BAD-L88

I am in the missle of installing my trailing arms. After struggling with the driver's side for about an hour I managed to get the bolt through the inside of the frame, the inner shims, the t-arm, the outer shims, and finally the outer frame. I thought I had it down......

Until I got to the passenger side. :cry

There is the matter of the solid fuel line that makes an already cramped space even tighter. I need a tool that can get in there and work around the fuel line and the brake line fitting and still push the bolt through. I worked on it for over two hours. I almost had it, I got it through the outer shims but it would go no further so I started again. I even tried putting string through the cotter pin hole thinking I could snake the bolt through. Of course the string broke. Plus it's not so easy to line up all of the shims, frame holes, and the t-arm at once.

I guess I need some kind of right angle hammer that is small enough to fit in there or a small vice grip but not to small. ARGHHH :mad

DaBo

I had a similar problem when I did mine.
My biggest problem was that the bolt had broke on the nut side, then moved inward about a 1/4", then rusted in place.

Like you said fuel lines in the way and not much to do.

I took an air powered body saw, modified a 6" dewalt recpricating saw blade to fit the profile of the short body saw blade, and went through three blades to cut the bolt.

Going back together was EASY after that.

Good luck,

Pedro'74

Bend a lifetime warranty screw driver in "L" and insert it in the hole from the outside, to help align everything before you pull the string (and the screw driver, simultaneously). Then take the screw driver back to Sears and tell'em it was defective! :D

So, I guess you're using those funky older style shims, with holes, instead of slots? Take it easy on yourself and get stainless steel slotted shims--don't do the same mistake the factory did! :)

-Pedro



[Modified by Pedro'74, 3:15 AM 2/11/2002]

DaBo

Slotted shims for sure!!!!!!

Matter

I sympathize with ya. Started on mine Friday afternoon and finished Saturday am. Still walking around like an Egyptian with sore muscles.

Keep the faith... you'll eventually get them in! :cool:

C3 Shark Tank

A toll free phone call to Van Steel and $20 for the suspension video tape will save you much grief. I agree, get the slotted stainless shims too!

lbell101

Yep - that was the worst part of the job for me. Started the bolt in the hole by taping a screwdriver to the bolt and fishing it in. Then when I couldn't push it in anymore I used my torque wrench. The head and socket connector make a nice 'L'. Used it without a socket at first and then added a socket to make the 'L' longer when needed. I think it would REALLY help alot just to have someone there to hold up the arm diring the process.

norvalwilhelm

I don't understand the problem here. I have done this at least 6 times this winter. I use a long needle nose pliers to install the bolt. It reaches right in there to start the bolt. I do not install any shims at this point only the trailing arm and the bolt should push right through, then add the shims on one side then the other making sure they are packed in tight. If you shims are not slotted make them slotted. Everything should go easy if the bolt fits through the trailing arm bushing on the garage floor and slips through the hole in the frame.
Remember add the shims after the trailing arm is installed. I have a laser level that I lay along the rotor and project the toe in or out to the front rotor. The laser level cost under $40 cdn and is very accurate at projecting your toe to the front rotor.
Good luck but once everything is apart and clean it should be effortless to reinstall.

TJRed76

I didn't replace my trailing arms, but I did buy new bushings. When I crawled under the car to evaluate the job, I decided to stimulate the economy and let my pal at the garage do the work. It must have been a bugger, he still cusses my car when we're out. :cheers: :boxing

jbs75

What a GREAT idea, using a laser level!!!!

THANKS

Jim

R. Bruno

Norval - My trailing arms are ouit for rebuild right now. Could you explain how you use the laser level? Thanks

norvalwilhelm

A laser level is like any 18 inch level but it has a built in laser that has a guaranteed accuracy of .030 inches over 30 feet. You measure your front and back rotors to make sure they are the same track width. If they are ok if not a little math and you can work it out. My rotors are also all trued up with a dial indicator. My car is also sitting on stands with the wheels at normal riding hieght with no tires or rims on. Place the level on any rotor, turn on the laser light and it will put a dot on the other rotor. You have a hub on the rotors and the dot shows up nicely. It is great for getting in the ball park.
A laser level is under $40 CDN and will put a spot or line up to 1500 yards away.

jyounane

I welded a short length of welding rod to the tip of the bolt. It let me pull the bolt thru but is much stronger than the string. I've left it on for for next time!

BAD-L88

Well, I got it in. I went through the same process as yesterday and got the bolt to the outer shims but not through the outer frame. I amusing the shims with the holes instead of the slots so installing th eshims after was not an option. After banging and pulling with 11" bent pliers I finally came up with something that worked.

No matter how hard I banged or pulled the bolt wasn't moving. I though to myself that maybe the threads at the end of the bolt were stuck on something. I managed to squeeze a ratchet in there with a socket and got it on the bolt. It was hanging down between 7 and 8 o'clock. I was able to tighten the bolt by holding my finger inside on the socket. It would only rotate a few degrees in the space provided, just enough that when I went the other way (holding the socket firm with my finger tip) I only got one "click" on the way back. As I did this the bolt started to move towards me very slowly, maybe 1/16" a crank. Eventually it was through the frame, and finally the top was sticking through but no threads. I could not ratchet anymore so I grabbed a regular pair of pliers and was able to pull it through while wiggling the entire arm.

I know it was supposed to just slide through but mine needed to be "screwed."

Thanks to everyone who responded. i hope that my method my help someone else someday and save them the 3-4 hours it took me to install the one bolt.

BAD-L88

PS- I already had the Van Steel video and I watched it AGAIN last night. They use a frame with no body although they do try to maneuver around it as if there was. But this step is mysteriously missing in the video. He shows you how to place the bolt there with the long pliers and then the tape just skips to the bolt already in. That section of the tape has been Arthur Andersoned.

Overall, I found the tape very helpful for both the front and rear rebuild.

lbell101

I don't know about the non-slotted shim idea. What's the chances your not going to have to take that bolt out again for alignment? If your counting on the shop doing it, you better stand there and watch them do it. Seems they don't want to mess with that area even with slotted shims!

Frank75

Maybe I missed this in one of the descriptions of what you did, but a little lubricant (ex. anti-seize) helps a lot. You don't want to get it all over your fingers though as that makes it worse!

john's '81 mouse

Quote: "I don't know about the non-slotted shim idea. What's the chances your not going to have to take that bolt out again for alignment? If your counting on the shop doing it, you better stand there and watch them do it. Seems they don't want to mess with that area even with slotted shims!"

I agree. Seems like you've made the job harder than it needs to be, by using the shims with holes, rather than slots, plus you've increased the amount of work which will be required of the alignment tech. who gets the task of performing your alignment, since he will have to remove the bolt again, to remove shims to complete your alignment. I'll bet if he has to install any shims, they will be the slotted ones.!

Seems like most forum members use and highly recommend use of the stainless steel bolt/shim kit when completing this job.

Smokehouse69

The absolutely easiest way to do this is to string some fairly heavy gauge fishing line through the end of the bolt. A large swivel clipped through the tip will work even better. Then pass the line through the inside hole and out through your shims and t/a. Tape the shims to the side of your t/a and slip the whole mess into position. Support the t/a with a jack stand or something that won't move around too much.
Now pull on the fishing line and reach in and with a pair of needle nosed pliers guide the tip of the bolt through the inside frame hole. On the outside line up the hole through the t/a with a bent welding rod or a old screwdriver. Start pulling the fishing line out while rocking the t/a a little to help pull the bolt through from the inside. As the bolt is pulled in, pull the screw driver out from the outside. You might have to reach inside the frame and tap the bolt head with something long enough to reach in their to get it through, but only a few light taps to move the last 1/2 inch or so.
It sounds a lot more complicated than it really is, I put both of mine in about 30 minutes, no sweat, no sore back. Just a ton of NeverSeize all over my hands!

Noel Carboni

I have the Van Steel offset arms. I'm running 275 rear tires and still have 3/4" clearance on the inside - the closest thing is actually the anti-sway bar at this point.

By the way, if you choose to replace your spindles at the same time, BEWARE of the Van Steel stock replacement spindles. I snapped two of them a few years ago. It is seriously dangerous and upsetting, not to mention expensive, to have a rear wheel come off.





I went with VettePartsOnline hardened spindle assemblies and haven't had a lick of trouble since.

-Noel