Finally My 309 Beam Ready, With Pictures.

[yorkshirekowboy 19 1 Cars]

firstly here are the pictures of my beam,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

what you guys think?

 

 

right my questions,

 

1. the threaded cup on the tube, that the torsion bar stud fits through, how tight, i juts put a screwdriver into the slot and did it hand tight, cant see why it will need to be very tight.

 

2. the front top mounts of beam, (the ones with the two nuts) i have notcied that on them, there is one side longer than the other. i have put my the long way facing out towards the trailing arm, that right?

 

3. the height is set at 305mm or there abouts, my my car is lowered on the front about 35mm, will the car sit high at the rear?

[welshpug 1,621]

you need to set the clearance to the seal, then set the shouldered stud, yes just finger pressure then lock with the 13mm nut whilst counterholding the stud with a screwdriver

 

can't answer the other two for definite though, not had experience of the 309 beam on a 205, only on a 309

[Atari Boy 11]

In relation to a 205 beam which may be the same and question 2.

There may be a 'G' or 'D' stamped on one side of them, left and right.

Edited January 2, 2009 by Atari Boy

[Rom 0]

Could you elaborate on that Welsh ? Dont remember reading that in the guide (though i could have missed it) About setting the clearance to seal i mean.

 

Looks nice and clean ! Mines still in pieces, waiting to find a base model tube.

 

I know that the 309 beam will have less sag. But cant remember the starting measurement. 305mm rings a bell, but not sure if thats for 205 or 309

[yorkshirekowboy 19 1 Cars]

they wont have d or g stmaped on them as they are off a 309. think they only stamped them on the 1.9's.

 

thanks welshpug, only need the other two answering now.

[boombang 2]

My 205 with 309 beam sits as below. Know there is no trim on it (and no shocks!), but could give you an idea. I've still got the dummy shock sat at the same length so can measure it - even though it's not that scientific just looking at a picture of a car without interior and boxes of crap in the back, but it might help just to see what length it's set to.

 

 

The picture below shows where it sat with the beam as it was before - which IIRC was lowered approx 30mm on a 309 (shows just how much higher the 309 setup is!). Know car is pretty bare, so would obviously come down a bit with some weight in it.

 

 

And the beam as it sat on an assembled 309 at same height:

 

[welshpug 1,621]

Yes that's correct that only the 1.9 205 uses the offset brackets, I "think" with the 309 beam going onto a 205 you have to turn the brackets round so that they sit narrower.

 

The clearance specified is 0.05mm, i.e place a feeler gauge between the cup on the trailing arm and the seal, and push the arm into the tube, set the stud, lock it in place, job jobbed.

 

Its the one very important detail that is missing from many articles about 205/309 and 306 beams, too much clearance and water gets straight in there, too little and the seal gets worn away, hence why many lowered beams are so much worse for wear than many untouched ones.

[yorkshirekowboy 19 1 Cars]

Could you elaborate on that Welsh ? Dont remember reading that in the guide (though i could have missed it) About setting the clearance to seal i mean.

 

Looks nice and clean ! Mines still in pieces, waiting to find a base model tube.

 

I know that the 309 beam will have less sag. But cant remember the starting measurement. 305mm rings a bell, but not sure if thats for 205 or 309

 

 

yes rom, i think you have to set the distance between main lip of the seal to the cup on the shaft with a distance of 0.05mm so the cup doesnt where the main body of the cross member seal.

 

thanks boombang thanks if you could mesure it that wuld be very helpful.

[Rom 0]

Awesome thanks !

 

Another bit of info learnt I dont remember seeing that measurement before.

[yorkshirekowboy 19 1 Cars]

Awesome thanks !

 

Another bit of info learnt I dont remember seeing that measurement before.

 

 

ace well im glad others have learnt some stuff, anyhow, the rear arb, it has a left side the bar (the bit with the extra bit of metal on the end), so is that end meant to be facing the pasenger side or dont it matter?

[Stu 18]

Seems you've pretty much got it covered, only thing i can add is that the beam saddles have to be reversed on a 309 beam when compared to a 205 item so when you fit the saddles, do it so the threaded sections are closest together.

 

Looks bloody tidy that does mate! Almost a shame to put it under the car!

[omega 82]

Looks bloody tidy that does mate! Almost a shame to put it under the car!

 

very tidy who did the beam?

[yorkshirekowboy 19 1 Cars]

Seems you've pretty much got it covered, only thing i can add is that the beam saddles have to be reversed on a 309 beam when compared to a 205 item so when you fit the saddles, do it so the threaded sections are closest together.

 

Looks bloody tidy that does mate! Almost a shame to put it under the car!

 

 

cheers mate, and yes its a shame haha , i had some spare paint, plus the lass was out so i thought i may aswell use it up. just bought some carplan tetroseal today from boys, i find it good stuff, plus at 4 quid a can, cheap. going to strip my axle off tomoz and cover the boot floor in this stuff.

[Baz 421]

In relation to a 205 beam which may be the same and question 2.

There may be a 'G' or 'D' stamped on one side of them, left and right.

 

Only on 1.9 beams, the rest are the same.

[Baz 421]

In answer to number 2, iirc you'll need the mounts fitted with the longer sides ointing inwards on a 205, but it'll only fit one way anyway, and you might want to leave them loose to move and centre when you bolt the beam up to the car too, then tighten.

[pug_ham 240 3 Cars]

right my questions,

 

1. the threaded cup on the tube, that the torsion bar stud fits through, how tight, i juts put a screwdriver into the slot and did it hand tight, cant see why it will need to be very tight.

 

2. the front top mounts of beam, (the ones with the two nuts) i have notcied that on them, there is one side longer than the other. i have put my the long way facing out towards the trailing arm, that right?

 

3. the height is set at 305mm or there abouts, my my car is lowered on the front about 35mm, will the car sit high at the rear?

 

1. Hand tight should be fine, its all held together by the stud when everything is set & tightened up.

 

2.The bolts will only line up with the holes on the shell with them fitted one way like Baz says, measure the distance between the two mount inner studs on your old 205 beam & check its the same on the 309 beam. From a quick glance it sounds like you have them the right way though.

 

3. Almost impossible to tell, only way to find out is by fitting it but I think it'll be slightly lower at the back. Almsot every beam I've set to the same distance has sat differently on the car when fitted. Adjustment only takes about an hour though if you need to change it.

 

Seems you've pretty much got it covered, only thing i can add is that the beam saddles have to be reversed on a 309 beam when compared to a 205 item so when you fit the saddles, do it so the threaded sections are closest together.

No they don't. Only the two rear rubber mounts need turning through 180' due to the studs being offset, the fronts should be set to the same width as the 205 beam. Mine were & so have the other 309 beams I've helped fit to 205's.

 

Graham.

[boombang 2]

My 205 with 309 beam sits as below. Know there is no trim on it (and no shocks!), but could give you an idea. I've still got the dummy shock sat at the same length so can measure it - even though it's not that scientific just looking at a picture of a car without interior and boxes of crap in the back, but it might help just to see what length it's set to.

 

 

This is with the dummy shock set at 295mm.

 

The back of the car has a few boxes of parts in (and a cage) so can't be too far off standard weight.

 

Just bear in mind if you are ever going to take anyone in the rear you might do well to leave a little extra on the height rather than set level - as standard rear is slightly higher. Also if not uprating the rear and front springs are stiffer, the back will drop down more than the front as you add weight.