Trailing Arm Hell
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,239
Likes: 19
From: Chino CA
Now everything is back together. She's cruising down the road again.
I put the trailing arm bolts back in by attaching fishing line to the bolt and pulling the bolt through. WHAT A TIP THAT WAS! Now the "hell" is long gone but the memory remains. The payoff was worth the pain.
The trailing arms were rebuilt by tracdogg2 to perfection. The car handles like a dream. I had the rear alignment set this week. Putting anti-seize on the shims helped the technician get the newly installed shims out for readjustment.
Now it's on to the front suspension. I've purchased all Moog replacement parts. Let the "hell" begin...
I put the trailing arm bolts back in by attaching fishing line to the bolt and pulling the bolt through. WHAT A TIP THAT WAS! Now the "hell" is long gone but the memory remains. The payoff was worth the pain.
The trailing arms were rebuilt by tracdogg2 to perfection. The car handles like a dream. I had the rear alignment set this week. Putting anti-seize on the shims helped the technician get the newly installed shims out for readjustment.
Now it's on to the front suspension. I've purchased all Moog replacement parts. Let the "hell" begin...
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,698
Likes: 270
From: New York
Geeez, let see know….You may want to consider
Replacing those rubber bushings at the front of the control arm with steel
Replace all emergency brake shoes and springs with stainless steel.
Replace those rubber brake hoses with braided steel lines
Swap from regular shims to stainless steel.
New grade 8 bolts all around
Of course you want the arm to look pretty, so get all the rust off and paint it.
New bearings???
What am I forgetting before re-assembly???
Remember, they come apart real easy the second time around.
Replacing those rubber bushings at the front of the control arm with steel
Replace all emergency brake shoes and springs with stainless steel.
Replace those rubber brake hoses with braided steel lines
Swap from regular shims to stainless steel.
New grade 8 bolts all around
Of course you want the arm to look pretty, so get all the rust off and paint it.
New bearings???
What am I forgetting before re-assembly???
Remember, they come apart real easy the second time around.
Last edited by cottoneg; Sep 13, 2012 at 12:26 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,341
Likes: 101
In-spite of the condition of the thin metal shims and completely rotted rubber bushings ......... the arms and pocketed area where they bolted in were really in remarkably good condition after near 30 years.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 20
From: Kingston Ontario
Two important points, remove as many shims as you can and don't run the sawzall at full blast, it'll burn the blade out fast, half speed maybe. Those blades aren't cheap here. Rusty parts will kill a blade fast.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,873
Likes: 27
From: Sonora CA
I guess I must be pretty fortunate. I just finished a complete, rear suspension rebuild. This also included removing the differential for overhaul too. Actually I had no chioce, seeings how I broke a side yoke. Anyway everything came out, and went back in just fine. And all this while lying on my back.
FYI & BTW....... When you put everything back together, you do know that you have to orient the rotor to the to the spindle hub........ right?
FYI & BTW....... When you put everything back together, you do know that you have to orient the rotor to the to the spindle hub........ right?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 975
Likes: 108
From: Phoenix, AZ
I guess I must be pretty fortunate. I just finished a complete, rear suspension rebuild. This also included removing the differential for overhaul too. Actually I had no chioce, seeings how I broke a side yoke. Anyway everything came out, and went back in just fine. And all this while lying on my back.
FYI & BTW....... When you put everything back together, you do know that you have to orient the rotor to the to the spindle hub........ right?
FYI & BTW....... When you put everything back together, you do know that you have to orient the rotor to the to the spindle hub........ right?
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,714
Likes: 42
From: Austin Texas
Removing the TA's is much easier if you use a elongated nut,the kind of nut that is used when you want to connect 2 lengths of threaded rod together, then screw two bolts all the way into the nut and position the assembely into the TA pocket in the frame. Then back out the bolts so they spread the walls of the pocket about a 1/16 of an inch. The TA's and all the shims can be removed quite easily reinstall TA's and shims in reverse. Remember to keep track of the shims so they or their replacment shims can be reinstalled to their original position. 3/8ths or 1/2 inch thread size should work.
Thanks
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,873
Likes: 27
From: Sonora CA
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,714
Likes: 42
From: Austin Texas
On a side note this reminded me of when older tv shows and movies would have someone deliver a baby at home. There was always someone there who had delivered a baby at home before and they called out to one of the other people in the room " Quick, go get me a pan of warm water and plenty of clean rags!" They NEVER showed what the water and rags were for though. I watched my wife deliver a baby from start to finish in the hospital, cut the cord, the whole deal. The nurse never asked for a pan of water and they didn't tear up any sheets for rags or anything.
Seriously, what are the rags for? I will buy a torch but need some instruction.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 595
Likes: 9
I would be thankful if you could break this down a bit for me. Where do you put the torch and rags?
On a side note this reminded me of when older tv shows and movies would have someone deliver a baby at home. There was always someone there who had delivered a baby at home before and they called out to one of the other people in the room " Quick, go get me a pan of warm water and plenty of clean rags!" They NEVER showed what the water and rags were for though. I watched my wife deliver a baby from start to finish in the hospital, cut the cord, the whole deal. The nurse never asked for a pan of water and they didn't tear up any sheets for rags or anything.
Seriously, what are the rags for? I will buy a torch but need some instruction.
On a side note this reminded me of when older tv shows and movies would have someone deliver a baby at home. There was always someone there who had delivered a baby at home before and they called out to one of the other people in the room " Quick, go get me a pan of warm water and plenty of clean rags!" They NEVER showed what the water and rags were for though. I watched my wife deliver a baby from start to finish in the hospital, cut the cord, the whole deal. The nurse never asked for a pan of water and they didn't tear up any sheets for rags or anything.
Seriously, what are the rags for? I will buy a torch but need some instruction.
Was interested to hear the torch and wet rags method myself... anyone?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Removing the TA's is much easier if you use a elongated nut,the kind of nut that is used when you want to connect 2 lengths of threaded rod together, then screw two bolts all the way into the nut and position the assembely into the TA pocket in the frame. Then back out the bolts so they spread the walls of the pocket about a 1/16 of an inch. The TA's and all the shims can be removed quite easily reinstall TA's and shims in reverse. Remember to keep track of the shims so they or their replacment shims can be reinstalled to their original position. 3/8ths or 1/2 inch thread size should work.
That's a hell of an idea. 
What I ended up doing was hooking a slide hammer onto the shims and banging them out. Once the shims are out, a sawzall will go through the bolt like butter. I can't imagine trying to cut through the shims.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 780
Likes: 1
From: Shelby NC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
Soak some rags in water and pack them in behind the frame and around the gas lines. Use the oxy acetylene torch to quickly cut out the shims and or bolt, takes seconds, but not for the inexperienced. Oh, have a good fire extinguisher ready.
Last edited by '75; Sep 22, 2012 at 09:48 AM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 294
Likes: 1
From: Racine Wisconsin
As I did
I elected to use the Sawzall approach (excuse to purchase my now second favorite tool) for removal and the needle nose plier method for install. I matched the shims but I took it for alignment anyway. There was a bit of difference. The alignment technician told me that the alignment changed when the bolt was tightened on the new bushing. Probably compressing the pocket to a slightly different dimension. I had a bag of shims available and I was given a huge discount for my regular business there. It was an interesting experience. I think there ought to be a C3 bragging rights bumper sticker: "I did my own Trailing Arms."