Trailing Arms. To Rebuild or Not Rebuild

[Geek's 65]

New guy on your block with a 65 convertible destined to be a driver forever. Have been using your site a lot to get some insight and good gouge. I have had the car 6 months and still cannot tell who smiles bigger when we drive it - 15 year old son or me. Believe I am winning. The guy who had my car before was not one with the god of lubrication. I have already rebuilt the front end totally and am eyeing the rear bearings/trailing arms now because they start squealing after about half an hour or so on the road. Two solutions I see. I can get totally rebuilt arms or I can buy the tools and rebuild the ones on the car. More trouble than it's worth or a great lesson in Corvette suspension? Any opinions?

 

[Richard454]

Rebuild or not?

It takes several special tools to do the trailing arms. I've rebuilt almost everything on my 65's but had the trailing arms jobbed out. www.vansteel.com is a good place to check out.

Good luck-and don't forget to wave even if the C5's don't even notice you!!!

 

[IH2LOSE]

Removing and replacing the trailing arms is a big enough project on its own.I sent mine out to be rebuilt and would suggest the same.

 

[Geek's 65]

Thanks for the input. Will check out the links you guys provided and see how that all stacks in to the budget. Problem with figuring out how much it would cost me to do this myself is that the price of beer keeps changing like gas. Hard to pin it down.

Thanks again.

geek

 

[dgmpam]

Rebuilt my own a couple of years ago on a '65 conv. It was a very good experience. Learned a lot. As was already said if you have the equipment and follow the shop manual directions it goes very smoothly.

 

[Geek's 65]

Rebuilt my own a couple of years ago on a '65 conv. It was a very good experience. Learned a lot. As was already said if you have the equipment and follow the shop manual directions it goes very smoothly.

Dave,
Thanks. I actually think I am going to go this route. Was a machinist in an earlier life and think with the tools, it will go OK. Like you, everytime I take something apart I learn more about the car. Sometimes however it's like taking a drink from a firehose.
G