25 years I have been working on cars, and I have NEVER encountered anything as frustrating as this trailing arm Job.

 

You're lucky not rebuilding your own TA's...
IMO one of the worst setups around for any maintenance. I had to cut mine out years ago, the last removal i just left bottom shock on and took whole thing out. Figured it was easier to get out on the bench if needed.

 

Once I get this thing apart (and put back together, car is for sale. I am never touching a corvette again. This is an asinine design...

 

I'm working on a design to eliminate this ****. Won't be a bolt on but I can't see throwing all that cash at TA again(or the time).
I love the C3 style but they are a bitch to work on alot of times.
Wishes I was around you I'd swing by and give you a hand.

 

Appreciate the thought...

Finally did get the damned thing apart...hopefully re-assembly is a tad easier...seriously, though. 25 years (as a hobbyist, admittedly), never have I run into something this challenging.

We'll see how the driver's side goes in a week or two...

 

Glad to hear you got that dang thing apart. And can certainly appreciate the way you feel about Corvettes after this also; there have been several times I've wanted to drive mine off a bridge into the river....fortunately most of those times were when it wasn't driveable......hang in there.....

 

question on the shims....

I have the trailing arm bolt in. Shims on the outboard side are the same as the shims I took out (thickness--using new Stainless shims). The inboard side is already tight withthe medium shim + thin shim...I cannot get the thick shim in place.

Again, trying to match what was on there, but assuming the bushing, etc (being new) might be thicker than what came off of it...

How do I know if I've got it shimmed enough?

I will be taking for a wheel alignment once I get the the other side done (If I actually even try it)....is this (the shims) something that the alignment shop will change/address anyway?

 

Yes, this is part of what they will do. You can have written down what you had and where on the old, and what you put and where on the new, in case they want that information.

 

Think of it this way, You are half way there but this time you have a little more experience so the other side will not be as bad. Press on you already proved to yourself you can do it.

 

Keith, if when you reassemble this you use antiseize on the all of the threads and the shaft's of the bolts that slide through the strut rod bushings and trailing arm bushings these things will come apart in 10 - 20 years as easy as they go together. Unfortunately, I have yet to take an original one apart and found any trace of antiseize on any of the parts.

Moisture gets in the bushing between it and the bolts, and since there is little if any movement of the inner bushing and the bolt they rust together over time. This is an area where anti-seize is definitely your friend.

One other thing, and you may already have noticed this, but just in case you didn't, the shock mount has a flat on it near the threaded end (of the portion that goes through spindle bracket). The ears of the spindle bracket, that the shock mount slides into to carry the strut rod, are not round all the way through. One of the ears (the one to the back, closest to the spring bolt) has a flat in it that the flat on the shock mount slides into. This is what locks the shock mount from turning in the spindle bracket. The shock mounts are marked Left and Right so be sure you put them in the right side. Otherwise you'll never get the shock to slip on the mount and you'll be taking everything apart again to swap them.

Good luck... GUSTO

 

I remember doing mine years ago. I think it was like 8 hours per side using the shock remover tool, BFH, torch,...and the ultimate tool......sawzalll. That and the appropriate amount of beer
I recently discovered a new Sawzall blade, I think it's called a Diablo. Used it to cut 3/8 inch thick plate steel like a hot knife through butter. Wish I had one back when I did the T-arms. Would have cut them both out in ten minutes.

 

interesting...I'll try to find one of those blades for the driver's side...which diablo blade did you use?

 

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...a29ad592b6f860
I got mine at a local Ace Hardware store for like $15. It's thicker than a normal Sawzall blade and I cut two 3/8 inch thick plates about three inches each cut, in a few minutes. Blade still looks like new. Just shoot some WD-40 every 10-15 seconds, and it'll cut like butter.

 

I just went through removing the rear shock mount. I tried the penetrating oil,, BFH,,, my old air hammer,,,3/8 inch cap, torch heat,,, ETC......... Nothing worked..... I borrowed a friends SnapOn $600 impact hammer. It took 10 seconds to pound the shock mounts out. I drilled a dimple in the end of the mount for the hammer tool to fit in. Worked like a charm.... I banged on it with my air hammer MANY times,,,,, nothing. A more powerful air hammer made ALL the difference. I can see if you get to crazy with a big hammer,,, you are going to destroy something.