Front and rear trailing arms??

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gazza1591

Active Member
Posts
335
Location
Worcester
Hi all

Looking to fit my new cranked front and rear arms, is it an easy job to do at home? Mine is lifted 2" so can get under it OK, do I need to lift it or is it best to leave all 4 wheels on the floor to do them so nothing twists out of shape? Also need to fit new bushes to the arms is there an easy way to press them In? Any one give any advice or know of any guides I can follow to do this job?

Also will I need any special tools for the job?

Cheers
 
Your going to need trolley jacks, ratchet straps, new nyloc nuts, a big pry bar and a small pry bar, breaker bar + sockets, hammers ( lots of hammers) as for the bushes choices are a press or possible a big vice and some good luck,grease,hammers.

I've always got away with the vice and hammers routine but a press makes it so easy. In fact I've just bought polybushes this time as I was getting sick of struggling to put the oem metalastic type in, but looking at them now I wish I had spent the money on a press instead.

You can make an improvised puller out of 16 mm threaded rod some hefty washers and some nuts, that will pull the bushes into the arms for you.
 
Last edited:
gazza1591 said:
Silky question if I to leave it on floor what's trolley jack used for?
Click to expand...
Jacking the radius arms into place, trust me it makes life a lot easier, a bit of upward force can be useful for persuading the arms into the right spot for slipping the bolts through. If you are doing it alone I would say almost essential.
 
with that jack u can lift the arms back to where they go, press them in a bit.
and then use what is in arms reach to carry on.. probably pry bar.

refit your front radius arms and u will understand...
line up one hole, scratch your head, go 'aha" and then grab trolley jack again.

goodluck, drink milk, don't run with scissors.
 
Might be worth having a small grinder handy with some 1mm slitting discs, if I remember correctly when I did some that hadn't been touched for a decade or so I had to cut the bolts off and then knock the shaft of the bolt out with a drift and big hammer
 
DiscoPol said:
Might be worth having a small grinder handy with some 1mm slitting discs, if I remember correctly when I did some that hadn't been touched for a decade or so I had to cut the bolts off and then knock the shaft of the bolt out with a drift and big hammer
Click to expand...

Yes! Grinder and thin cutting discs is always a top tool on suspension. :)

Big hammer and a sharp cold chisel is handy too! :D
 
Yep got a grinder and some disc here ready lol

Any one all the bolt and nut lengths thinking I may go out and get some tomorrow and replace them all with new ones
 
I think undoing and getting out bolts can be the least of your worries, but start off soaking the whole bolt, nut, bushing and general area in WD40 or Penetrine long before you start.
The bushings are a real bugger to push out of the arms, and as previously mentioned a press is the best way to do it, along with the right sort of "press tools" of course, but, I used the fine thread 16 mm diameter "all thread" rod to replace the press, I made up a set to do front and rear on a lathe.
Remember the most positive way to push them out and then the new ones in is by using something pressing against the steel outer bush. I have heard of guys pushing out the rubber bit only to find they need to "chisel" out the steel outer.
I have used the tools I made to replace the bushes, both front and rear arms on my mates old Deefer County and they did the job with ease.
Have not had to try them on our Disco yet.
 
I don't have to worry about getting old bushes out as I have got a brand new set of bushes here for feint and back just need to get them in.
 
Ratchet strap is the way to stop axle moving fore or aft. Loop it around end of axle to front axle or dumb iron and tigjten up well. When the arm comes off it keeps it all square
 
Gazbo said:
Remember the most positive way to push them out and then the new ones in is by using something pressing against the steel outer bush. I have heard of guys pushing out the rubber bit only to find they need to "chisel" out the steel outer.
Click to expand...

That is what you will be left with if you burn the rubbers out too. Not a problem, put a hacksaw blade through the bush, re-attach hacksaw frame upside down, and carefully cut the metal outer until it will tap out! ;)
 
I personally had no troubles fitting both front and back arms, the hardest part I found was twisting the axle for the 6 degree part. As your using new arms then you don't have to worry about getting old bushes out. Are you using standard bushes or poly?
 
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