Torsion bar replacement

[kelvsere]

These dont last very long , has anyone had any experience replacing with springs or upgraded the bar ?

[Alan_M]

These dont last very long , has anyone had any experience replacing with springs or upgraded the bar ?

Torsion bars are fine and will last. You sure you're not getting mixed with the rear beam? The bearings inside the tube tend to give up over time requiring a rebuild and if left/ignored for too long you'll a new shafts and maybe a new tube. Not particularly difficult job, just long winded with rusty bar splines etc.

Cheapest upgrade is the Xsara VTS beam, bigger bars as standard and I think a slightly different toe/camber on the arms (not sure on that one though).

[bashbarnard]

I was gonna say torsion bars will last life of car. The trailing arm bearing wont though

[kelvsere]

Ah ok , i wasnt sure what it was , i see a lot of 306's where the rear wheels have some serious camber , is this from the " bearings inside the tube"

[Alan_M]

Ah ok , i wasnt sure what it was , i see a lot of 306's where the rear wheels have some serious camber , is this from the " bearings inside the tube"

Pretty much. The outer seals give up as they get old (or being disturbed from getting lowered), letting water in to the needle roller bearings destroying them. As I said, if left for too long the shafts get damaged requiring a new set (they need to be pressed into the arm) and if really bad, you'll need a replacement tube.

[kelvsere]

Ah ok , it i worth replacing the seals before they go then , how hard is this task ?

[pug306driver]

as above, and also, is there a way of providing a grease nipple for easy regular servicing??

[Alan_M]

Ah ok , it i worth replacing the seals before they go then , how hard is this task ?

To replace the seals, the arms/TBs/ARB have to be removed from the beam tube. And, if you're going this far to replace the seals you may as well fit new bearings too. There is a guide kicking about on here.

as above, and also, is there a way of providing a grease nipple for easy regular servicing??

Best way to service them is to strip them down every so often, depending on mileage. Now that 205 beam tubes are getting thin on the ground, us 205 owners are getting used to stripping the beams down every couple of years. If the beam has been put together well with plenty of grease, pulling them to pieces is a doodle.

It's the initial rebuild that's a pain in the arse with seized end plates and Torsion bars, usually requiring a hydraulic press.

[Piggy]

grease nipples are not a bad idea...wish they had fitted them from factory...could have saved a lot!

[bashbarnard]

People have had varying success with grease nipples. Ive heard good and bad things. By all means try it. I thought about it but for what it takes to pull the arm off and grease its not worth it in my opinion

[Piggy]

it would take, what, 20/30seconds to get a grease gun out and pump a bit in every 6months....maybe a minute.

I took my bars out the other day, they have been removed before and really well greased up, took me a good hour. that was just the bars, not the arms! Plus wacking out the arms reg wont do much for the bearings too

[miles]

They do nothing at all, the bearings are sealed so you just pump grease into the tube, Had a couple like this and yes they do come apart but it does not stop wear or the tube going oval

[Piggy]

bearings arent sealed dude, well not sealed beyond a drill, tap, and a grease nipple. I have seen a few done, or found them more to be honest

[pug306driver]

so, after having looked ( several times now ) at the r/axle strip and overhaul thread in the guides section, I still don't know exactly how the $%£" the "trailing arms" are stopped from coming out of the tube assembly when cornering etc. as well as when the unit is stripped??? but that's a later bag of sweets.............

I presume if a hole was drilled and tapped in the axle "tube" ( hollow apart from the arm bearings and arms themselves ) to accept a nipple, say in the larger dia middle section at about 12 o clock ( so its still ok to jack the rear of the car up for servicing etc.......) and no swarf was left inside the tube ( so it don't enter the needle roller bearings ) , on fitting the nipple and pumping away ( yes lots of grease needed to do this but you get the idea ) the grease will gently make its way past the needles and final out ( or traces of the grease ) via the outer seals??

maybe better to fit 2 nipples, one each side in the smaller dia tube section, midway tween the bearings for that side, and ditto.......

what does the plastic cover on the arm swing centre line?? cover please?? the hex drive one?? is this a good place for a nipple??

seen grease nipples on the old mini's and metro, seen these swing arm bearing *&^%$£ cos the arm was full of water, but if full of grease then no water can get in.........

[bashbarnard]

The plastic cover goes directly onto the antiroll bar. Its solid you wont get any grease in that bit.

[j77hrn]

Mine is seriously cambered on one side. A guy reckoned it's fubar and the bearing will be gone and the actual arm will be damaged...recon just getting another rear beam and rebuilding it would be better?

[bashbarnard]

Get another beam. Rebuild it then stick it on is the best bet