Rear axle, back plate to back plate dimensions

Been meaning to get this thread going for a while, just to help people staring at used axles, hoping they're straight.

So if you've got an axle in the garage, go and measure it up.

** These are measurements from beams with no stub axles on - just bare mounting face to bare mounting face **

There's one Mk1 Golf axle out there, plus many varieties of Mk2/3/Corrado/Passat axles about.

Generally if dimensions differ, you can be sure there's something not at all right.

Should also be an interesting way of finding out those super wide 4-stud Mk3 axles, without roll bars in them - various uses, show cars, track cars etc.

Will put up my Mk1 dimensions later.

Don't worry if you're not sure whether an axle is straight - bang the stats up, and all will become clear. Make sure you mention what it's off

All dimensions must exclude drums or stub axles ie from bare backplate to bare backplate.

I'll keep a running list of dimensions in this first post for all:

Model	Year	Suppl data	Sources
Mk1 / Mk1 & 2 Scirocco	1974-1992	1295.5mm, 1292mm, 1290mm	?, danster, Mike_H (late Scirocco)
Mk2 Golf	Driver, drum brakes	1340mm	Bushy B
Mk2	pre-'90-spec	1357mm	smudge
Mk2	'90-spec	1357mm, 1340mm	Trev16v & Bushy B
Mk3	non-GTI, 4-stud	1363mm	vodeforpedro
Mk3	GTI, 5 stud	1358mm	ryanp
Mk3	GTI 8v, R-reg, 5 stud	1358mm	danster
Mk3	VR, 5 stud	1353mm	RobT
Mk3	Golf/Vento 4-stud up to 7.93	1376mm	rubjonny/ELSAwin
Mk3	Golf/Vento 4-stud 8.93 onwards	1358mm	rubjonny/ELSAwin
Mk3	Golf/Vento 5-stud	1358mm	rubjonny/ELSAwin implied statement
Mk3	Golf CL 4-stud "L"-reg	1376mm	turbotommy
Corrado	'89 16V	1340mm	strimmer
Passat	1Z TDI,1995, 4 stud with drums	1344mm	Chris Eyre
Polo / Seat Ibiza	Mk4	1325mm	turbotommy
Seat toledo	1996/7, 4 stud with drums	1344mm	turbotommy

A scene source came across a narrowed Mk2 axle, which one of the selection above not sure, but it was around 1295mm.

 

1353mm across flanges (thanks to RobT for measuring)

 

Only just spotted this.... I've got a few measurements for various Mk2/3 Golfs and Passat rear beams kicking around at home that I got when I was looking for a new rear beam for mine. I'll dig them out and post them up.

Got one of them on my Mk2 at the moment! I'll dig some pics out of how I converted and stiffened it up, if you're interested in that too?

 

Dimensions would be great, so keep them coming. Axle conversion write up is all good - separate thread I guess?

 

very interested in a possible wide track set up for the rear on the mk1 now i'm running the berg cup kit!

 

Sure - hope these ^^ measurement references help for that (wide tracking for another thread!).

Bump - as a reminder to anyone stood in the garage, looking at an axle with a measuring tape on the bench!

 

Hi, Golf MK2 GTi Pre 90 spec is 1357mm. The rear beam is different on 90 spec - it is a little more beefy, dont know if the width changes, i don't think it does.

 

Rear beam from a Golf MK2 16V genuine 1990 specification: Bang on 1357mm. (Thanks to Chris Eyre for the PM).

Gents, hopefully not too OT but the beam I have measured is one that came off my 16V and I totally believe it to be straight. The only reason I replaced it was because I had a second rear beam that I got powder coated. Now with the powder coated beam fitted, I appear to have very slight, and equal, negative camber at the back wheels. I cannot remember what sort of camber, if any, it'd originally had. Someone please assure me that they have a bit of negative camber as standard, assuming standard suspension and so on?

 

Thanks Trev - that's the same as pre-90 I have above from smudge's post.

Any thoughts on the thread that's up on beam diffs for 90-spec?

Yes, they do.

I wrote -1 40', +/- 20' into the Mk2 Golf Championship regs.

vrbanana sent this info through whilst I was writing them which shows later beams had less (but there was no point in catering for this in the regs, hence -1 40', +/- 20' ):

 

Hmm, cant seem to PM you and Trev, Chris, so ill post the message here..

thought id pose this to you guys.. the car when i bought it had slight accident damage, this was to the drivers rear arch, but, visually notihng is pushed in, and measured, nothing is different on either side, strut to arch etc all seem to sit pretty much exact, but the drivers side wheel sits closer to the arch, 5mm-10mm at least, i forget the definate measurement now.

i cant work out why this would be, im going to take measure of it and see what this returns, wether its slightly bent or not, but the fact its closer on the arch that took a knock, iswhat evades me. ill have to get pics as well, is there any way the bushes when changed were done wrong, or the beam was remounted incorrect, beneath the car, the U brackets that the beam hangs in as they are tapered?

appreciate any advice, cheers guys

Matt

p.s. this arose when trying to fit et25 15x7 wheels. its the same seating with the standard steels also, and now with the new ATS rims i have, so its not a spacer left hanging over, all bearings all round are new, everything sin correct, its even a new tub axle that side to try and fix it, the old one was bent, but it jsut left the wheel in its original position..

im at a complete loss and its really pi**ing me off!!

 

Oh and my new beam, GTI one, measures 1340 plate to plate :/ so now I'm really confused

 

Matt - first post I'll move out of this thread once you've seen it.

Could be bodywork, could be that the new axle isn't straight, since there is fore-aft adjustment on the mounting bolts. Shouldn't affect side to side that much though.

 

Mk3 Golf 4 stud CL/GL etc:

1362mm.

Apparently it's the longest.

Are you talking from the outside of the backplate (where the stub axle bolts on) to the outside of the other backplate?

 

Yes - cheers for the info.

 

Face to face for a "Driver" rear beam with drum brakes - 1340mm
Face to face for Gti beam installed in it's place with discs - 1340mm.
Apparently came from an "H" plate Gti

 

Some interesting numbers coming out here - compares with 1357mm from Trev16v, 1360 in post 1 and 1340mm from mattneck....

 

It's from a beam with no stub axles on it - just bare mounting face to bare mounting face.

 

That's right - strip them if you can, otherwise no worries