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.
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!!
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?
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....
I guess the backplate measurement is from the mounting face for the stub axles yes? I have 2 MK1 beams in my garage I can measure for extra confirmation? I'd measure my 90spec MK2 but it has all kinds of gubbins in the way, when I eventually get round to putting on the eibach rear I'll drop it down off the shocks and get a tape measure across it
right! so its only usefull if i can get a measurement right up to the back of the stub axles, probably not gonna be doiable unless i strip the beam i guess?