removing rear beam

[C.P 0]

going to do this soon as pretty much everything on my beam needs replaced including the super slack mounting bushes!

 

first question (probably of a few) before i start, where is the best/most solid place to rest the car on axle stands?

 

:multi:

[h5lrw 0]

Someone else may have a better suggestion but in the past with MK2's i've always used stands on the jacking points at the rear when tampering with the beam "in the field."

[C.P 0]

well i was thinking about that, but they're quite a small surface area so i thought it might b a bit unstable. Could be wrong though was it stable enough for you? only reason i'm worried about it being a bit unstable is that the car will be sitting in the street whilst the beams off and knowing the folk round here it could be 'shoved' a bit and i don't want it falling on its arse... :eek:

[h5lrw 0]

I used 4 and it felt fine.

 

Hats off to you for working in the street mate :notworthy:

[boost monkey 0]

Feel free to look at my resto thread - i'm finishing my rear beam replacement as we speak.

 

I wouldn't ever use 4 axle stands, leave two wheels down on the ground and use 2 axle stands. I guess 4 stands is ok if you're just storing it but IMHO very dodgy for working underneath.

 

Also, some local authoritues get well funny about working on cars on the road especially something as major as rear axle removal! One of my neighbours got told off by the police for washing his car on the street! :cuckoo:

[h5lrw 0]

In my opinion I'd rather use 4 than 2 but its whatever you feel safest with.

 

We've always used 4 stands in the garage to keep the cars of the deck so they don't flat-spot the tyres. When swapping diff's engines etc they have always been as safe as houses and don't move an inch.

 

Having just said that and at risk of repeating myself its whatever you feel safest with that counts.

 

I never would've considered the legal side of immobilising a vehicle on the street. one of the MK2 Champ boys built his racer in a car park! I never would've even considered that but he beat the odds.

[Jim 1]

Rear jacking points should be sound unless the car has structural integrity issues!

[C.P 0]

right, i'll use the rear jacking points. :thumbleft:

No bother from the police round here, they drive past all the time when i'm working on the car, even done a whole engine conversion on the street. As long as it's taxed they don't care.

[davidwort 0]

It's pretty heavy, don't get pinned underneath it on your own, I did the axle bushes with the beam off the car and used a full hoist to get the car in the air to get at everything, I really don't envy you doing it on axle stands. I can see it's do-able that way though. I used brake hose clamps to stop the fluid all draining out, which will probably get frowned upon, but didn't do any harm.

[Jim 1]

Did the rear beam down in a forum 'get together' a year or two ago down at 2cc's place.. he did most of the work under the car with it only on axle stands and he didn't sound like he was having a particularly great time.. very cramped and awkward and getting brake fluid in his face! But it is certainly do-able just using axle stands - just prepare to swear and possibly injure yourself a lot :)

[C.P 0]

oh i'm ready for war! lol i've heard from alot of people it's not going to be fun at all, so i think i'm prepared for the worst. Most folk say getting the old axle bushes out is the hardest part.

[Jim 1]

We ended up using a power drill to drill out my mummified rubber bits of the bush then very carefully sawed out the metal collars that were left in... didn't take too long to be fair :)

[stevej 0]

did mine with the rear up on axle stands. It was not particuarily easy doing it all on lying on the ground. just be prepared for the predictable need to replace most of the solid brake pipes as separating them from the flexis may be a nightmare if they aint been done in a while...... enjoy :)