Need Moral Support - Contemplating Rear Trailing Arms (gulp)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,280
Likes: 0
From: colorado springs CO
Re: Need Moral Support - Contemplating Rear Trailing Arms (74jack)
doesnt matter if shims are stuck or not...
melt em away...
it can all be done in 5 minutes easy..
thats how long it took me..
yes my shims were rusted stuck also (on 1 side)
and if you are just interested in replacing the bushing with a poly one, then u dont even have to disconnect the half shaft!!!
disconnect the spring, put a jack under the arm (by back end) and after u melt everything away, pull it out a bit...
then melt away the side of the washer like i did in my pick (no i didnt damage the arm)... and yank it out..
put new poly in... no pressing required!!
and all the time your doing this you should be making beavis and butthead sounds...
fire fire fiiiire fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiireeee :mad :mad :reddevil :reddevil
people might think your crazy....
but thats ok.
:rolleyes:
melt em away...
it can all be done in 5 minutes easy..
thats how long it took me..
yes my shims were rusted stuck also (on 1 side)
and if you are just interested in replacing the bushing with a poly one, then u dont even have to disconnect the half shaft!!!
disconnect the spring, put a jack under the arm (by back end) and after u melt everything away, pull it out a bit...
then melt away the side of the washer like i did in my pick (no i didnt damage the arm)... and yank it out..
put new poly in... no pressing required!!
and all the time your doing this you should be making beavis and butthead sounds...
fire fire fiiiire fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiireeee :mad :mad :reddevil :reddevil
people might think your crazy....
but thats ok.
:rolleyes:
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Re: Need Moral Support - Contemplating Rear Trailing Arms (daily_driver)
My car had the non slotted shims that were rusted beyond belief, I spent about 4 hours with a sawzall and barely made any progress. I finally got P.O'd and lit the torch. With a torch in one hand and a spray bottle in the other to cool the fiberglass the arm dropped out in about 5 min, and this was cutting through the shims on both sides of the arm!
There are some pics on my website
There are some pics on my website
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 18,478
Likes: 3
From: Quincy IL
Re: Need Moral Support - Contemplating Rear Trailing Arms (Xracer)
lucky,lucky I am.everytime i read a post like this,i realize how lucky i was 5 yrs ago,at 83,0000 miles to reach in and unbolt the bolts & nuts,replace with poly bushings,clean up and REUSE the same bolts & nuts,they were in great shape.the shims on the other hand were junk
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 29,077
Likes: 0
From: Deep East Texas
Re: Need Moral Support - Contemplating Rear Trailing Arms (74jack)
...Once everything is out of car, sitting in a pile of metal shavings, how hard is it to get them back in after their rebuilt? I can barely get a wrench on the bolt now, it must be difficult pushing that bolt back on through the bushings & arm.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 10,866
Likes: 717
From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
Re: Need Moral Support - Contemplating Rear Trailing Arms (Mack76)
Just remove both trailing arms from the 69 last night. Took a total of 3 hours for me working alone. All of the "stuff" had been apart before. I'm taking the trailing arms out to be rebuilt. You can also use a hand held die grinder with a cross cut bit to cut the shims and bolt. I'm a dentist, so a drill is a natural for me. If you encounter a lot of rust, use a die grinder to literally grind the shims away. Then you can use the die grinder to cut/section the bolt, and pull it out in pieces. Be careful with a cutting torch. You can melt the frame...I've seen that done...several times. Then, you have to try to repair the bolt hole in the frame. Chuck
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,201
Likes: 0
From: Clifton Park NY
Re: Need Moral Support - Contemplating Rear Trailing Arms (Mack76)
...Once everything is out of car, sitting in a pile of metal shavings, how hard is it to get them back in after their rebuilt? I can barely get a wrench on the bolt now, it must be difficult pushing that bolt back on through the bushings & arm.
Tie a small wire thru the cotter pin hole in the end of the bolt... Pull the bolt thru the mount, using the wire... Nothin' to it.
Tie a small wire thru the cotter pin hole in the end of the bolt... Pull the bolt thru the mount, using the wire... Nothin' to it.
-Pedro
