replacing rear beam bushes on axle stands?

[dentillozie]

I recently bought some whiteline rear beam bushes as the car is still on the original ones and i figured they could use a change.

Im wondering how (im)possible it is to change them on axle stands without taking out the whole rear beam... Leaving brakelines and stuff in place.
Is there a hidden guide on how to replace them. I have found lots of info on here but it seems like most of them are with the beam taken out.

All tips and tricks are welcome

Thanks!

 

[Krarl]

Easy enough

The trickiest bit is getting the old bushes out, drill them, then hacksaw the outer race to take some of the pressure off then knock them out, knock the new bushes in

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

No idea, but it's something I'm thinking about. So interested to see what everyone else says.

 

[dentillozie]

Easy enough

The trickiest bit is getting the old bushes out, drill them, then hacksaw the outer race to take some of the pressure off then knock them out, knock the new bushes in

alright, thats giving me some hope! Am i wrong in saying the best way to approach it is by taking out the springs and keep the beam hanging on the shocks?

 

[Krarl]

alright, thats giving me some hope! Am i wrong in saying the best way to approach it is by taking out the springs and keep the beam hanging on the shocks?

Aye mate but I just drop the shocks and leave a jack under the beam so you can lower and lift it/pull/push it slightly

You can get a fair bit of movement without even stressing a brake line or ABS sensor

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

Do you have to lower the fuel tank to get access? Some of the bolts look tricky to get to.

 

[Krarl]

Do you have to lower the fuel tank to get access? Some of the bolts look tricky to get to.

Nope

 

[Djw John]

Nope

Youwot?

Go on then, do you drop the whole mounts and pray the captives don't spin?

Cos f**k that I'll always drop the tank and then just remove the bolts through the bushes themselves. So much easier.

 

[Krarl]

Youwot?

Go on then, do you drop the whole mounts and pray the captives don't spin?

Cos f**k that I'll always drop the tank and then just remove the bolts through the bushes themselves. So much easier.

Clean the threads on the rear beam mount bolts, spray em with WD, then get in the back seat, stick some molegrips on the round head and caged nut and use a windy gun to nail em off. I've never had an issue with any clio I've stripped or done this with. I've done well over 15 rear beams

 

[Djw John]

Aye done that way before too but that one time it fails is a world of pain.
Unless it's a breaker which thankfully it was 😂

 

[Krarl]

Aye I usually just lift the full shell off the floor, windy gun the nuts halfway and chop the bolts and let the beam drop. Only had to ever do that once on a car from Scotland which looked like it had spent it's life in a canal 😂

Any other time you can get a hold on the heads easily enough

 

[Amos91]

I just lower the fuel tank slightly. Only 4 bolts and then no need to faff with the beam mounts.

 

[dentillozie]

Cleaned all the bolts on the mounts and the bushs with a small wirebrush and soaked them all in WD-40. Lets hope they play along tomorrow

 

[Djw John]

Aye I usually just lift the full shell off the floor, windy gun the nuts halfway and chop the bolts and let the beam drop. Only had to ever do that once on a car from Scotland which looked like it had spent it's life in a canal 😂

Any other time you can get a hold on the heads easily enough

Almost all the cars I work on in Scotland are in Scotland. The rust life is real.

 

[dentillozie]

Finally had an hour to do some work. car on stands and springs are out. Shocks loosely attached again.

 

[Martin_172]

I removed the beam to do mine and changing the bushes was a doddle, I can't imagine it's fun doing it on the deck with the beam still under the car

 

[JamesBryan]

I've done mine and a mates on stands with the beam still on the car.

Used one of those threaded rod pullers though so it made it a whole lot easier.

 

[Louis]

@bloke Did mine. Said they were one of the easiest he had done as all bolts came out fine and then he just chucked a strap around it to hold it still on the car.

 

[dentillozie]

Beam mounts are lose! 5 of the 6 bolts went super smooth. Until the last one...
2hours and an angle grinder later it was out.

Any recommendations on what type of bolt that can be used to replace these with?

 

[Krarl]

Any recommendations on what type of bolt that can be used to replace these with?

A long one😂

 

[DomP182]

Beam mounts are lose! 5 of the 6 bolts went super smooth. Until the last one...
2hours and an angle grinder later it was out.
View attachment 1516527

Any recommendations on what type of bolt that can be used to replace these with?

I used high tensile m10 capheads with a washer to spread the load and a washer and nyloc on the underside

120mm from memory

 

[JamesBryan]

Measure the length of one that you have removed, as Dom says they're 110-120mm M10 from memory.

 

[DomP182]

Unless you're a bolt pervert dont waste your money on genuine Renault bolts, I priced them and the nuts up at something like £65!

kayfast on ebay I got the capheads etc for circa £15

 

[haimsey]

@Tomotek did a list in his project thread for all the bolts. This is something I want to do on my car so happy to know I could do it without removing the whole lot

 

[dentillozie]

I used high tensile m10 capheads with a washer to spread the load and a washer and nyloc on the underside

120mm from memory

Measure the length of one that you have removed, as Dom says they're 110-120mm M10 from memory.

Unless you're a bolt pervert dont waste your money on genuine Renault bolts, I priced them and the nuts up at something like £65!

kayfast on ebay I got the capheads etc for circa £15

Cool thanks! I guess grade 10.9 should be fine?

@Tomotek did a list in his project thread for all the bolts. This is something I want to do on my car so happy to know I could do it without removing the whole lot

Yeah its not that bad of a job! I find it to be easier then doing the wishbones. atleast so far. I still have to get the original bushings out and get rid of the sleeves

 

[JamesBryan]

10.9 is the same as oem yeah.

 

[dentillozie]

Unless you're a bolt pervert dont waste your money on genuine Renault bolts, I priced them and the nuts up at something like £65!

kayfast on ebay I got the capheads etc for circa £15

does anyone have a link to some good known bolts? i cant seem to find any with enough thread on them... thanks!

 

[DomP182]

does anyone have a link to some good known bolts? i cant seem to find any with enough thread on them... thanks!

M10 (10mm) CAP HEAD ALLEN SOCKET SCREWS HIGH TENSILE 12.9 ZINC PLATED BOLTS | eBay

M10 Cap Head Bolts. M10 socket cap screws. M5,M6,M8,M10 A2. High Tensile Grade 12.9. High tensile grade 12.9 steel. Bright Zinc Plated. Head height 10mm. Bright zinc plated.

www.ebay.co.uk

Those are the exact ones I bought

 

[npt]

Just be sure to use the correct grade nuts and washers also, stick to a good known supplier also

 

[dentillozie]

M10 (10mm) CAP HEAD ALLEN SOCKET SCREWS HIGH TENSILE 12.9 ZINC PLATED BOLTS | eBay

M10 Cap Head Bolts. M10 socket cap screws. M5,M6,M8,M10 A2. High Tensile Grade 12.9. High tensile grade 12.9 steel. Bright Zinc Plated. Head height 10mm. Bright zinc plated.

www.ebay.co.uk

Those are the exact ones I bought

Thanks for the link, bought some. Shipping to Belgium was as much as the bolts but atleast they should be good.

 

[Krarl]

Wait what😂 Just get any old bolt and bash it in there ffs😂😂

 

[dentillozie]

Wait what😂 Just get any old bolt and bash it in there ffs😂😂

I know, i know, haha. The only bolt i found in the hardwarestore that are long enough and have enough thread on them are only grade 8.8... they probability are fine but im a wus and i don't trust them for some reason 😂

 

[haimsey]

There will be plenty of suppliers in the UK. Don't know where you are in the country but we always used BAPP (West Yorkshire) if they didn't have it they'd get it.

 

[Krarl]

You should have said they weren't in the UK I know about 5 fasteners suppliers that could have got you some😂

 

[haimsey]

Hang on I've got the wrong end of the stick. The OP is in Belgium, not the bolts. My apologies (feel dumb now! Haha)

 

[Krarl]

Ohhhhhhhh

Makes more sense😂😂😂😂😂

 

[Robbie Corbett]

You can lower the tank to get access to the bolt and leave beam brackets in place. I just undid the rear tank bolts and dropped the tank by an inch or so.

I would personally just have the beam out - if they are the OEM brake hoses and lines I would put money on them being basically done by now too. I used the threaded rod and cup puller set you get on eBay, it removed the bushes quickly (no cutting or burning required lol) and got the new ones in. With the beam out the car its a 20min job with the set.

Doing it on stands you might even need to undo brake lines anyway to get the front end of the beam low enough for tools/pullers so at that point you may as well have just spent the 10mins removing the beam

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Also accuscrew are easy to deal with and have a massive next day selection. Not the cheapest but still half the price of eBay

 

[DomP182]

I had rust creeping under the beam mounts so well worth whipping them off

 

[dentillozie]

To be honest, its not that bad of a job to do on the ground. Sure taking the beam out would be easier but if you dont want to undo you brakelines and stuff its possible.

Getting the bushes out was easy enough with some taps with a hammer, no burning or cutting needed. i guess mine were done...

The sleeves on the other hand... get youself some proper tools if you want to takle this but doing with a hacksaw and a chisel also worked.

New bushes in. Still waiting for the new bolts...

Just remember to undo this bracket where the the brakelines pass through. Otherwise you will not be able to lower the beam far enough.

sorry for all the pictures and the long post but I guess this couldbe usefull for others trying to do the same.