can seperated trailing arm be repaired?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,030
Likes: 17
From: White Pine / Dandridge TN
can seperated trailing arm be repaired?
The driver side trailing arm has started to seperate at the top rear where the spring bolt passes thru. Other than that, it appears o.k. If the rest of the arm is o.k...not rusted out...can I simply have the seam welded?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i don't know if you can weld them or not....when i had my rear wheel bearings replaced the trailing arms would deflect so badly inthe press it concerned everyone... i replaced them with the 1/4 steel channel regular offset trailing arms....i kept the old ones thinking i would do somethng with them but came to the realization that compared to the new 1/4" there was no comparison....i think this is one instance where GM went with the least expensive item to manufacture...so i would look really closely at them before i spent any money to repair them...
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,175
Likes: 3,990
From: Connecticut, USA
The trailing arms were welded together like the frame 2 pieces of "C" channel type and the welds were spaced apart. When they start to separate usually it's because of rust, check them very carefully and see if there is a rust problem. If they are tight and not bent,no rust then they can be welded. Keep in mind too the price for new ones has dropped a LOT. You should be able to buy a new arm for about $100 now. I used a couple of new ones when I rebuilt a friends rear bearings and they were better then I expected,given the current state of aftermarket parts.
Gary
Gary
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Originally Posted by Frankenvette
The driver side trailing arm has started to seperate at the top rear where the spring bolt passes thru. Other than that, it appears o.k. If the rest of the arm is o.k...not rusted out...can I simply have the seam welded?
I think I would vote for new T-Arms if there is any doubt at all about the condition of the arms. You don't want a T-Arm breaking when you hit a bump at high speed.
Rick B.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,065
Likes: 2
From: Smalltownville Michigan
Cruise-In 5, 6 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
Originally Posted by Blair Winch Project
If you have a digital camera, take a couple of pictures and email them to Van Steel for an opinion. One of their specialties is rebuilding trailing arms so they could tell you if it is feasable to repair yours.
I think I would vote for new T-Arms if there is any doubt at all about the condition of the arms. You don't want a T-Arm breaking when you hit a bump at high speed.
Rick B.
I think I would vote for new T-Arms if there is any doubt at all about the condition of the arms. You don't want a T-Arm breaking when you hit a bump at high speed.
Rick B.
When it comes to stuff like this, you cant second guess or "hafazz" it... you, your passenger and the car are at stake... dont risk it!
