Rear trailing arm removal

[dpb]

Hi,

I am renewing the rear suspension as it is not in a good state. (tr4a irs). I am having trouble getting one of the trailing arms off.  I can undo all the nuts and bolts except one -  the driver's side bush.  I need to undo that because the nut/bolt end (on the outside of the bush/bracket) fouls the inside of the sill whilst I am trying to pull the arm off the car. I can get the nut off , but the bolt end still fouls the sill. (I had the same issue on the other side, but that all came apart easily. Inspection showed it had newish bolts throughout, so obviously some work had been done more recently). 

The bolt must be rusted to the internal metal sleeve,  as after some powerful wrench work the whole bolt/sleeve turns INSIDE  the rubber bush. Multiple failings going on.

Anyway,   the only solution I've got is to saw off the bolt end (very slowly with a junior hacksaw upside down), so that I can pull the arm off the car.

In a vain attempt to find an easier or quicker solution I thought someone on here, cleverer than me (not  hard), might have some ideas.

Cheers

Dave

 

 

 

[RogerH]

Can you undo the 4 off nuts/bolts #10 on here   Nuts & Bolts   and then pull the TA rearwards

 

Roger 

[dpb]

Hi Roger

 

Yes they are all undone,   but pulling the TA rearwards is when the bush bolt fouls the sill. 

Dave

[RogerH]

Hi Dave,

How about pull the TA rearwards and then cutting the lower bolt with an angle grinder - using one of the 1mm plasma cutter discs.

 

Roger

[dpb]

Good plan Roger,  I knew there would be a clever answer.

 

However, in-between moaning about it, I went back and did the hacksaw job and yes it is off after some jiggling about.   Now to get the bushes out.  I need a friendly garage with a press I think

[RogerH]

The bushes should be able to be pulled out with  12mm studding and some pipe - scaffold pole, large socket etc etc

Tension the studding and then give it a whack

 

Roger

[rcreweread]

Hi - to remove the bushes, I use a hole cutter with a bore just a bit bigger than the metal insert in the bush, and once the core is removed, the remaining rubber part of the bush is easily removed - then you are likely to find a yellowy/white substance on the aluminium under the bush which is oxidised corrosion which you will need to remove - the same corrosion is likely to be found inside the hollow sections of trailing arm - once removed with some careful blasting, then it's a good idea to treat the inside with some corrosion inhibitor, making sure the rubber bungs are good and weathertight to stop water getting in - when taking out the old bungs, I've often found they were never properly inserted and pushed fully home so the internal lip on the bung is trapped on the way in and hence deformed - difficult to reuse and stop it doing the same again - if you clean the bung with some rubber grease, it will help it go in and also seal it

Cheers Rich

[dpb]

Thanks both. 
 I have been researching bush removal on the internet.  Its surprising what comes up.  There is one method I liked the look of which I will try, and report back on its success or otherwise.

Dave

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[Hamish]

38 minutes ago, dpb said:

Thanks both. 
 I have been researching bush removal on the internet.  Its surprising what comes up.  

Dave

====

ha ha ha  that's so funny - try explaining that away to the wife !!!!!

[dpb]

Hamish,   I'm so pleased you liked it.   

On a more technical note,  I was cleaning up the trailing arms today, and as Rich suggested above I removed the bungs. On the LHS,  all the bungs had mangled internal lips, not so bad on the RHS.   BUT,   the RH arm had a cupped handful of what looked like casting sand, that just poured out once the bungs were removed. I am assuming its casting sand from the original process, but I don't know if that's how they were made or not.  Any ideas?

Dave

====

 

[RogerH]

57 minutes ago, dpb said:

Hamish,   I'm so pleased you liked it.   

On a more technical note,  I was cleaning up the trailing arms today, and as Rich suggested above I removed the bungs. On the LHS,  all the bungs had mangled internal lips, not so bad on the RHS.   BUT,   the RH arm had a cupped handful of what looked like casting sand, that just poured out once the bungs were removed. I am assuming its casting sand from the original process, but I don't know if that's how they were made or not.  Any ideas?

Dave

====

 

It could be Aluminium Oxide - they do corrode. 

I got mine processed in Alocrom 1200 to kill/seal the corrosion - used extensively in aerospace - google to see if there is anywhere near you to do this.

https://www.misterwhat.co.uk/company/1864824-west-middlesex-surface-treatments-ltd-uxbridge

Or give it a serious coating of Dinitrol 3125W to sow things down.

 

Roger

[dpb]

Hi Roger,

 

I did think about it being corrosion, and I'm sure there is some - I can see it, but there is so much of this stuff it looks like it has been left in there somehow.  I plan to put some anti-corrosion coating in there, I might get it lightly blasted first. Perhaps the stuff is from a previous blasting, maybe?

 

Dave

==== 

[RogerH]

Indeed, if you can get a grit blaster in there then do it.

 

Roger

[dpb]

"The bushes should be able to be pulled out with  12mm studding and some pipe - scaffold pole, large socket etc etc"

 

After messing around with hub puller (partial success),  some thinner studding and stuff,  I went the whole Roger, as quoted above, and guess what?  Worked a treat.  Very corroded inside the bush arms though.  Getting them out felt like it was all welded together. 

 

Thank you

Dave

==

[RogerH]

Hi Dave,

 well done,   Remove all the corrosion products within the bushing hole and then soak in phosphoric acid (Jenolite etc)  

Paint the surface to help slow down the corrosion returning.

 

Roger