How to keep my beam from moving in rail frame clamps?

[wildwestrider]

It looks like my front axle beam is moving back and forth in the frame to axle/beam clamps on my sand rail. I considering wrapping bicycle or motorcycle inner tube around the beam at the clamping locations. Any other suggestions?

Brian in Cedar Park

[BrianB]

Tack weld just on the outside edge of both clamps. You should also look to see what your real problem is. Maybe you need new clamps. Five bucks from Steve-O on the Aircoolers site I would imagine.

[wildwestrider]

Tack weld just on the outside edge of both clamps. You should also look to see what your real problem is. Maybe you need new clamps. Five bucks from Steve-O on the Aircoolers site I would imagine.

I just ordered some parts from Steve 30 minutes ago. I'll ask him. They were welded by previous owner (s)....The clamps broke free of the weld....,.....but doesnt look like there was any penetration of the weld into the clamps.....

[txdunebuggy101]

I'm no vw genius, or just genius for that matter,but i agree with brianB, you need to figure out the root cause of your problem. If you off road a lot, maybe it broke loose. If its a street rail, u definitly got a problem. Weak or mis-shaped clamps? Bolts worked a little loose? Frame twisted a lil maybe? I would play CSI cause i would want to be sure a new $5 clamp shell is Gonna keep me on the straight and narrow. JMO and good luck.
Just thought about my rail and wondered if i would run into that problem. What about welding a small tab next to frame half of clamp. Drill a hole and weld a nut. Center the beam, clamp it, then dimple the beam through the nut with slightly smaller drill bit. Install set scew with loc-tite and forget about it.... like a locating pin?

[Bryan Porter]

I have owned a bunch of rails and even raced off road and never had this problem just tighten the heck out of them.
You may have a problem maybe the wrong size clamp or some thing like that.

[wildwestrider]

I have owned a bunch of rails and even raced off road and never had this problem just tighten the heck out of them.
You may have a problem maybe the wrong size clamp or some thing like that.

I pulled the clamps,...cleaned and painted them, got new nuts, bolts, washers, and wrapped a single layer of auto inner tube around them,..and tightened the heck out of them. Seems rock solid now.

[Bryan Porter]

loose the rubber just bolt it steel on steel.

[txdunebuggy101]

X2. ... rubber will fall apart after time and at the worst possible moment. Steel on steel only.... safer IMO