Rear crossmember question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 879
From: Saratoga Springs NY
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Rear crossmember question
Ok, i am building my '88 from the ground up. Most of the cast alum pieces for the suspension we have been glass beading, then clear coating. Now when we did the rear crossmember,we removed those 2 weights on either side to paint them also (the ones held in with a single torkx screw). WHAT DO THESE DO??? My buddy after a few beers said that maybe they are there in case of a bushing failure in the crossmember , so that the spring (cause its tryin to push up) wont cause it to push up into the car..Is he correct? It makes sense to me, cause for the life of me i cant think of any other reason they are there.
The next question is concerning those bushings for the crossmember. A friend pressed out the bushings and i have new poly ones. Prob is i think he might have left a shell in there. The inside diameter of the crossmember is measured at 50mm, and the OD of the new bushings is 54mm. Because the member was glass beaded and cleared, we cant tell if indeed its a shell from the old bushing still in place. 4mm is a hell of a difference, press fit or not..
Anybody been down this road please give your 2cents- i cant sleep untill i get this done!!!!! Thanks all....
The next question is concerning those bushings for the crossmember. A friend pressed out the bushings and i have new poly ones. Prob is i think he might have left a shell in there. The inside diameter of the crossmember is measured at 50mm, and the OD of the new bushings is 54mm. Because the member was glass beaded and cleared, we cant tell if indeed its a shell from the old bushing still in place. 4mm is a hell of a difference, press fit or not..
Anybody been down this road please give your 2cents- i cant sleep untill i get this done!!!!! Thanks all....
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 590
Likes: 0
From: Boynton Beach, FL
Originally Posted by FostersPerformance
Ok, i am building my '88 from the ground up. Most of the cast alum pieces for the suspension we have been glass beading, then clear coating. Now when we did the rear crossmember,we removed those 2 weights on either side to paint them also (the ones held in with a single torkx screw). WHAT DO THESE DO??? My buddy after a few beers said that maybe they are there in case of a bushing failure in the crossmember , so that the spring (cause its tryin to push up) wont cause it to push up into the car..Is he correct? It makes sense to me, cause for the life of me i cant think of any other reason they are there.
The next question is concerning those bushings for the crossmember. A friend pressed out the bushings and i have new poly ones. Prob is i think he might have left a shell in there. The inside diameter of the crossmember is measured at 50mm, and the OD of the new bushings is 54mm. Because the member was glass beaded and cleared, we cant tell if indeed its a shell from the old bushing still in place. 4mm is a hell of a difference, press fit or not..
Anybody been down this road please give your 2cents- i cant sleep untill i get this done!!!!! Thanks all....
The next question is concerning those bushings for the crossmember. A friend pressed out the bushings and i have new poly ones. Prob is i think he might have left a shell in there. The inside diameter of the crossmember is measured at 50mm, and the OD of the new bushings is 54mm. Because the member was glass beaded and cleared, we cant tell if indeed its a shell from the old bushing still in place. 4mm is a hell of a difference, press fit or not..
Anybody been down this road please give your 2cents- i cant sleep untill i get this done!!!!! Thanks all....
Larry
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 879
From: Saratoga Springs NY
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
We did try the magnet, but it is not steel. Anyone know if the shells themselves are aluminum also?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 879
From: Saratoga Springs NY
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Also, what would happen if they were not there??? The weights i mean...
Last edited by FostersPerformance; Sep 1, 2006 at 05:58 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 879
From: Saratoga Springs NY
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Yes they were shells, and we got them out. Oh, what fun.......Was able to fix the crossmember also. The bolt was completly seized, (for the 'harmonic balancers') and after a few more 'slight' mistakes, we finally just drilled the crossmember out to 1/2 inch, made a threaded plug on the lathe,knurled it, and pressed it into the crossmember. That was about a 3 day fun-fest right there......It worked though!!!
If i was a doctor, id be out golfing right now......
If i was a doctor, id be out golfing right now......
