Rear Tyres Rubbing Inner Wheel Arch - Is Rear Beam Dead?

[Dave_McC 0]

As title, I had the drivers side rear wheel off recently on my f reg cti, and there is evidence the tyre has been rubbing the inner arch. The car's on 1.9 alloys with 195/50 tyres. Is the rubbing cause of the wider wheels / tyres, or is the beam knackered. There doesn't appear to be excessive negative camber on the rear wheels, but I've only had the car a few weeks and most of those it's been in pieces as I'm doing various bits of work to it.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Anthony 1,000]

There should be fairly obvious negative camber if the tyre is hitting the inner arch. If you're unsure, check if the distance between the tyre and inner arch is different between the drivers and passenger side.

 

If there's definately no camber there then it could be that it had a dead beam and it was replaced prior to you getting the car possibly? Certainly 195/50R15 tyres are fine and in themselves won't cause rubbing.

[adam_young 0]

Perhaps the beam isn't worn out, but actually bent?

[Dave_McC 0]

Cheers

 

Once I've got it back of the axle stands I'll measure one side against the other.

 

Dave

[Dave_McC 0]

Anthony

 

Checked the gaps between top of tyre to inner wing on both sides - driver's side is a fag paper gap, passenger side is probably 3 or 4 cm - so I'm guessing the beam is knackered. Guess I'll have to try to source another rear beam and get it rebuilt. I assume for simplicity I'd be better off sticking with replacing with another 1.6 beam with the drum brakes. If I go for a 1.9 beam with disks, what else will I have to change other than handbrake cables?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Jer309GTi 3]

You'll need 1.9 rear brake hoses, need to alter the brake pipes, some in-line brake compensators from a 1.9 (to stop rears locking under hard braking) and I think (but not sure) you will need a 1.9 master cylinder.

 

HTH

[Anthony 1,000]

Yup, classic knackered beam by the sounds of things. If it's that cambered up then the tube will have worn oval as well as the 'shaft being pitted/corroded to excess.

 

Easiest swap is to just get hold of another 1.6 GTi rear beam, as then you don't need to mess about with anything and the 1.6 GTi drums are more than sufficient for stopping a tincan...

 

You'll need 1.9 rear brake hoses, need to alter the brake pipes, some in-line brake compensators from a 1.9 (to stop rears locking under hard braking) and I think (but not sure) you will need a 1.9 master cylinder.

Easier just to keep the 1.6 MC, compensator, and brake pipes upto the beam tube flexi's - works fine.

 

All you need is rear calipers/disks/pads, 1.9 handbrake cables, caliper-trailing arm flexi's, and 1.9 brake pipes between those flexi's and the beamtube flexi's.