Polyurethane or VAG Rear suspension bushes???

[corradophil 3]

I've read comments about the rear brake compensator before. I just removed the bracket its spring attaches to from the rear beam and left it alone. There must be two different designs.

 

Agreed on the ABS cables, just pull out the rear seat base and un-plug them, pop the grommets out feed the cables under the car, far easier than trying to remove the ABS sensors.

[Rpmayne 0]

Was a while ago I tried it but I think you also have to remove the whole valve as well as the spring to the beam to allow access to the main bolt holding the rear beam in place.

[corradophil 3]

Hmmm, definately a different design to mine, the valve is well clear of the bolt, the bracket attached to the rear beam which the spring hooks on to has a large hole to allow the bolt to pass through it! Is yours a VR6?

[Rpmayne 0]

Yer. Probably confusing myself but sure the valve had to come off of mine. This was the point I gave up and took it down the garage for them to do. They had to remove it... with a hack saw. :roll:

[Dixxy 0]

Thanks for your comments Phil. I need to replace rear disks and pads so i guess this is a good time to do the lot.

 

I can see this is gonna be an emotional experience!!!!

[Dixxy 0]

Well you guys were right!!! why use allen key bolts i'll never know but the valve has to come off and the bolts aren't moving. Can anyone tell me if the valve have tread in it or do the bolts pass straight through and tighten into the braket. If theres no thread how about this....

 

Get my little dremal gridding tool out and remove the allen key heads... remove all the brake pipes... slide the valve off... undo the remainder of the bolts with some grips... then when its back together replace them with sensible bolts.

 

What says you!!!!!!!

[corradophil 3]

Unfortunately I cannot offer much advise because I didn't need to touch the regulator on mine, but are you using Allen tools with a ratchet, or normal 'L@ shape Allen keys? If you don't have the tools mentioned, go and get a set.

 

Obviously make sure the heads of the bolts are cleaned inside the hexagonal hole. If there is room hammer the tool in to the head of the bolt with a ball pain (dunno how you spell that :lol: ) hammer before un-doing them. It is supprising what several hard hits on the head of a bolt will do.

 

If you round the hexagons you can try hammering a slightly large torx bit into the head.

[corradophil 3]

This is what you need, from http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/pro ... Bit%20Sets at £14!!!

[Dixxy 0]

Thanks phil, Got all the right tools. I'm slightly obstructed by the exhaust for hammer blows. Also the bolt heads are quite shallow and i'm sure if i start applying more force they will go round.

 

Everything else if loose so i'm ready to drop the beam, just gotta get this valve out of the way. :mad:

[Henny 0]

Dixxy, get a spline drive tool (like an allen key, but with 20 splines around the outside) Soak the bolts in some "plus gas" (like WD40 on steroids) and then hammer the spline drive in if it rounds out with an allen key... ;) They're the same one as is used on driveshaft to gearbox bolts IIRC... 8)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You guys changing your own rear beam bushes, you are remembering to knock them in 8mm proud of the inboard side aren't you?

[Dixxy 0]

Kev, 8MM proud??? Something i've missed1 explain if you would mate. Also so any idea if the rear compensator has an internal thread?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The bush length is longer than the beam hole they sit in. They need to be pressed or knocked in so that when the bush comes out the other end, it's 8mm proud of the beam, precisely. Any more or less and the rear beam alignment will be off and one wheel will stick out further than the other.

 

Rear compensator - VR6 compensators need to come off the beam completely, and they usually always sieze on and need cutting off with an air saw. Add £75 to the bill for a new compensator.

 

8V/G60/16V compensators aren't actually bolted to the rear beam IIRC, so you just unhook the tensioning spring and off you go.

[Dixxy 0]

kev, am i right in thinking to get the compensator off its just two allen key bolts holding the compensator onto a braket? if so where do you cut the braket/compensator off? (surely in doing so you'd mess it up to fit a new one?) if the bolts come out i'm not goona need a new compensator am i? if the compensator doesn't have an internal thread, and is just bolted into the braket, could i grind away the bolt head and remove the compensator. This would leave me just having to replace the bolts @ £0.50 each.

 

hope the above points/questions make sense

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yep, two allen bolts that go through the compensator and thread into the bracket. The bolts in questions are soft and have a shallow head. I guarantee they will round off the moment the allen key goes anywhere near them. If they don't, post them to me and I'll eat them!

 

Yep, if they do come out, then no you don't need a new compensator.....assuming you can release the brake lines from it aswell!

 

This is why you need to have a new one on standby and yes, you cut through the compensator, not the bracket. It's only alloy and cut through easily enough.

[corradophil 3]

Kev, yep mine went in with exactly the same protrusion as the originals. I did one at a time so I always had the other one to compare it too as well. Sounds like for once I should be glad I bought a valver instead of a VR6, cos this compensator sounds like a pain.

[Dixxy 0]

Phil, you soon change your mind if you owned a vr6 if only for the sound.

 

Kev thanks for the help i'll be sure to post my bolts to you, i've heard they fry up nice with some gear box oil. I take it eating corrado parts helped you along the way to the ripe old age of 195. Thanks again

[corradophil 3]

Dixxy, yeah I know they sound lovely, I do wish mine was a VR, although mine is not very far off in performance.

 

Good luck with getting it sorted :wink: