Rear Trailing Arms to Chassis Bushings?

[DRACO A5OG]

So I was wondering if any you fellas has successfully replaced the bushings without dismantling the ride height/camber/toe plates, just hate to lose the alignment but I think with new bushings it will be lost any ways. I have zero slop and rubber is still intact but I know they are getting old. No record of it ever being changed.

I have feeling what the answer is but figured I would take a stab at it.

Had the bushing for over 8 years sitting on the shelf and always say to myself, "Self on the next engine drop" sure..........

TIA,

[impactbumper]

you answered your own question

[DRACO A5OG]

Dang it, I just love being in denial

[gtc]

Maybe I just got lucky, but when I reassembled my rear suspension after replacing the trailing arm bushings, the alignment was still in spec. I went to get an alignment and the tech said there was no need to adjust anything.

What I did was to leave the toe adjusting bolts tight and in place on the spring plate. Their head rides in a slot, so you can separate the spring plate and the trailing arm without loosening this one bolt.
When I went to reassemble, the bolt helped to sort of locate the trailing arm in the correct place.

Again, maybe this was a fluke, but you might try it.

[Tidybuoy]

I recently did mind and I don't see how you could do it without removing the banana arm (i.e., messing up the alignment settings and ride height).

That said, I have sway-a-way adjustable rear swing arms and the setting stay put. But, the bushings had a dramatic effect and effectively raised the car quite a bit and so all of those things will need to be adjusted even if you were to be able to get it all back perfectly.

[Trackrash]

FWIW. Many years ago I noticed the end of the torsion bar where it sticks through the cover plate was going metal to metal on my car. As in worn rubber bushings.

I removed the cover plate and cut away only the outer rubber bushing, without removing the torsion arms. I replaced the rubber bushings with poly graphites.

Guess what, my ride improved, because I was not going metal to metal. I believe that since I only replaced the outers, my ride did not become overly harsh. Anyway, I don't recall rubber replacement busings being avialable in 1980. AND they never squeaked and they lasted 20 years with no issues.

In reality you should check your alignment once in a while. It's not hard with strings and a level.

[hcoles]

It looks like ER has two tools that allow the inner trailing arm bushings to be replaced easily without requiring trailing arm removal. Does anyone near or otherwise have these tools for sale (assume less than purchase new) or loan? Seems a shame to burn up metal resources for a use one time in e.g. 10 years sort of tool. Thanks.

[juanbenae]

you can scribe the current settings where the two pieces of the spring plate interface and recreate that during reassembly. as I recall there is a photo describing this in 101 projects.

[DRACO A5OG]

Thanks, yeah, I just hate to dismantle the plates as alignment is a real PITA in the rear, no pund intended

[juanbenae]

I am aware. refresh my memory, would the effort I note above to mark the current settings recreate toe & camber, or only ride height?

ive been going back & forth on replacing the rear TA bushings while my motor is out being built. I even got a NIB set of rear sanders 31mm T-bars in trade sitting on a shelf to be installed. the motor budget has spiraled out of control however so the suspension & $300 monoballs have become phase II of the project. when this started there was only phase I of the project.... my need of an economic recovery have pushed them out..

[DRACO A5OG]

Well, if you can put them back "exactly" the same way, there should be no effect but if the bushings were worn and you recently did an adjustment the new bushing may take the alignment out of your initial settings.

If torsion indexing can be placed back in the same position the height should not be affected, so the toe and camber may be if the bushings are worn.

[Charles Freeborn]

Big thing to consider is the direction of the bolts holding in the upper trailing arm mounts. Some went in at the factory before the trans was installed, so you'd have to drop the trans or cut off the bolt heads to get them out. Others (like mine) went in from "outside in" and can be removed without disturbing the trans.
As for alignment issues - it's not worth fooling about. If you disrupt the trailing arms and their mounts you're going to want to have it re- aligned. These cars reference from the rear suspension so any changes will throw it all off. $300 is not worth skimping on for an ill handling car...