Are those trailing arm salvageable?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 140
From: Kanuckistan
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Are those trailing arm salvageable?
Note: this is a copy of a post I made on my restoration frame. Since the issue is important to me and this is potentially a subject in it own I dare making a individual re-post of it.
Here's the TA I pulled from my vette (half of it has been treated by electrolysis).
Turns out the rust have done a fair amount of damage to them.
A loft of seams have swelled badly.
Here, all the welding point vanished, leaving a hefty gap that goes all the way thru
Some more swelling
I'm facing a dilemma, I planned installing johnny joints and having the arms welded properly (point weld, no thanks). Do you think those are salvageable of I should I start off with better used arms?
Did I told you I'm on a budget? a tight one.
I'm having the same thoughts about my spindle flange, I could clean them, but they are so pitted I'm wondering if they still have the same structural integrity.
Let me know what you think, did someone repaired TAs in such state?
Here's the TA I pulled from my vette (half of it has been treated by electrolysis).
Turns out the rust have done a fair amount of damage to them.
A loft of seams have swelled badly.
Here, all the welding point vanished, leaving a hefty gap that goes all the way thru
Some more swelling
I'm facing a dilemma, I planned installing johnny joints and having the arms welded properly (point weld, no thanks). Do you think those are salvageable of I should I start off with better used arms?
Did I told you I'm on a budget? a tight one.
I'm having the same thoughts about my spindle flange, I could clean them, but they are so pitted I'm wondering if they still have the same structural integrity.
Let me know what you think, did someone repaired TAs in such state?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Europe , Luxembourg
Hi
The seams don't look that bad. All the weldings are still intact. I saw worse where the welds already started cracking due to corrosion under the seams and the car still drove and probably still does.
Of course is a new pair of arms better, but probably not required.
Rgds. Günther
The seams don't look that bad. All the weldings are still intact. I saw worse where the welds already started cracking due to corrosion under the seams and the car still drove and probably still does.
Of course is a new pair of arms better, but probably not required.
Rgds. Günther
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 576
Likes: 3
From: Muskegon MI
We've got new trailing arms, and I would definitely recommend it. My mechanics won't re-use trailing arms when the seams are starting to go, and you definitely have some problems. It might be worth buying a pair of reman arms already built and kiss a big part of the core goodbye. Come to think of it, I might even have a decent pair of used arms sitting around if you're interested.
Andrew
800-442-0335
Andrew
800-442-0335
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
John
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,062
Likes: 103
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
In my opinion those don't look bad at all. I would bead blast/sand blast or scrub the **** out of them to clean them up and then re-weld the seams up. When done with that just paint them with your paint of choice. They will be good as new with a little work as long as there is no major rust which from the pics I did not see. 
Good luck
Good luck
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 140
From: Kanuckistan
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Thanks everyone for your inputs.
As pointed out by some, sure the TAs have rusted, but mainly at the seams, when dirt get stuck.The metal is still thick and strong.
So I think I'm gonna take the restoration path.
I know new TA would be a good thing, I appreciate your security concerns,
But want the shark back on the road by the spring, it's a short time, and if I start buying what I could restore I'm gonna suck my budget dry and postpone even further.
As pointed out by some, sure the TAs have rusted, but mainly at the seams, when dirt get stuck.The metal is still thick and strong.
So I think I'm gonna take the restoration path.
I know new TA would be a good thing, I appreciate your security concerns,
But want the shark back on the road by the spring, it's a short time, and if I start buying what I could restore I'm gonna suck my budget dry and postpone even further.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 4
From: Concord Calif
Why did you even ask?! Seems you already made your mind up before posting! Those arms should be replaced for safety of you and everyone around that car! But I think I would be even more afraid of the rest of the car that those arms came from!! I understand not having the money to do it right, BUT if you can not do it right and safe sell it to some one who can and buy your self a safer car to Begin with!!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Media blast them clean, then take them to a welding shop and have them 'beef-up' those chitty welded seams. It will only cost you $20 bucks, or so, and it might save you a lot of grief.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Those trailing arms weren't welded together very well when they were brand new! A good welder will be able fix those up better than new. He (or she!!) can even grind the welds down and make 'em look pretty, but it's gonna cost more than 20 bucks! Use a reputable welder, don't let your brother-in-law who just bought a welder practice on 'em!
Scott
You just lost the game!!!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 140
From: Kanuckistan
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Wow, so much heat for a long-dead thread.
My bad I should have closed the subject with a final update:
I did contact a couple of professional welders. Since you can't weld on rust, they needed to be blasted.
Cost of Blasting+welding, I was way beyond the price of good used, even shipped to Canada.
So I bought a pair from a forum member.
Since the game have changed, I now have access to a blasting booth and a MIG for beer money (thank Michel!).
So I used that welder time to put some Johnny Joint move the cable bracket.
I'm keeping the old ones as playground for wilder mods.....
My bad I should have closed the subject with a final update:
I did contact a couple of professional welders. Since you can't weld on rust, they needed to be blasted.
Cost of Blasting+welding, I was way beyond the price of good used, even shipped to Canada.
So I bought a pair from a forum member.
Since the game have changed, I now have access to a blasting booth and a MIG for beer money (thank Michel!).
So I used that welder time to put some Johnny Joint move the cable bracket.
I'm keeping the old ones as playground for wilder mods.....
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 850
Likes: 36
From: Providence RI
Look nice!
Just a slight tangent: why Johnny-joints for the trailing-arm pivot? I know they're used for links off-roading where you want maximum articulation and resistance to deflection. I would think the only motion you want in the trailing-arm pivot is in the vertical plane, with *resistance* to motion in any other plane?
Just a slight tangent: why Johnny-joints for the trailing-arm pivot? I know they're used for links off-roading where you want maximum articulation and resistance to deflection. I would think the only motion you want in the trailing-arm pivot is in the vertical plane, with *resistance* to motion in any other plane?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,148
Likes: 5
From: South Dakota
If you take them to a welder to have them welded up, a good welder will tell you if the metal is too fatigued or too rusty to reuse. My welder wouldn't even have to know what they were and he would give me that much information. He wouldn't even weld up crappy metal.