Dead Rear Beam Symptoms?

1. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

   #1 5th December 2010, 13:51

   Hi Friends,
   
   Just Curious... I've never had a Rear Beam go yet, What are the Symptoms?
   
   Since this snow has turned to ice and been really bumpy my beam (It seems to be the beam) has started clicking when I go over bumps slowly or go down a drop curb diagonally, like reversing off my drive. It just clicks like... Ehhh... What's it like... Ohh like when you try to drive off with your hand brake on, it makes that clicking sound? It's like that but my brakes aren't on I've checked, Wheels spin freely.
   
   Rear is lowered 80mm
   
   Thanks
2. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

   #2 5th December 2010, 19:38

   
3. Jack Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 937 NA

   #3 5th December 2010, 19:41

   If the rear beam has gone, the rear wheels will have negative camber, ie they are like this: / \ as you look from behind the car.
4. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

   #4 5th December 2010, 19:42

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by jackh7692 If the rear beam has gone, the rear wheels will have negative camber, ie they are like this: / \ as you look from behind the car.

   Ooo right, thanks I'll look in the morning...
   
   Just the clicking sounds like something trying to shear off lol
5. obeone Infrequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 117

   #5 5th December 2010, 19:56

   the rear beam can have neggie camber and pass an m.o.t and run ok as long as the roller bearings in the arm are ok.But if the rollers are knackered then so is the axle.best way to check is jack car up at the rear till the wheels clear of the ground and putting hands on top and bottom of tyre try rocking it and if the top of thr tyre moves towards the car and away from the car the roller bearings are shot .
   If the wheels dont have play then even though there is a negative camber it will pass an m.o.t as safe.
6. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

   #6 5th December 2010, 20:00

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by obeone the rear beam can have neggie camber and pass an m.o.t and run ok as long as the roller bearings in the arm are ok.But if the rollers are knackered then so is the axle.best way to check is jack car up at the rear till the wheels clear of the ground and putting hands on top and bottom of tyre try rocking it and if the top of thr tyre moves towards the car and away from the car the roller bearings are shot . If the wheels dont have play then even though there is a negative camber it will pass an m.o.t as safe.

   Nice one I'll check that tomorrow, can it click? Lol
7. devilsadvocate Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2006 Maidstone Posts: 8210 Golf TDI

   #7 5th December 2010, 20:02

   As above, get the car on ramps and see if there is any play in the axle.
   Should be fairly obvious if there is
8. obeone Infrequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 117

   #8 5th December 2010, 20:03

   Mine made a clonking sound when over bumps so dont know .I would check play on the wheel anyway just to be sure.
9. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

   #9 5th December 2010, 20:04

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by devilsadvocate As above, get the car on ramps and see if there is any play in the axle. Should be fairly obvious if there is

   I'll do that, can it cause my clicking when going over bumps slow or down curbs though? It's like a Ting.... *Think Think Think...* Can't think of an example...
10. user_15516 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 6640 Integra DC5R & VTS

    #10 5th December 2010, 20:53

    ARB could be loose if you have a 'ping' noise over bumps. I'd check the trailing arms for camber/ any play, and check the ARB end plate bolts are tight.
11. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #11 5th December 2010, 21:04

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by LeeumH ARB could be loose if you have a 'ping' noise over bumps. I'd check the trailing arms for camber/ any play, and check the ARB end plate bolts are tight.

    That's it, a Ping... I've worked the beam Etc before, but only when I got a dear stuck under it. What are the ARB end Plates? Lol
12. user_15516 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 6640 Integra DC5R & VTS

    #12 5th December 2010, 22:18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bikekid450 That's it, a Ping... I've worked the beam Etc before, but only when I got a dear stuck under it. What are the ARB end Plates? Lol

    Rear wheel off and you should see this. The ARB end plate bolt is missing in that picture.
    
    Tighten the bolt up (needs to be tight, don't go crazy though or you'll snap it). Repeat on the other side of the car.
    
    If you have problems with them coming loose, try some thread lock on the bolts.

    1 user thanked this post: RustySkull
13. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #13 5th December 2010, 22:19

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by LeeumH Rear wheel off and you should see this. The ARB end plate bolt is missing in that picture. Tighten the bolt up (needs to be tight, don't go crazy though or you'll snap it). Repeat on the other side of the car. If you have problems with them coming loose, try some thread lock on the bolts.

    Great thank you very much! :f cuk:
14. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #14 6th December 2010, 15:46

    Friends!!
    
    I went and checked, My wheel bolts are really stuck and my bar is at my parents house... Ehh! So I couldn't check those bolts but! I checked for play, there's not much but the shock seems very... Loose? Is it fucked?
    
    I made a video, also tried to hear the ping but I think it was too quiet, it's so cold my Camera kept trying to commit Suicide lol!
    
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGHJU1yqUKE (View In 720p To See The Movement)
15. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #15 6th December 2010, 18:14

    
16. devilsadvocate Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2006 Maidstone Posts: 8210 Golf TDI

    #16 6th December 2010, 18:46

    Did you have the handbrake on when you did that?
17. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #17 6th December 2010, 18:54

    When it was jacked up yeh, although it's the same without it on
    
    Edit: Is it bad?
18. MartinDines Established Member Joined: Nov 2010 Canvey Island, Essex Posts: 1221 Citroen Saxo 1.4 Furio

    #18 6th December 2010, 18:58

    You coming to the lakeside meet? We'll have a look then for ya
19. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #19 6th December 2010, 19:00

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MartinDines You coming to the lakeside meet? We'll have a look then for ya

    Was gona lol, can't really drive it though the wheels pull bits of arch off lol that's why I'm trying to sort it quick.
    
    I'm gona get my bar tomorrow and take the wheels off to have a real good look about...
20. user_15516 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 6640 Integra DC5R & VTS

    #20 6th December 2010, 20:25

    To check for play, I put one hand at 12 o'clock, one at 6 o'clock and try to wobble the wheel in and out of the arch.
    
    As has already been said, the tell tale sign is a wheel/ both wheels leaning in at the top - see here. In some cases, the wheel(s) can start rubbing against the arch/ where it joins the boot floor.
    
    Hard to see from your video, but the drivers side wheel does look very loose. Can you post a picture of the drivers side rear shock? With the flash on might be best.
21. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #21 6th December 2010, 20:59

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by LeeumH To check for play, I put one hand at 12 o'clock, one at 6 o'clock and try to wobble the wheel in and out of the arch. As has already been said, the tell tale sign is a wheel/ both wheels leaning in at the top - see here. In some cases, the wheel(s) can start rubbing against the arch/ where it joins the boot floor. Hard to see from your video, but the drivers side wheel does look very loose. Can you post a picture of the drivers side rear shock? With the flash on might be best.

    Yeh no worries mate. Actually I'll go do it now lol
22. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #22 6th December 2010, 21:07

    
    
    
    
    
    Is it too dark? What are you looking for?
    
    I don't think my wheel is leaning, do you?
    
    I should say, my drivers side has always been 10mm lower then the left lol, donno why...
    
    Lol, I was just out there after posting these pictures, and I was looking around with my torch and I noticed this massive groove cut in my Tyre, seems it's been rubbing on the metal where the arch clips on, looks very wavy, so I might try and bend that back in a bit so it misses the Tyre tomorrow Lol
23. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #23 7th December 2010, 09:28

    Quote:

    Can you post a picture of the drivers side rear shock? With the flash on might be best.

    So did ya find what you was looking for in my pictures?
24. user_15516 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 6640 Integra DC5R & VTS

    #24 7th December 2010, 19:20

    Can you wobble the shock from side to side?
    
    Could be the shocks have gone if it seems really bouncy. Could always nip down to an MOT station and ask their opinion.
25. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #25 7th December 2010, 19:21

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by LeeumH Can you wobble the shock from side to side? Could be the shocks have gone if it seems really bouncy. Could always nip down to an MOT station and ask their opinion.

    Could do, and yeh the drivers side, passenger side is solid lol.
26. tom51 Newbie Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 25

    #26 7th December 2010, 21:33

    

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by LeeumH Rear wheel off and you should see this. The ARB end plate bolt is missing in that picture. Tighten the bolt up (needs to be tight, don't go crazy though or you'll snap it). Repeat on the other side of the car. If you have problems with them coming loose, try some thread lock on the bolts.

    great info whipped the offside wheel of after hearing a tinging noise 13mm bolt was loose nipped it up problem solved is this problem common ? the other side was tight why do they come loose?
27. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #27 7th December 2010, 22:18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tom51 great info whipped the offside wheel of after hearing a tinging noise 13mm bolt was loose nipped it up problem solved is this problem common ? the other side was tight why do they come loose?

    Mine are all tight lol Glad you fixed yours lol
28. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #28 8th December 2010, 12:14

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76e8ixFSEXY
    
    Ping is still there.. At the End...
29. user_15516 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 6640 Integra DC5R & VTS

    #29 8th December 2010, 18:16

    Sounds a bit too loud to be the ping noise from the ARB end plate.
    
    I'd take it to an MOT station and ask their opinion on the dampers and get them to see if there's any play in the rear wheels.
30. RustySkull Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2009 Basildon And Corringham, Essex Posts: 5179 MK1 Focus RS, Discovery TD5, Renault Trafic 2.0

    #30 8th December 2010, 18:18

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by LeeumH Sounds a bit too loud to be the ping noise from the ARB end plate. I'd take it to an MOT station and ask their opinion on the dampers and get them to see if there's any play in the rear wheels.

    Took it to my mate's MOT place today. He said it might be because my shocks are fully compressed and I have no Bump stops. So I've bought new Shocks... Only thing is it's dark now so my Car's on Axel Stands because I can't find my 21mm spanner lol