expensive as obviously another beam needs to be sourced and stripped (and that assumes that one is good) in addition to all the other costs.

 

I had two GTi rear ends stored away and all I managed to salvage from both was one shaft. The outer drivers bearings were so worn that the tubes are damaged beyond repair. I had to pay AUS$250 for just a good 2nd hand tube.

Interesting, as I was under the impression that the beams were lasting much better in the warm dry climates such as Austrailia - obviously failures do still happen, but I'd say you were probably pretty unlucky to get two deads ones down under/

[petert 550]

Interesting, as I was under the impression that the beams were lasting much better in the warm dry climates such as Austrailia - obviously failures do still happen, but I'd say you were probably pretty unlucky to get two deads ones down under/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No, they're dying just as fast. Good beams are hard to find. I'm talking to an engineering place about making new ones.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

All this talk is starting to get me rather worried, is there any way i can check the state of mine as it is, or do they have to be removed before you can tell?

She's 15 yrs old this summer, and i know its never been re-conned, the only thing in my favour as far as i can tell from reading the posts is that she's never been lowered.

Idiots guide for checking pls?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It will be worn, FACT. It's a poor design (needle roller bearings shouldn't be used in this application) so even without seals failing it will wear because the bearings dig into the arms. Unlowered *may* help a little but not much and if anything hard driving is probably better for it as it keeps it moving.

[tashanoodles 0]

It will be worn, FACT. It's a poor design (needle roller bearings shouldn't be used in this application) so even without seals failing it will wear because the bearings dig into the arms. Unlowered *may* help a little but not much and if anything hard driving is probably better for it as it keeps it moving.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ok so should i be doing something about it? I mean, am i safe to drive for the time being? Seeing as i'm on a pretty basic level when it comes to mechanics, and don't want to be ripped off what's my next step? I can't afford to spend out on the pug for a good few months yet, just don't wanna make things worse, or drive around in it when its not safe to. :s

[Butler 0]

It'll be safe, but the longer you leave it means the repair bill will go up and up. it'll go from just new bearings to a whole new beam.