Trailing arms...need a diagram or pics

[Brutus]

Pretty soon I'll be putting my trailing arms all back together. Well hopefully soon. I just want to make sure everything goes back the way it came out.... the right way.
What I'd like is an exploded view or even a nice clear pic so I can see what goes where and also what can be seen so I can detail everything as it goes back together.
The AIM and the Haynes manual are no bloody help at all!
By Crikey!

 

[vigman]

Bob

See if you can get your mits on a Mid America catalog. They have a lot of pictures or we can answer individual questions.

Do you want a PIX of the car in the air kinda thing?

Mike

 

[sac001]

On the web, check out Riks Vette ( http://www.riksvette.com ) although they are in the business of selling parts, if you scroll through some of the parts for the Rear Suspension, they have a fair amount of pictures that might help. Only other suggestion is the Assembly Manual.

Steve

 

[69MyWay]

Hang in there Brutus. Up until now, your trailing arm project has been fun and rewarding to see such a pretty looking set of arms. Now it gets ugly. Other than standing on my head and installing the power brake booster, the second greatest pain on the car was setting up the trailing arms.


Unless you are simply putting back the same exact bearings and shims, you will need to get a shim pack from Van Steel or others, new high quality Timken or G.M. bearings, a good dial indicator and plenty of time.


My buddy just finished slipping his together. He spent four weeks goofing with them like I did on mine. This is a fellow that races GT-1, and does all his own wrenching on his race car.


By no means am I trying to scare you. I am trying to encourage you to take your time, ask plenty of questions, and don't proceed unless you are sure you are putting it back in the correct order. There are a lot of opinions out there on what should be the minimum and maximum clearance settings for the axles. I stick with the G.M. standard, while others strive to take them within .003.


Good luck. Please post some pics.


Chris

 

[Brutus]

Thanks for the help guys. The main reason I'm asking for assistance is that I'm unsure of one part of the TA assembly. The AIM is no bloody good at all in this respect. Maybe they sent theirs out to Van Steel too! :eyerole
I've got something in the works for a 6 link strut set up and I want to mock up the trailing arm to get some measurements but something just doesn't seem right to me. This'll teach me to take notes when I tear something down again tho I keep telling myself this, I always think that my memory will hold and of course it never does.
Anyhow, I've slid the bearing housing/ strut rod bracket onto the TA but it doesn't seem to go on all the way on. I've looked through all my assorted bits and pieces, but I can't find anything that goes between this assembly and the TA. The ensuing gap seems to be caused by a ridge on the outer bearing housing. This can't be how it's supposed to be.
What am I missing?

 

[69MyWay]

Oh sorry, forgive me. I thought you had the bearing assembly apart as well.

Don't know why that is not going into place. I don't recall having a problem with that part of this job.

Have you gotten the e-brake backing plate in place?

 

[Brutus]

The whole Hog

Chris...yeah I've got the bearing assembly apart as well as everything else in the arse of the car! There's nothing left that's still in one piece.
I was able to check under another Vette yesterday and what I'd thought was correct. The assembly does sit flush with the trailing arm. Now all I have to do is get it to fit inside where it belongs.
All I can think of is that the opening has closed up fractionally during the welding up of the TAs. Now I'm just eating away at the opening slowly with a Dremel tool.
It's getting close to wrist cutting time here.

 

[69MyWay]

Hang in there.

If you can lick this, there is NOTHING else on a C3 that you won't be able to conquer.

No doubt the heat exhange and extra filling, smoothing and grinding you did to those arms may have changed some of the original geometry.

Keep us posted.

 

[Dave M]

Trailing Arm Blues

Gyday Brutus!!
Ijust replaced the trailing arm bushings in my '79 corvette, I've got a Haynes manual and a Factory '78 book. Both are good but don't get the job done, you are welcome to take a look at 'em. Admittedly I did not even look at the rear bearing assembly. Some will think this foolish, but hey, they were ok before. It sounds like you are doing a lot more than what I took on. I used eurathane bushings and they are great. As a matter of fact the great people here at the CAC were really good with their knowledge and helped a huge deal. Simply with their relaxed approach and moral support. You have probably seen more of this than I as I've only started getting into this site.
Anyhow mate, good luck,
Dave M

 

[redmist]

I guess you are determined. If you want a scanned page fron the assembly manual on this let me know.
Next time buy a rebuilt assembly.

 

[Brutus]

Redmist...Buying a rebuilt assembly is not an option over here. Consider yourself very fortunate that you can just mail your old ones away to someone who'll send them back to you all nice new and clean.

Dave M...Thanks for the offer, but for what I wanted to see neither the AIM nor Haynes manual showed. I guess I have gone rather overboard with what I'm doing, but as with the front end rebuild I tend to do everything while I'm at it. I too thought my bearings seemed ok before I pulled them out, but fortunately I didn't rely on my impressions. One of them was shot and ready to fail very soon. Luckily it didn't happen when my daughter was racing it at Wakefield Park last November.
Also I am attempting something with the rear end that I hope to be able to share with everyone else as soon as it's done. It's not something new, but more a different and much cheaper approach. I'll say no more until I achieve what I set out to do. Wish me luck cause I might need it.

 

[redmist]

Stupid me. I missed the fact you are an Aussie. Damn ethnocentric Americans.
The only place I can get any good technical info on Subaru WRXs is Australia. I'm also surprised with Holden's dominance over there, which I thought was a General Motors affiliate, that you would have some vette parts rebuilders.

 

[Brutus]

You're right in that Holden is a GM affiliate, but they unfortunately don't align themselves too much with any of the more interesting cars...ie American ones. Some Holden parst are American derived as you may guess, but finding which ones are is the fun bit.
My 19 y/o son is into the Jap cars at the moment, moreso a Datsun 1600. The 510 2 door versions are very scarce on the ground over here too.
If there's anything I can help you with as far as any info from over here on anything just let me know and I'll see what I can do for you.

 

[Ken]

Hey Bob, speaking of your son, how is he doing? Recovering well?

_ken

 

[Brutus]

Yes thanks Ken. He's got a Doc's appointment on Thurs to possibly get the wires taken out....tho I'm sure my wife would prefer they just put more in.

 

[Dave M]

Hey Brutus how are you going?
You are probably sick of those trailing arms by now, it seems everyone is rebuilding their trailing arms at the moment. It is a great source of info on this site plus loads of fun. I am new to this, so like my Corvette a bit of a toy to me !
Did you go to Castlehill for the all American day ? I thought it was quite good, but Iam a bit biased when it comes to big revvy cars!

 

[Brutus]

Dave...No I didn't make it to Castle Hill tho one of my mates came round and wanted to go. I had too many other projects in the works to be able to attend.
The TAs are coming along ok now. I've just got a bit more tidying up to do on them before I'll be happy with their final appearance. Then it's off to the powder coaters. I'm in the garage now getting some other bits and pieces up to scratch. I don't want to have to go in there again after I've finished this tho having said that and already completing a total front end rebuild, I'll be upgrading the detail there again after I've finished the arse end.

 

[Dave M]

Crikey Brutus, what are you doing to those trailing arms? Powder coating, gee I like the sound of that ! The aluminium heads you are using sound good too. I've been thinking about doing something like that too. I've only just got my Corvette running after two years of wrestling with converting it etc. It needs a paint more than anything so I think that is first.

 

[Brutus]

Dave...I have some pics that could give you some idea as to the length I'm going to with my TAs, but I'll have to alter the size of the pic before Ican show it on this post. I'm in the middle of some modifications to the rear end that might be of interest to some.
So far they seem to be working out.

 

[Dave M]

Sounds great, and I must admit the first time I looked under the rear of my Corvette I was kind of shocked. My first impression was of a horse and cart! Another one of those times where I thought, what have I bought?! But now it is running I would not have it any other way. Don't get me wrong, any modification for the better has gotta be good. I'm impressed with what you have told us all so far !