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Author Topic: Mk1 rear beam.  (Read 784 times)

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Offline dumma

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Mk1 rear beam.
« on: July 16, 2012, 01:32:35 pm »
So i have the oppertunity to seam weld my freshly blasted spare rear beam. It's mainly just because i can and have always wanted to do one.
Any thoughts before i do tho? Bad idea?
Cheers.

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Offline RobT

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2012, 09:08:51 am »
I dont believe I have ever read a good explaination of exactly how one of these beams really work - so have always been quite hesitant to modify one to any great extent - mk1 looks very flimsey compared to mk2 though so probably a good idea to beef it up
2008 Audi A6 2.0TDI S-Line
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1996 Seat Ibiza 16V F1.5 Race car

Offline dumma

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2012, 12:35:51 pm »
That's all the encouragement i needed. Hopefully pics later.

Offline Stooza

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2012, 05:40:29 pm »
Guys on the forums i know that have done this have been pleased with the results of doing this mod.. let us know how it turns out matey :)
Mk2 2.0 16v GTi (built for track day fun)
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1970 1915cc type 1 beetle (rebuild on hold)

Offline Tim Moll

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2012, 06:59:40 pm »
I know when the Carvells were racing Mk1s they welded a plate along the whole length of the 'T' section of the beam to triangulate it as well as fitting an uprated ARB.....I have an email from Ian somewhere I believe detailing what they did......if I can find it I will post the content on here  ;)

Offline JMR

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2012, 10:42:46 pm »
There is a way the beam can be braced with tubular rods in like an "A" frame style. Our man Tony Barber has set up like it...he'll be along at some point.

Offline dumma

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2012, 10:46:25 am »
If you can find that email Tim it would be fantastic!
Finished welding it (for now at least) this morning- it looks good if nothing else!

Offline dumma

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2012, 09:55:13 pm »








Happy days. A-frame mods on the next one ;)

Offline Stooza

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2012, 11:28:05 pm »
Tidy welding  :)
Mk2 2.0 16v GTi (built for track day fun)
Mk3 16v GTi (standard)
1970 1915cc type 1 beetle (rebuild on hold)

Offline JMR

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2012, 11:53:55 pm »
Very nice Adam. . 8)

Offline dumma

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2012, 08:52:55 pm »
Inspiration for the next one






Offline RobT

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #11 on: July 30, 2012, 08:36:25 am »
My issue with mods like this is the weight that it adds to an already very heavy component. And lets just think about what its doing.....if its to stop toe changes under load, the arms of the beam flexing inwards, why does it need the towers? Beetle cup cars have the braces, but no towers.

Maybe the towers are to enable negative camber to be forced into the beam?

Folks copy what was done on works rally cars but I dont think we understand why......

Ibiza 'works' kitcars didn't have the braces - instead they boxed the outside of the beam in the area where the wheel rim would nearly rub
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1996 Seat Ibiza 16V F1.5 Race car

Offline Tonyb

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2012, 06:14:18 pm »
Rob has a point here. I approached the problem in a slightly different way and used the 'towers' to change the ride height as well as spacing the wheels out and keeping the toe angle stable. At the same time I added a slightly different type of ARB that I could disconnect if I wanted to, for say wet conditions. I also wanted to make sure the ARB could turn easily so what happened on one side transposed to the other side as soon as it happened and at the same magnitude (just seemed that it should be that way).
 


Here is a pic showing the detail of the fabrication. The thing that stands out for me is that it is probably better to fabricate a totally bespoke tubular beam that would be lighter and stiffer that the std beam. Having used it and fitted the heaviest tubular roll bar I could I reckon it's too soft (tubes are stiffer that solid as far as I am aware). I have a further upgrade to fit that will also give even more adjustability, but have not got round to fabricating it yet. Will update when I have.

 

Offline RobT

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2012, 08:37:27 pm »
Hi Tony
I like what you have done here, its smarter than the towers idea, but do you think it needs the towers at all? Why not just brace the beam across the corner with plates?
Given the number of golfs racing the world over, i am suprised there isnt a really nice lightweight fabbed rear beam available. I ve never seen one.....anyone else?
Rob
2008 Audi A6 2.0TDI S-Line
2004 Audi A4 Avant 1.8T Quattro S-Line
1996 Seat Ibiza 16V F1.5 Race car

Offline dumma

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Re: Mk1 rear beam.
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2012, 10:01:17 pm »
Great work there tony. Loving the 'towered' version in the background - a previous effort?  ;)

 

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