Trailing Arm install questions
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 5
From: Hasbrouck Heights NJ
Trailing Arm install questions
Just got my TA's back from Bair's, looks real good. The frame bolts were not as bad as I thought they would be, fingers just long enough to get the started. The TA's are in abd half shafts bolted up (had Bairs re-do them while I was at it and got all new hardware). Few questions:
1. Any tricks for getting the control arm in place for the lower shock mount? Concerned about buggering up the threads on the new bolt.
2. Ever hear of TA's being bent for alignment? Bair's told me that was the case with mine and I needed new TA's.
3. With new "un-bent" TA's I don't see putting the shims back in the same location doing much. Any tricks to get the shims close for re-install?
4. How tight should the shims be? Getting out the old ones was a real bear, should they be that tight?
FYI, pics of the old and new TA's:
Old, bent, looks like 3/4" from straight line:
New TA, similar measure looks like 1". A bit difficult to measure the new one with everything assembled, hopefully you can see the difference.
1. Any tricks for getting the control arm in place for the lower shock mount? Concerned about buggering up the threads on the new bolt.
2. Ever hear of TA's being bent for alignment? Bair's told me that was the case with mine and I needed new TA's.
3. With new "un-bent" TA's I don't see putting the shims back in the same location doing much. Any tricks to get the shims close for re-install?
4. How tight should the shims be? Getting out the old ones was a real bear, should they be that tight?
FYI, pics of the old and new TA's:
Old, bent, looks like 3/4" from straight line:
New TA, similar measure looks like 1". A bit difficult to measure the new one with everything assembled, hopefully you can see the difference.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
1. Any tricks for getting the control arm in place for the lower shock mount? Concerned about buggering up the threads on the new bolt.
3. With new "un-bent" TA's I don't see putting the shims back in the same location doing much. Any tricks to get the shims close for re-install?
4. How tight should the shims be? Getting out the old ones was a real bear, should they be that tight?
3. You can eyeball the approximate shim stack to drive it to the alignment shop; take extra shims with you, 'cuz they won't have any.
4. For the final toe adjustment on the alignment rack, the shim pack must be TIGHT, with a thick one driven in last. The pivot bolt will NOT compress the walls of the frame together against the shims - note the thick steel reinforcement welded to the frame in that area.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 8,638
Likes: 151
From: Raleigh NC
Here's a pic of the way we did it, to John's #1 response:
Once we got it jacked up and close to in place, you can just slide the jack towards the front of the car and slide the front of the TA into place.
Once we got it jacked up and close to in place, you can just slide the jack towards the front of the car and slide the front of the TA into place.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 5
From: Hasbrouck Heights NJ
Should the control arm be real tight? I had to wack it with a BFH to get it out. Seems like it will be pretty difficult to get it lined up correctly.
