Bent rear beam!

[crystalpuma]

Apparently I have a bent rear beam :shock:

So...just wondering how time-consuming a job it's likely to be to replace and how much the part is (will do a search but if anyone happens to know that'd be handy!). You can't search for rear beam on this site as it handily ignores the word 'rear'!

The bad news is I've already bust my maintenance budget by £200 and that doesn't include the major service due in December

 

[quest63]

Hmmm I just did a search for rear beam and got 816 hits?.

Who said it is bent and why did they say it?.

 

[crystalpuma]

Yes they're mostly about headlights!

Tyre-fitting place said it based on geometry output when they did fronts. I won't be getting anything done without Tremona's say-so, just trying to anticipate the hit!

 

[quest63]

Have you ever had your rear beam bushes done as its possible to put your axle on slanted if you dont tighten the eight bracket to body bolts up with the car on the ground,assuming of course the brackets were removed to do the job.Or possibly someone did this before you had it.

Also possibly rear beam bushes could be so worn that the axle isnt sitting straight.

If it turns out you have to have a replacement rear beam you really want to get new bushes put in.

I paid £40 for a used rear beam fitted new bushes and rustproofed and refurbed. There doesnt seem many on ebay at the mo and the ones that are, are expensive,Ian G maybe?

 

[crystalpuma]

I've trawled through some of the search results and IanG seems to do them for £50 delivered which seems very reasonable. I need to know if it's bent first though, or as you say, may be related to other issues. I have poly bushes but always forget which bush they miss off the kit as that one isn't! I think rear beam are included in which case it's not that. Thanks for the info, will get it checked out first!

 

[quest63]

I shouldnt think for one minute you will have worn poly bushes, but it would be good to find out if who ever did it took the brackets off the car to do the job.Obviously get your bushes swapped over if you get another axle.

If you do have to get one make sure you get the right year as earlier versions are narrower and have different shock absorber fittings than later ones.

Good luck with it :thumbs:

 

[crystalpuma]

Cheers, at least I can rely on Tremona

 

[Ian G]

I've got loads but I'd check how yours is attached first, there is a procedure to getting them lined up properly when you re-fit. If its not had a knock but it has been removed previously, that is the more likely reason.

 

[Dal]

You've probably hot a mis-aligned rear beam, not a bent one. Ask Richard at tremona to check it for you next time you're there.

 

[Gal]

Can I ask what tyre place said this. It's a well known fact that quikcrap etc will tell you anything to make more cash. Even known to spray shocks with dirty oil and say they are leaking

 

[ElDude at Allison Automotive]

Unless you've had a serious accident can't see the beam need replacing...

there's a fair amount of movment possible in the way the beam fixes up to the car...

if the rear wheels are toeing out too much then this may indicate a bend in the stubb axle ??? even so, the toe can be adjusted with shims, changing the beam won't necessarily fix that issue...

do you have a print out of the alignment settings as they stand currently??

If you go for Alignment, make sure it's a Hunter system, they are really accurate compared to many of the more basic systems...

regards
Chris

 

[Ian G]

out too much then this may indicate a bend in the stubb axle ???

That would probably also exhibit itself as premature bearing wear.

 

[ElDude at Allison Automotive]

Another thought is that the small spacers on the rear beam can corode badly on the puma, causing the tracking to go out...

My left rear wheel is currently toeing out more than the other side, gona fit new 30mm press car spacers and stubbs to see what the figures are then...

 

[d170sam]

A rear beam can be bent quite easily if you regularly jack it up in the centre of the beam, they are designed to flex but the can be bent too, this would lead to negative camber, if the beam is mis aligned through removal and refit you can't properly do the tracking because the car will drive like a crab, so it's more likely its bent not mid aligned if its the original beam and they were able to do the tracking, if you have had new beam bushes this will not effect the tracking of the wheels because the beam mount won't be removed just the beam

 

[ElDude at Allison Automotive]

i take the mounts off when i do the beam...they just get in the way..

 

[d170sam]

I changed mine, just undid the two bolts that hold the beam in pull it down, cut out the old ones, slide in the new poly bushes then tighten up, no need to remove the mounts?!

 

[quest63]

I unbolted mine as well,as it suited my purposes,Cystals may have had an axle swop previously with the brackets off, the point is that its a possibilty to be explored that costs little or nothing and may save the expense of a replacement axle.

 

[Anonymous]

I changed mine, just undid the two bolts that hold the beam in pull it down, cut out the old ones, slide in the new poly bushes then tighten up, no need to remove the mounts?!

Same here. I didn't see the need to remove the brackets too.