Vettehead Mikey
Well-known member
If your shims were tucked into the frame pocket and held with a big cotter pin they are slotted.
Trailing arm
- Thread starter Whiteshadow89158
- Start date
Bolisk
Well-known member
nope. . .not slotted then. . .damn it.. . .
- Thread starter
- #23
Whiteshadow89158
Well-known member
haha ya it took hours for me too. I had to get 6 of the cryogenically treated sawzall blades from home depot and had at it. those bolt metal sleeves kill blades because there hardend steel and it's your only option really. patience is advertue, calm music is what kept me sane. everyone thats done this will tell you its one of the worst process they have gone through on thier vette and hope to never do it again. make sure to count each shim on each side of the T/A and how many of what size is on each side. you can get shims cheap off of ebay. I dont know if you have already done this but i left the T/A for last when i removed my rear-end and just held up the Diff with a jack. gives you a little bit more clearance when you let it sag. remember not to hold the blade down to long on the bolt otherwise it'll just heat up and the teeth will praticaly melt away. Good luck and let us know if you need more help.
This will be my winter project too.. i will follow this thread and see how it works out for you.. no chance to get a plasma cutter in there i suppose. Do you have to cut on both sides of the T/A, or just cut off one end or the other and punch the bad pin out?
- Thread starter
- #25
Whiteshadow89158
Well-known member
i dont think there enough clearance for a plasma cutter without damaging the frame. yes you have to cut both sides of the T/A, theres no way around it. wear gloves too, your nuckles will thank you. I think it took me like 3-4 hours of just sitting there and cutting. i went through the hardend steel sleeve : (. I dont know if this helps, by the time i got to the second T/A i noticed there a small hole directly below your shims on the frame so you can sneak a flat head in there and hit your shims up with a hammer. i did this repeatedly with WD-40 untill they came out in one block. I did have pics of this so i'll try to find them.
- Thread starter
- #26
Whiteshadow89158
Well-known member
i took quite a few pics so maybe this can be stickyed as a DIY
Bolisk
Well-known member
I'm going to try with these new Milwalkee Torch coboalt blades that people have recommeded.
If this doesn't work. . .I will consider getting this. . .as I think it will be much faster!!
It's called the Proxxon Long Neck Angle Grinder. It seems to run between $120 and $250 depending on whether or not it's varible speed, and the number of attachements that come with it. At anyrate, I saw this at a local tool store. . .(way too expensive there) and noticed that if you take the fence off, it will fit a standard 3" cutoff disc (i don't think the 2" had enough of a cutting depth), and because the neck is really long. . .and the head is small. . .it should fit into the opening as long as you have removed the shock, strut rod, and half shaft. . .so that the TA hangs really low.
I'm reluctant to buy this type of tool for a one time use. . .but I really don't want to be hacking away for three to for hours. . .essentially braking my friends sawzall. . .and then haveing to spend exactly the same ammount on a new sawzall when it burns out.
-JR
If this doesn't work. . .I will consider getting this. . .as I think it will be much faster!!
It's called the Proxxon Long Neck Angle Grinder. It seems to run between $120 and $250 depending on whether or not it's varible speed, and the number of attachements that come with it. At anyrate, I saw this at a local tool store. . .(way too expensive there) and noticed that if you take the fence off, it will fit a standard 3" cutoff disc (i don't think the 2" had enough of a cutting depth), and because the neck is really long. . .and the head is small. . .it should fit into the opening as long as you have removed the shock, strut rod, and half shaft. . .so that the TA hangs really low.
I'm reluctant to buy this type of tool for a one time use. . .but I really don't want to be hacking away for three to for hours. . .essentially braking my friends sawzall. . .and then haveing to spend exactly the same ammount on a new sawzall when it burns out.
-JR
Bolisk
Well-known member
Ok!!!
So, I've discovered a way to remove the TA in less than 15 minutes!!!!!!
Like most people I went and got a sawzall and a whole stack of blades and began trying to cut through the rubber bushing, and then through the hardened steel colar (part of the bushing) that the piviot bolt was passing through. After about 10 blades. . .and making zero progress. . .I decieded what the hell. . .I'll try to cut through the non-hardened steel. . .and see what happens. I'm VERY happy to report that you can cut through the shims and bolt like butter if you use the proper blades. I went out and bought a 5 pack of the Milwaukee "The Torch" 3/16" - 1/4" Metal Cutting Bi-Metal blades. Speciffically PART NUMBER: 48-00-5787. I used the 9" blades with 14 tpi. The back of the package says that the blades have "Cobalt" in them.
Now, I have attached a crude drawing of my trailing arm, the bushing (silver and black) and the shims and non-hardened steel washers that my car had. On one side I cut on the washer just on the outside of the bushing, and on the other TA I cut between two shims. I marked both areas in the drawing with arrows. I found it easier to cut the small washer just outside the bushing. . .as the hardened steel part of the bushing helped guide the blade. . .and keep it straight.
I cannot believe how fast I was able to get the TA's out of the car! The trick is to not put the sawzall on full speed. Keep the speed about medium .. .and you will see metal flakes being chunked out of the shims like the damn sawzall is just eating away. I completely blew me away!!! This was after at least an hour of hacking away at the hardened steel!! I've inspected the hardened steel that I was trying to cut at first. . .and all I did was make a little dimple in the hardened steel.
The only down side to this method is that you cannot reuse the shims. But I would gladly pay the $30 or so for new SS shims. . .then spend 12 hours of my life trying to cut through the hardened steel of the bushing.
So a couple of other tips. Support the end of the trailing arm with a Jack while you cut. . .so that it doesn't just fall out. . .potenitally damaging the TA. Also, you will probably find that the TA is wedged fairly tighly between the shims. . .even after you have cut the bolt. I used a 5 pound rubber deadblow mallet. . .and hammered up from below just before the TA passed into the frame. . .and that freed the TA from between the shims. The rest of the shims and bolt just fell out. Turns out the bolt was seized inside the bushing for me.
I truely hope this helps people avoid some fustration in the future. Only last tip. . .you need to have at least the 9 inch blade. . .but I suspect that a 10, 11, or even 12 inch blade would have made it easier.
Best Regards,
JonR
So, I've discovered a way to remove the TA in less than 15 minutes!!!!!!
Like most people I went and got a sawzall and a whole stack of blades and began trying to cut through the rubber bushing, and then through the hardened steel colar (part of the bushing) that the piviot bolt was passing through. After about 10 blades. . .and making zero progress. . .I decieded what the hell. . .I'll try to cut through the non-hardened steel. . .and see what happens. I'm VERY happy to report that you can cut through the shims and bolt like butter if you use the proper blades. I went out and bought a 5 pack of the Milwaukee "The Torch" 3/16" - 1/4" Metal Cutting Bi-Metal blades. Speciffically PART NUMBER: 48-00-5787. I used the 9" blades with 14 tpi. The back of the package says that the blades have "Cobalt" in them.
Now, I have attached a crude drawing of my trailing arm, the bushing (silver and black) and the shims and non-hardened steel washers that my car had. On one side I cut on the washer just on the outside of the bushing, and on the other TA I cut between two shims. I marked both areas in the drawing with arrows. I found it easier to cut the small washer just outside the bushing. . .as the hardened steel part of the bushing helped guide the blade. . .and keep it straight.
I cannot believe how fast I was able to get the TA's out of the car! The trick is to not put the sawzall on full speed. Keep the speed about medium .. .and you will see metal flakes being chunked out of the shims like the damn sawzall is just eating away. I completely blew me away!!! This was after at least an hour of hacking away at the hardened steel!! I've inspected the hardened steel that I was trying to cut at first. . .and all I did was make a little dimple in the hardened steel.
The only down side to this method is that you cannot reuse the shims. But I would gladly pay the $30 or so for new SS shims. . .then spend 12 hours of my life trying to cut through the hardened steel of the bushing.
So a couple of other tips. Support the end of the trailing arm with a Jack while you cut. . .so that it doesn't just fall out. . .potenitally damaging the TA. Also, you will probably find that the TA is wedged fairly tighly between the shims. . .even after you have cut the bolt. I used a 5 pound rubber deadblow mallet. . .and hammered up from below just before the TA passed into the frame. . .and that freed the TA from between the shims. The rest of the shims and bolt just fell out. Turns out the bolt was seized inside the bushing for me.
I truely hope this helps people avoid some fustration in the future. Only last tip. . .you need to have at least the 9 inch blade. . .but I suspect that a 10, 11, or even 12 inch blade would have made it easier.
Best Regards,
JonR
TimAT
Well-known member
I'm reluctant to buy this type of tool for a one time use. . .but I really don't want to be hacking away for three to for hours. . .essentially braking my friends sawzall. . .and then haveing to spend exactly the same ammount on a new sawzall when it burns out.
-JR
Can't say I blame you there. Rent one. If it goes up in flames, take it back and tell them it crapped out.
Vettehead Mikey
Well-known member
If it makes you feel better, the shims are usually scrap anyway from corrosion and changing a bushing is always much more expensive than a set of shims.
Similar threads
Corvette Forums
Supporting Vendors
Dealers:
