How much to remove rear trailing arms?
Guest
Posts: n/a
How much to remove rear trailing arms?
The rear end alignment on my 79 is quite a bit off and the shims to help align it are completely rusted into the pocket and to the bolt, the whole thing seems to be pretty far gone.
At one point (before the car was handed off to me) me and my brother were going to try to remove them ourselves but it ended pretty bad and we got nowhere, we couldn't even get the shock mount out (long story)
I'm wondering if anyone has paid for a shop to take out their trailing arms so they wouldn't have to deal with the pain of cutting the bolt out and trying to take it all out?
Any estimates?
I plan to call around here Chicago but I want to see what other people have paid so I could compare and maybe bargain.
At one point (before the car was handed off to me) me and my brother were going to try to remove them ourselves but it ended pretty bad and we got nowhere, we couldn't even get the shock mount out (long story)
I'm wondering if anyone has paid for a shop to take out their trailing arms so they wouldn't have to deal with the pain of cutting the bolt out and trying to take it all out?
Any estimates?
I plan to call around here Chicago but I want to see what other people have paid so I could compare and maybe bargain.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 10,643
Likes: 8
From: Foxfield CO 1970 Convertible
I did mine myself so I had no experience. It took a long time but I wasn't rushing either.
I'd ask if they were experienced at removing them. If so, 4 hours should be a good estimate to cut them out carefully IMO.
I'd ask if they were experienced at removing them. If so, 4 hours should be a good estimate to cut them out carefully IMO.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,353
Likes: 654
From: Tampa, Florida
Leave the shock mount on. Remove the the strut rod from the center mount and remove the trailing arm with it still connected. Cut the frame mounting bolt with a sawzall.
For mine I heated the metal where the shock mount goes in with a maap gas torch and beat it out with a big hammer. It destroys the bushing and shock mount.
For mine I heated the metal where the shock mount goes in with a maap gas torch and beat it out with a big hammer. It destroys the bushing and shock mount.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 518
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From: Oldsmar FL
I just replaced mine on my '79 myself...my shims were completely rusted also...I soaked them with PB blaster for a couple of days and they came out rather easy...I took my time but it can be a time comsuming job and my guess would be a shop would charge a fairly high amount to replace them for you..
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
From: Warrenville IL
I had my car reviewed when I bought it. It needed a whole new rear end, etc. The estimate for pulling and replacing the spring, shocks, and trailing arms was 14 hours of labor plus parts. I did it myself and would consider that to be a low estimate for a rebuild since they were going to rip out the tailing arms and toss them since they were so bad. I think for a rip and replace job it should have been more like 20 hours. Pull and repair should take longer as you can't just turn around and put the new ones up once the old ones are off.
This won't be cheap. You could do it at a Corvette shop. There are several here in Chicagoland. If you don't go to a specialty place, they will be expensive, I would find a hot rod place or a small father/son shop that has been around long enough they have seen a few of these. Especially for the alignment.
To get the shock mount off, thread something over the end and beat it with a BFH (hammer). The vendors sell a tool or somebody the DB or Batman can tell you the specs for a piece of NTP pipe cap. That way you don't mess up the threads. Those shock strut mounts are like $45 from the vendors. Since I'm done with this I'd sell you the tool I bought from the vendors. If you want it PM me.
This won't be cheap. You could do it at a Corvette shop. There are several here in Chicagoland. If you don't go to a specialty place, they will be expensive, I would find a hot rod place or a small father/son shop that has been around long enough they have seen a few of these. Especially for the alignment.
To get the shock mount off, thread something over the end and beat it with a BFH (hammer). The vendors sell a tool or somebody the DB or Batman can tell you the specs for a piece of NTP pipe cap. That way you don't mess up the threads. Those shock strut mounts are like $45 from the vendors. Since I'm done with this I'd sell you the tool I bought from the vendors. If you want it PM me.
Last edited by wjsullivan; Feb 23, 2008 at 09:50 AM.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Thanks for the advice
What happned was my brother who owned the car at the time decided to just cut the strut bar in the middle after we couldn't get it out using a rrrreeaalllyyy big hammer for a couple of days, and after that we just took it to a shop and told them to put in new strut rods and get the old ones so we could at least drive it for the summer, so I don't think getting those out will be too hard because they're brand new.
What worries me is that the guys at the shop where we installed the strut bars said that they wouldn't even think of touching the rear trailing arm bolt for no amount of money, although they weren't a corvette shop that was still very discouraging.
The way the shims look it seems as if I would have to cut through the shims all the way down to the bolt because those things would not budge.
Also, after the trailing arm bolt is cut, is everything else just a piece of cake and comes out fairly easily?
I guess I just don't want to get started and halfway through realize that there's no way I can finish and have a half disassembled car.
What happned was my brother who owned the car at the time decided to just cut the strut bar in the middle after we couldn't get it out using a rrrreeaalllyyy big hammer for a couple of days, and after that we just took it to a shop and told them to put in new strut rods and get the old ones so we could at least drive it for the summer, so I don't think getting those out will be too hard because they're brand new.
What worries me is that the guys at the shop where we installed the strut bars said that they wouldn't even think of touching the rear trailing arm bolt for no amount of money, although they weren't a corvette shop that was still very discouraging.
The way the shims look it seems as if I would have to cut through the shims all the way down to the bolt because those things would not budge.
Also, after the trailing arm bolt is cut, is everything else just a piece of cake and comes out fairly easily?
I guess I just don't want to get started and halfway through realize that there's no way I can finish and have a half disassembled car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,360
Likes: 429
From: Seattle Area WA
Use a sawzal and cut them out in less than 2 hours. There was a huge thread in the C2 section last year. The poor guy got soaked for something like $900 to remove a trailing arm bolt because the shop didn't know to cut them out. Just kept charging him $90/hour until they got it free.
Bottom line, its not that hard.
Bottom line, its not that hard.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 10,643
Likes: 8
From: Foxfield CO 1970 Convertible
Use a sawzal and cut them out in less than 2 hours. There was a huge thread in the C2 section last year. The poor guy got soaked for something like $900 to remove a trailing arm bolt because the shop didn't know to cut them out. Just kept charging him $90/hour until they got it free.
Bottom line, its not that hard.
Bottom line, its not that hard.
The whole idea is to cut the old ones out - right through the shims. It's not even worth it to try to remove the old ones intact because they'll be shot anyway...
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Michael S. Palmer
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Oldsmar FL
I just replaced mine, the shims were completely rusted, I soaked them with PB blaster for a couple of days. I took the shims out first with typical type pry bar. I then took off the nut, used a punch to knock the bolt out, but it got stuck half way. Couldn't budge it any further, must have stewed for a good hour trying different things. I finally found a 1/4" bolt about 4" long that fit in the hole perfectly. Gave it a few hard blows with the hammer/punch and had the TA bolt out in no time. Went to the other side and got that TA bolt out in about 2 minutes flat.
I have a 4 post lift which made this job a little easier for me. Getting the new TA's on is also a b____ of a job. Almost need a helper to hold your TA's in place while the other feeds the bolt in. Again it was easier because of my lift. I would recommend you find a friend who has one you can use.
I have a 4 post lift which made this job a little easier for me. Getting the new TA's on is also a b____ of a job. Almost need a helper to hold your TA's in place while the other feeds the bolt in. Again it was easier because of my lift. I would recommend you find a friend who has one you can use.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,084
Likes: 8
From: Illinois
Just removed my shocks, struts, and TA's Everything was not to bad except for the trailing arms. After a week of beating on them and soaking with kroil--went out a bought a recriprical saw and went through 5 blades. Sent them to Gary to be rebuilt.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Thanks for all the advice, I decided I'm just going to take them out myself next week over spring break.
Where did people cut the bolt? theres shims and space to cut on both sides of the trailing arm, do I cut the inner or outer?
What happens once its cut through? Does everything just slide out/fall apart? wouldn't the remaining shims get in the way (if i don't manage to get them off and just cut straight through)?
Where did people cut the bolt? theres shims and space to cut on both sides of the trailing arm, do I cut the inner or outer?
What happens once its cut through? Does everything just slide out/fall apart? wouldn't the remaining shims get in the way (if i don't manage to get them off and just cut straight through)?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,353
Likes: 654
From: Tampa, Florida
When I was over at VanSteel I asked Dan how they did it. He said, "I use an oxy-acetylene torch and cut them."
Cut 'em. If you dont own a Sawzall most of your local tool rental will have them and the prices are very reasonable.
Cut 'em. If you dont own a Sawzall most of your local tool rental will have them and the prices are very reasonable.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 57
From: Mundelein Illinois
The rear end alignment on my 79 is quite a bit off and the shims to help align it are completely rusted into the pocket and to the bolt, the whole thing seems to be pretty far gone.
At one point (before the car was handed off to me) me and my brother were going to try to remove them ourselves but it ended pretty bad and we got nowhere, we couldn't even get the shock mount out (long story)
I'm wondering if anyone has paid for a shop to take out their trailing arms so they wouldn't have to deal with the pain of cutting the bolt out and trying to take it all out?
Any estimates?
I plan to call around here Chicago but I want to see what other people have paid so I could compare and maybe bargain.
At one point (before the car was handed off to me) me and my brother were going to try to remove them ourselves but it ended pretty bad and we got nowhere, we couldn't even get the shock mount out (long story)
I'm wondering if anyone has paid for a shop to take out their trailing arms so they wouldn't have to deal with the pain of cutting the bolt out and trying to take it all out?
Any estimates?
I plan to call around here Chicago but I want to see what other people have paid so I could compare and maybe bargain.
If you by 355 and Ogden ave. The Chevrolet dealer is a big corvette service department and reasonable. They work on 55 to new. They did some very nice work on my brother in laws 61 and it was a messed up car. Where are u located?
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 57
From: Mundelein Illinois
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
Use a sawzal and cut them out in less than 2 hours. There was a huge thread in the C2 section last year. The poor guy got soaked for something like $900 to remove a trailing arm bolt because the shop didn't know to cut them out. Just kept charging him $90/hour until they got it free.
Bottom line, its not that hard.
Bottom line, its not that hard.
Looks like you have a plan but want to throw my .02 to this. I tried most all the non-torch efforts stated. In the end, I bought a quality sawzall and resolved the problems, literally in a few minutes. Ok, about 20 per side. My strut rods had been bent-by-bubba for tow hooks to grab. I wasn't planning to reuse so I cut them too. The original bolt was frozen on either side of front TA bushing and I cut both sides, slicing between shims. Felt so good to finally clear the chassis and didn't bugger the mount holes in the kickup part of frame. Being patient and letting the tool do the work, I didn't break any blades either.
Check it out.
