xsara rear beam repair

[citroenxm]

hi.. has anyone or does anyone know what sort of a job is the trailing arm repair like on xsara rear beam suspension?? are they anything like xantia/bx jobs or easyer or harder..? is it easyer to swap the whole lot??

ive a mk.1 xsara with drums and abs and the off side is rubbing the inner arch!!

cheers

[CitroJim]

Hi Paul,

My first advice is to run away from it and my second piece is to go to a scrappy and see if you can find a better beam there.

Fact is that the beams are notoriously hard to fix. By the time the wheel is scraping the arch it's likely the arm bearings have collapsed and damaged (ovalised) the beam tube - effectively writing it off.

The bearings are needle rollers and when they go, through lack of lubrication and water ingress, they dig into the trailing arm shaft putting scores, divots and marks on it and the trailing arm shaft itself makes direct contact with the beam tube and wears it oval.

Just getting the axle apart is a 'mare. Often things are so corroded that a sledge-hammer is needed to drive the arms out of the torsion bar spring splines. All that only to find the beam tube is damaged anyway. If you used the old trailing arms with marked shafts then even if the beam tube is good the new bearings will last no time at all as the damaged trailing arm shafts will soon see them off.

Disc and drum beams are not interchangeable due to different stub axles. Those however can be pressed out (using the right gear) and transferred to other trailing arms.

All bits are available as this is a common 205 problem and they do go to great extents to rebuild theirs. The cost is hideous though.

As I said, a breaker is best. Look for a good one and if you feel inclined, refurbish a basically sound one. I believe the beams from 306s and ZXs should be OK in a Xsara. 205 ones are not.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...

[citroenxm]

thats not bad news really.. im a fitter really. not a fixer.. im more then happy to swap a whole beam.. its only a case of hand brake cables off.. brake lines removed.. abs plugs unplugged.. unbolt remove refit.. my kinda thing....

okay.. beam search time... bit of a pea off really.. ive a drum beam but non abs in the shed from a 306... typical.

so 306 beams are the same as xsaras?? i know 205 ones arent.. they are narrower.

cheers jim..

[citronut]

pm sent Paul

regards malcolm

[citroenxm]

Ahh bugger Thanks for the thought Malc, that beam is a NON ABS Beam, Ill be needing an ABS equipt beam...

[Lighty]

This is the place you want, there recon axles are superb

http://www.imaxle.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[citroenxm]

F N Hell.... 390 quid for a refurb... Can get a whole CAR for a tenner more.

Unfortunally, my hands are tied for cost.. and the budget is VERY low. Thanks for the pointer...