Hi I am about to replace my front beam with an adjustable one my question is do i go for a new one from Creative Engineering or a rust free original with adjusters from Type 2 Detectives. Jimbo
i have a creative one and have been happy with it when i added up the cost of a second hand one having adjusters fitted, new bearings and painting there was not much in it
I've had a creative weedeater two on my bay since 2008, done thousands of miles all across europe and never had an issue with it, great bit of kit. (I did trim the bottom of the side plates down to give me a little more ground clearance).
Sorry @jimbo4861, just seen your post. If you ever want the option of returning to stock height I would go for a original beam with adjusters as you have some degree of adjustment where you set the adjusters. If not then go with the CE beams as they are good but you cannot run back at stock height ( I think they advise this?) I replaced my beam last year with an alternative manufacture and I had a few issues with it which had to be overcome (long story) and ended up manufacturing my own modified gear link rod to use the full range on the adjusters.
Was yours from GSF - I notice they advertise theirs as: "Top quality standard width adjustable axle beam made to the highest standards. The best reproduction axle beam available for Bay window vans 68 to 79 and for either RHD or LHD!" Yet you can't run it at standard height and stock gear linkage which does make me wonder - basically to me that makes it sound like it does not fit.
I've got no need for a new front beam, but for some reason I've got it in my head that I need a 4" narrowed French Slammer with adjusters and drop spindles; and need to drop my bus on its arse. All because I think it looks cool. I must need my head looking at. Seriously though, check them out the set up looks decent.
Cool air had em I think? Can't be r'sd to check waiting for tesco Black Friday to start so I can get the wife a new Hoover for Christmas
That's the one I've just been looking at, as GSF have a huge sale on this weekend. I really don't know much about adjustable beams but does it look good? I know to avoid things like fuel hoses from GSF but is their quality of parts like this ok? I haven't got long to do research if I want to get it in this sale, so any advice is most welcome. http://www.gsfcarparts.com/421vg0090 It actually says it won't fit my vehicle even though it's for any bay 69-79.
My beam was one from JK, which I bought late December last year but didn't fit til February/March time this year. It was the first time I had replaced one and bought a fully adjustable beam thinking I could run at stock and then lower later on but as it turned out the adjustment is from low to very low. It does state this in the small print but was too late for me. Nothing wrong with the quality of the beam but with hindsight I would have either gone with a stock one with adjusters fitted locally or a CE beam as they already had addressed some of the issues I had. Looking at the GSF they look appear to be same picture as the CE beam - which if you could get 30% of this weekend would be bargain! I posted the reply for @jimbo4861 so not to make the same mistake I had done.
Just checked the GSF website and put in the Code NOVE35 and the beam was discounted!!! Absolute bargain but none in stock locally.
I was looking as one can't ignore 35% off (nove35 works on the GSF website - go on VeeWee to find the part, then on GSF enter your vehicle details and then the part number from veewee in the search box, and you can find the part and order it on gsf with that code) - went back to my beam and double checked it, mine hasn't holed so I won't replace it now. My only observation is this - any replacement part that stops you using standard fitment, and/or stops you using standard other parts (like a gear linkage) does not fit - that is the definition. It does not fit. Which makes claims of it being the best repro available a bit of a mockery - and given where the gearlinkage goes, makes me wonder about what its blocking it - if it's a beam, what does that say about how it places the rest of the suspension geometry. The fact that it may be really good and you have to modify other standard parts is of course the answer - but again, it's quality must be questioned simply because 10.s of thousands of original ones do fit.
Thanks for advice guys i am not sure about the quality of GSF parts tbh not heard many positives. The Creative beam seems loads better and the guys there seem to know there stuff
Yep, I completely see your point about there being a reason why it doesn't fit and you can't run it stock height, when most other beams, you can. Thank you for your point of view, I'll have to have a think about it now.
For the record - I find a lot of the GSF stuff to be really good - am just mystified how you take a stock beam, copy it, and end up with a top quality item that doesn't fit is all.
It does seem odd that they've managed that. I just telephoned them to ask if they do a narrowed beam, and they don't. So I asked if they knew why they were made with the rubbing issue and he didn't know, but he did say they haven't had any problems with people returning them and that they are really good quality. But then I guess he would say that. But it's good to hear you find their parts to be really good.
I've looked at the GSF photo of the beam and it has a CE logo in it so I would assume that is what they are selling and would be worth asking them. If not it is blatant copying as the description is the same as CE's! I have thought about changing mine at this price but I'm 95% sure I've got over my problems now and was just checking to see if the discount code worked. As @Moons has said that standard parts should be fit for purpose and the standard beams available are, but the adjustable one will/may require some modification which they cover in the description or clause when buying it. To be honest I was naive when I bought mine and could not return it as didnt realise the issue until I'd fitted it and also small print mentioned 'one off' items being non returnable. I learnt the hard way and was just making @jimbo4861 aware.
