ronarndt

left rear trailing arm


left rear trailing arm

The rear wheel alignment on my 68 convert is toed out 1/2 inch on the driver's side. It was worse when I got it, but even putting all of the shims on the outside (see photo) I have not been able to get the wheel toed in. The passenger side was off a little, but not like this. The car does not track straight and requires steering input to correct its tendency to use the back end to turn like a hook and ladder fire truck. Since it is off so much, I suspect the PO hit a big pothole and bent the trailing arm. However....before I start ripping parts off and replacing them, is there anything else that would cause the toe in/out to be off so much? Bushings are in decent shape.

revitup

My guess is you've got a problem with the TA bushing. I'd plan on pulling the TAs to have a good look at them. What's with that bent over shim pin?

Alan 71

Hi r,
Can't quite see in the photo... is the inner side of the t-arm tight against the side of the pocket in the frame?
What's the rest of the suspension look like on that side... half-shaft, shock absorber, and strut rod?
Regards,
Alan

GTR1999

Most likely a bent arm. I have had new arms like that and once I checked the arm found them bent. One time I installed news to replace ones that were bent more then 250" only to find out they were bent like that because the frame was off-from being hit hard and not correctly repaired. Some like to rebend arms but they rot from the inside out and never liked that idea. IF there is -0- rot on the inside and seams you might get away like that but if it was my car and found badly bent arm I would replace it with the USA made arms- NOT the cheap imported ones.

ronarndt

The trailing arm is extremely tight against the inside of the frame pocket. When I changed out the old shims to stainless steel I jammed as many as possible to see if I could get some amount of toe in. Rest of the suspension is good- new shocks, the PO replaced the strut rod, u-joints are like new. I can't find anything on the current wheels (from PO) that show they may have hit a big pothole, but the damage may have been done while other wheels were on the car. To bend that flat area on the trailing arm would take a big hit, which probably would have also put a dent in the wheel.

ronarndt

When I changed the old shims to stainless steel and also changed to a ss bolt thru the front bushing, I checked the condition of the bushing. It was in good condition. The new style slotted shims require the cotter pin to keep them from falling out. I drilled a hole for the pin only thru the outside of the frame pocket. The cotter pin thru that hole and bent over keeps the shims in place just as well as if I drilled the second hole.

ronarndt

" if it was my car and found badly bent arm I would replace it with the USA made arms-" Sounds like I may be doing just that. I was hoping to find a less labor-intensive solution.

DaveL82

Could if be the stub axle has worn so much it's further in the diff and also the strut was pulled in to the max to get camber close. If so then the spindle would be in further requiring more shims at the front of the T-arm? May not be the case but trying to thing of things that would required that kind of offset for the T-arm.

Dave

ronarndt

I'm going to have another set of eyes look at it before I blindly start replacing stuff. My local redneck mechanic is good at old Vettes. He may spot something.

wzschirnt

TA has something bent on it. I broke a half-shaft u-joint doing what is in my id picture and the shaft flailed around for a bit and broke/bent the welds in the spindle mount area. It was toe'ed out a bunch. New TA fixed my problem - there is no real "bend it back" fix for that.

ronarndt

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I suspect the PO hit something and bent the arm.....probably also put a big dent in the wheel, hence the replacement wheels that came with the car. I tried to get info from him when I bought the car, but he would not reply. It would have been nice to know some history of the car. RA

DUB

If attempting to set the 'toe' for the rear alignment and it will not adjust and all of the shims are on one side...and assuming the wheel bearings are correctly set. Then the arm is bent...without question....assuming that your camber is very close to specs also.

If the camber can not be set. The side yokes in the differential can be so badly worn down that the strut rods an not be adjusted.....or the bushing in the strut rods are wiped out...or both. And this is also assuming that oyu are still using the factory adjustment bolts for the strut rods and have not installed adjustable heim jointed strut rods.

And for what this is worth. I have had about half a dozen customers over the years who have had this same exact problem and did not want to buy new parts becae they were not all rusted up and actually looked rather well.... so when I took out the trialing arm I put it in my press and 'tweaked' it and got it so the toe could be adjusted and set correctly.

DUB