Rear Beam - Dismantle & Rebuild Guide

1. Silky Frequent Poster Joined: Oct 2006 Chelmsford, Essex Posts: 674 MK1 Venetian Red VTR

   #1 1st May 2011, 21:37

   I've looked all over, seen some decent threads but most of them are general questions about beams
   
   Has anyone got a detailed (with pics) rear beam dismantle and rebuild guide for a VTS/GTI ?
   
   Got a GTI beam and want to strip it but don't know where to start
   
   Any help appreciated
2. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

   #2 1st May 2011, 21:47

   stripping the beam down is a doddle, its the tooling required to refurb the actual parts thats beyond most of us.
3. user_15516 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 6640 Integra DC5R & VTS

   #3 1st May 2011, 21:49

   This might be some help to you.
4. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

   #4 1st May 2011, 21:55

   good guide, its just that 90% of axles we strip seem to have knackered stub pins like the ones in the pics, then its time to either find an engineering firm to press new pins in with a bigger press the we possess or get a fresh beam
5. Silky Frequent Poster Joined: Oct 2006 Chelmsford, Essex Posts: 674 MK1 Venetian Red VTR

   #5 1st May 2011, 22:04

   The beam is a spare beam, want to have a go at getting it apart
   
   Will take a look at the link and have a go tomorrow
6. user_15516 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 6640 Integra DC5R & VTS

   #6 1st May 2011, 22:07

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by mandyslover70 good guide, its just that 90% of axles we strip seem to have knackered stub pins like the ones in the pics, then its time to either find an engineering firm to press new pins in with a bigger press the we possess or get a fresh beam

   My mate williams refurbed a beam a few years ago and it took a 60 tonne press to get the old stubs pins out and new ones in.
7. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

   #7 1st May 2011, 22:13

   been pestering a local firm that fix mining equipment into doing them for us! They've got some impressive tackle to shift them lol
8. Silky Frequent Poster Joined: Oct 2006 Chelmsford, Essex Posts: 674 MK1 Venetian Red VTR

   #8 2nd May 2011, 11:04

   How do the ARB End Plates come off ?
9. Kyza Established Member Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 1016

   #9 2nd May 2011, 11:10

   One side will have a rubber bung in. Remove the bumg and put an M12 bolt in it. Remove 13mm bolt that holds the end plate in that you have put the M12 bolt in. On the other side, undo the 13mm bolt holding that end plate in but not all the way out, so there is a few thread in still. Wind the M12 bolt in and the ARB will pop apart. Remove one side, if theyre still wedged in the trailing arm, just twist the end plate and it will pop off.

   1 user thanked this post: Silky
10. Silky Frequent Poster Joined: Oct 2006 Chelmsford, Essex Posts: 674 MK1 Venetian Red VTR

    #10 2nd May 2011, 16:11

    Thanks Kyza, have found that caliper bolts fit perfectly.
    
    Have put one in and tightened it up and I could see it coming out of the trailing arm, it spins round but I'm having a problem getting it off.
    
    I tried the same thing in the other end and the same thing, it loosens then spins.
    
    Problem I see to have is that someone has attempted something before and the 13mm bolts that hold one end of the End Plates on have both snapped off
    
    Any ideas what I can do to
    
    A...Get the end plates off now that they are spinning and have a bolt in the M12 hole ?
    B...How I can get the ends of the 13mm bolts out of the trailing arms ?
    
    Thanks mate, any help appreciated
    Michael
11. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

    #11 2nd May 2011, 16:14

    drill and re-tap the bolts holes for the 13mm bolts, failing that they will need helicoils fitting or oversize bolts.
12. Kyza Established Member Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 1016

    #12 2nd May 2011, 16:16

    Abit tricky now.
    
    Either use a hammer and a chizle or punch to try and hit the end plate off which has a bung.
    
    Or you will have to drill out the snapped bolt then have it tapped out for a 13mm to thread into. Then continue with the same method as I described in the previous post.
13. Silky Frequent Poster Joined: Oct 2006 Chelmsford, Essex Posts: 674 MK1 Venetian Red VTR

    #13 2nd May 2011, 16:35

    I take it that both end plates have the small plastic bung hiding the hole aswell as a 13mm bolt at the other end ?
    
    As for drilling them out, think thats's what I'll have to do.
    Anyone got any tips for drilling these out ?
    Also, what size tap is needed when re-threading it ?
14. Kyza Established Member Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 1016

    #14 2nd May 2011, 16:38

    Occasionally some ARBs have rubber bungs at both ends, but usually only one side has the rubber bung in. Both sides will have the 13mm bolt on the end plates.
    
    Keep the drill peice square to how you are drilling is the only tip really.
15. Silky Frequent Poster Joined: Oct 2006 Chelmsford, Essex Posts: 674 MK1 Venetian Red VTR

    #15 2nd May 2011, 16:46

    Mine had the rubber bung in both ends, just whipped it out with a Torx bit
    
    I've got a range of sizes, will try something like a 5mm and work up
16. AlexBp West Midlands Joined: Dec 2007 West mids Posts: 23149 Supra,civic GL

    #16 2nd May 2011, 17:49

    If your struggling with the arb id hate to see you attempt the torx bolts in the torsion bars
17. Silky Frequent Poster Joined: Oct 2006 Chelmsford, Essex Posts: 674 MK1 Venetian Red VTR

    #17 2nd May 2011, 17:59

    I can see it all being a nightmare but it's worth a go for practice
    
    It's a spare beam I picked up so don't playing with it
18. Silky Frequent Poster Joined: Oct 2006 Chelmsford, Essex Posts: 674 MK1 Venetian Red VTR

    #18 2nd May 2011, 18:00

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Kyza Either use a hammer and a chizle or punch to try and hit the end plate off which has a bung

    How is this done Kyza ?
19. Kyza Established Member Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 1016

    #19 2nd May 2011, 18:09

    thats just to get the end plate off if didnt fancy drilling and tapping the brocken bolt. It will need drilling and tapping at some point anyway, just easier off the beam.
    
    From behind the end plate line up the punch so its as central to the ARB itsel as you can and hit it with a hammer. As if you're trying to hit the plate off from behind.
    
    It takes about 40minutes to dismantle a beam and remove the pins from it.