Fitting Front Rear Beam Bushes

[sonofsam 5]

yes but it's quite hard work.

 

trying to get the beam to balance on the trolley jack whilst you jack it up and reposition it can be tricky. Also make sure you dont lie under the beam as its very heavy once fully rebuilt and if it slips off the trolley jack then it will hurt, ALOT!!

 

I had one slip off the trolley jack and the drum rolled onto my foot!! Wish I had been wearing my steelies that day!!

As said possible, but easier with a mate

[MrG 3]

ouch, nasty.

 

well I did it on Sat am, hard on your own as although on the jack, the rear arms were pulling it down at the rear & wouldn't allow me to manouvre it to line up with the holes, so a few supports made up, and a gradual lift with the jack saw it slip in. All in took me about 2hrs to bolt it up and refix everything. Took it fo a short drive today and am pleased to have no movement on the rear at all. Not too harsh either. So chears for all the hints and pointers.

 

AG

[GLPoomobile 958]

I've also managed it on my own, and I'm a bit of a mechanical numpty, and it was only the 2nd time I'd fitted a beam (first time had a mate to help).

 

I had intended to use 2 trolley jacks rather than try to balance the beam on just one. Half way in, I realised one of my jacks had lost a lot of oil and was failing to rise. I persevered with one jack, making sure I had it dead center and the beam delicately balanced. Next problem, in my effort to save time I had tried to fit it with discs and calipers in situ, but the extra weight was pulling the back down (as Mr G above mentions). So I had to lower it, take the brakes off, and go again. All said and done, I don't think it took me that long really.

 

So if you've got disc brakes, take them off before fitting the beam. I wouldn't want to try and fit a drum braked beam on my own.

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

I have looked at another beam that i was getting the 1.9 offset mounts from and the bushes have that steel collar through them, so there is no way mine would move forward with that there. The nylon bushes must stop any left and right movement only. I assume the bolt does not wear through the nylon as well?

[MrG 3]

the ones I removed had the steel collar all the way through, but as the rubber had perished around it that was all free allowing the scary movement. I was able to just punch one through to the other side with great ease. I expect the nylon being a harder material is less likely to give and therefore keeping it all together nice and taught..

[pug_ham 240 3 Cars]

I'm currently 60% of the way through changing a beam spec ready to fit to my GTi before the euro tour & while it was apart for ZX arms I decided to fit some Group A front poly bushes to the beam & I'll fit the alloy rear ones when it goes onto the car;

 

I used an old head bolt with a suitable nut (this was from a spare bolt off my engine stand) & a deep socket to pull them thorugh after cutting the edge of the old rubber bush away.

 

See attached pictures for my method, took about 15 minutes to pull the bush centres out for both sides. Tomorrow I'll get the old metal outers out with a chisel etc when its not quite so late.

 

Easy.

 

Graham.