Trailing arm monoball installation

[Len VanderJagt]

1987 3.2 w/ G50 - I cannot find a way to get to the nut on the inside end of the trailing bar bushings. I have ground down the rubberized coaching on the torsion bar tube on the outboard side to the point that I can get a socket, swivel, impact wrench on it, but I have not been able to move the bolt.
Offset wrench, socket, nothing fits on the inside (nut).

Second, for those who have managed to get this baby off, how on earth am I going to get this circlip on the elephant model ball inside end?

It seems I must be missing something. Can anybody help?

TIA,

Len VanderJagt

[Wavey]

This is a pretty tough job Len - in fact I gave up on mine until I pull the tranny next year. You should do a search, as there are a number of good threads about this. Perseverance and brute strength are required. I think the circlip installation will make itself apparent once you have everything apart. From what I've heard it's not much fun getting the old bushing out with the arm in the car either.

[Chuck Moreland]

Len, those bolts can be tight. You mentioned soaking in WD40.

I would suggest soaking in PB Blaster, overnight. It's many times better than WD40 for loosening nuts. Then use your impact wrench or try a very long breaker bar (pipe as extension).

The Circlips are easy to instal. Once you pull the arms out of the saddle, it's cake.

I recommned pulling the trailing arms to install the Monoballs. It is difficult to remove the old bushings if the arms are still in the car, though it can be done.

[rlh930]

Actually you're lucky. Your nut could be on the OUTSIDE of the trailing arm, like it is on some of the older cars. Then you would be pulling the entire engine/tranny to get the nut/bolt off.

Mine came off with some serious elbow grease. Persevere.

[89911]

I've done them on an 87 and 89 with G50, both with the engines and transmissions dropped. There may be a way to do this while they are in, but I sure can't tell you how. Even with them out, I had to dremel the nut off the bolt, it wouldn't budge. On the 89 I was able to grind a 22mm socket enough to grab the nut and loosen.

[eskimo]

Sawzall. Took 20 minutes for both sides. Works better than wrenches.

[Len VanderJagt]

For clarification, I am trying to get the banana arm out of the car, I don't intend do the work of driving out the old pushing on the car.

It seems that some folks have managed this bear of a task. Thank you for your input.

I still cannot find a way to hold the nut on the inner end. A 60° offset wrench doesn't fit, Snap On doesn't even list a 10° offset in 22 mm. any tricks here? Or is my in the mail Godzilla Model impact wrench going to torque this baby right off?

Thanks again,

Len

[Len VanderJagt]

Hey Eskimo,

Your violent approach with the sawzall has a certain kamakazi appeal. Where did you make the cuts? Outside of the new bracket, or...?

Thanks,
Len

[eskimo]

I tried the conventional method of PB and many various 22mm wrenches for quite a number of days. After numerous gashes, smashes and cuts, I deemed that the EVEN if I was able to remove the bolt correctly, I would still have to replace the old frozen hardware. From that standpoint, it just wasn't worth doing gracefully.
I whipped out my dremmel, but I didn't have enough depth to make the cut. I got the Sawzall with the 9" rescue/ demolition blades, and 3 blades later, the bolts were severed. They popped right out, and we were on to better tasks.

For where to place the cut, there's enough room for the blade on the inside of the bracket between the actual arm. Careful with your cutting, the trailing arms are soft and can be marred.

Replacement bolts can be sourced from any "super bolt store" I wound up getting mine from Fastenal, for about $6 total.
The monoball ring willl snap in easly with any cheapo ring pliers, took less than a second.


Oh, FYI... since replacing those bolts, I have had to go back and remove the trailing arms AGAIN once or twice. With non-frozen hardware, conventional wrenches will work fine.

[Jeff Alton]

once the arm is out, removing the bushings is a 5-10 min job. Very easy. Like Chuck said "it is cake"

Cheers

[tobluforu]

Do yourself a favor and drop the tranny and engine a few inches. You will save time doing this.

[eskimo]

The g50's don't have the clearance issues that the older cars do. Lowering the engine and tranny will gain you room, but it's not really needed. It's more of an issue with angle of available wrenches and neeeded bite on the bolt head.
This becomes especially frustrating with frozen hardware.

[Len VanderJagt]

Thank you all. At least I now know I haven't gone simple during this project. I certainly will take a look at if a partial drop will gain usable room for the wrench on the inside nut. Anybody want to venture a guess on how many inches I can ease down the engine/tranny before bad things happen, given that I disconnect only the shift linkage?

btw, this forum is great!

Len

[DW SD]

Are you using a swivel socket with a long extension? I know for mine I used a swivel socket to tighten (1/2" wrench, extension, etc) and cannot remember the details of the disassembly.

Doug