[Steering & Suspension] Rear Suspension Rebuilders?

[smutts]

Finally, after the last three years of denial,
my rear beam has had it.


So who do you recommend for exchange rebuilt axles?

AB Axles of Chard are no more.
Are IM Axles any good? £265 + courier charges.

Any helpful suggestions gratefully received.

[jtr rhyl]

Finally, after the last three years of denial,
my rear beam has had it.


So who do you recommend for exchange rebuilt axles?

AB Axles of Chard are no more.
Are IM Axles any good? £265 + courier charges.

Any helpful suggestions gratefully received.

Following this as may have to have it done, maybe a upgrade as Mobility chair goes in to my 2013 Multispace, when its lifting in, the suspension must drop 4 inch.

[geoff]

Don’t the 2013 models have a different rear suspension to the M59 ??? Maybe wrong of course !

[Kieron G]

I recommend I M axles. I fitted 2 of theirs in other types of car and friend just fitted one in his M49. All good experiences.
I think I'll be doing this job soon.
There are 2 bolts which thread up into captive nuts inside floor section, these can easily break away inside which involves cutting a hole in floor to access them ( happened to friend).
My plan is to somehow soak these with freeing oil weeks before I attempt the job.

[Romahomepete]

Don’t the 2013 models have a different rear suspension to the M59 ??? Maybe wrong of course !

Yes, the B9 has gone back to coil springs, you can still fit spring assisters though.  MAD springs and Grayston Engineering are 2 companies that manufacture spring assisters  (additional coil springs not the donut things that caravanners use)

Peter

[smutts]

Thank you for the input, gone for the IM axle route.
Now trying to work out where to drill a couple of oiling holes in the floor for the captive nuts.
Had one break it's welds in a VW Golf subframe, a right sod to sort out.
New square rubbers ordered, so won't be the end of the world if the present ones get oil on them.
Wish me luck for the weekend.

[smutts]

A heads up for anyone doing this.

That axle torsion bar subframe assembly is bloody heavy.

I'm a tenor, now temporarily a contralto.

Just had a good row with the missus about leaving the delivered one on the lawn till the weekend.

I should have said "You just put it where you like, love!"

Just reading the courier label, it says 51kg, is that all? I'm getting old.

[smutts]

Rear hub nut size is 40mm for drum braked hub.
Damper nuts are 24mm.
The damper bolt is a 14mm recessed hex socket,
The six bolts that hold the subframe on are Torx 50,
BUT, the rear two hide under two 10mm diameter drilled holes through the subframe,
therefore nearly all T50 tools won't fit.
I had a decent chrome vanadium torx key set, with the long side of the key long enough to reach.
The key has a smooth round shank of 9mm diameter, which only just fits through the sub frame hole.
Then all you need is something to turn the short end of the key.

You tube videos, the hub pulls off easily, in one whole piece by hand; nope, it does not.
Other you tube videos show how to reassemble the disintegrated mess back together after you have used a hub puller. 
YMMV.

To recap, oiling the six torx bolts (Torx 50's) is a good idea. 
Jack up the rear onto decent axle stands.
get two 2.5m lengths of 2"x4" timber, lay these under the car in a "V" with the point of the "V" where the tow hook would be.
Open the doors and suspend the ends of the timber by tying a few loops of rope around each "B" posts. Bit like a red indian travois.
Now by raising & lowering the tow hook ends of the timber with some timber packers you can take the weight of the subframe.
By a combination of lowering and sliding out to the rear, you can easily remove, the subframe. 
Like the Haynes book of lies, replacement is the opposite of removal.


With care, both  brake back plates can be loosened, and suspended and counter balanced off one another, by a rope through the rear windows, or over the roof if a van, then fully remove the bolts, the rope preventing the backplates from straining the brake pipes.
Then there is no need to disturb the hydraulics.

Anyway, I've probably rambled on too long, but hope it might be of use.

It's an easy job really, except when it isn't.

[smutts]

 Oh, by the way, you will need the weight of the car on it's wheels to fit the dampers.
If like me, you have refitted the exhaust silencer & spare wheel?
Swear loudly and copiously when you find these will foul the damper bolts.

There is a bit of play around the captive nuts, so you might need to loosen & kick the frame around a bit if you find the car doesn't drive in a straight line.

If you have sailed a boat or driven a fork lift, you will get the idea which way to kick it once partially jacked on the tow hook, with the six torx 50's loosened.

Drives lovely now.

[smutts]

Also not a trace of rust anywhere.

Why do people buy Ford Transit Connects?