Puglet 205 Crap Rear Beam

[spike60]

I should be off to see an un MOT'd 205 today would like a heads up on the rear suspension, I gather they're prone to seizing etc.

Wheels pointing the right way, move up and down and no play when I get hold of the wheel. Owt else? Previous limited to one I got given which had door frame and block cracks but I like the design, this one isn't free tho.

[jonathan_dyane]

The rear beam starts to make creaking noises as the bearings seize and collapse. I would imagine most secondhand beams are just as fucked these days and repair is difficult and expensive...

[spike60]

The rear beam starts to make creaking noises as the bearings seize and collapse. I would imagine most secondhand beams are just as fucked these days and repair is difficult and expensive...

Saw £400 exchange delivered last night, worst case scenario. I usually do everthig cept paint so paying someone to press bushes in or whatever not good.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Yes I think a complete exchange beam is the only way to go, by the time they start leaning in, the tube is almost certainly ruined and no bearing replacement will fix that.

Other than that (and potential head gasket failure), the 205/ 106/ 306 are WINNERS. 

[spike60]

Thanks for the thoughts boys, looking like a tea time viewing. If it goes any further you can expect happy collection thread followed by unhappy disaster thread. It's a 1.9 and failed on emissions last year.

[Jon]

Here's what my wife's 1.9 GTi's rear beam looked like, when it had issues:

 

 

It's not that noticeable really in the pics and was just as subtle in the metal. However, creaking and clonking from the rear suspension in motion (and even at times when just rocking forwards and backwards) and a crashy ride were signs from ours that all was not well. I solved the issue by buying a donor 1.6 GTi for general parts, which had been rebuilt/overhauled (and chavved quite badly also, i.e. resprayed orange, air scoop on bonnet, etc.) at quite an expense, before the previous owner stuffed it in to a car in front with third party only insurance.

 

Anyway, I managed to cope OK with removal of the old one (made easier by tipping the shell on its side) and replacing with the other and I'm certainly no pro spanner monkey. If you can undo bolts, you should cope OK. I wrote about it at the time, here: http://autoshite.com/topic/7520-my-new-zealand-shite-french-fiddling/page-4

[Jon]

Oh yeah, and our 205 now sits higher at the rear, now - there's a noticeable increase in the gap between the tyre and top of the arch.

[KruJoe]

Check you can get your hand over the top of the back wheel and poke your fingers down behind the tyre, from memory there should be about an inch of clearance. (A GTI on 15's like Jon's might run a bit tighter?)

A worn beam reduces this gap. Peer in at the area above to see if there's any sign of rubbing when the car's loaded over bumps.

 

Wor Will should be back on the scene here shortly, he just rebuilt his 205 rear beam.

[HillmanImp]

I was once told to put the handbrake on and try and drive off slowly to see if the back goes up and down smoothly when I was looking at my mates one several years ago.