Trailing arm removal / reinstall
Discussion
I'm considering removing my trailing arms to strip rust and repaint. The car was restored only a few years ago with a new chassis so I don't anticipate any problem with seized bolts. But before starting, I wanted to check if reinstalling shims as removed would let me avoid having to realign the rear end. This also will give me a chance to strip and repaint springs. Any thoughts?
Yours is an S1 isn't it? In which case you shouldnt find any shims and the trailing arm alignment isnt adjustable. Apart from getting the drive shaft end nuts off it is a fairly straightforward job. While the trailing arms are off, make sure the outer tube (the one in line with the axis of the car) is clear of mud. Painting the outside is obviously good but it is this tube which rots from the inside as wet road dirt accumulates inside it. While the suspension is off I would also recommend checking the points where the trailing arm mounting plates attach to the chassis, and the difficult to get at part at the top of the damper mounting 'turret', both are good rust spots. Also, as always on the S, check that there is clear space between the chassis tubes and the body tub, muck builds up in the space and promotes early rusting!
The six allen bolts might be easier to remove than the hub nut. And the rust seems to be confined to where paint has loosened on the trailing arms.
Some great shots here for guidance:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Some great shots here for guidance:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Hi,
As Chris said, if the bolts are seized in the bushes you will have to cut them out, other than that I would remove the drive shafts at each end, gets them out of the way to give you room to work. Take off shocks, calipers, discs, remove the hub nuts and remove the bearing carriers(lightens up the trailing arms as well), You can work on the trailing arms yourself or have them blasted and coated. If you have a S1 there are no shims, if you have shims, you do not need to break the shim joint to remove the trailing arms. Check there is no holes or thin metal on the arms as blasting can remove weak metal as well as the paint.
As Chris said, if the bolts are seized in the bushes you will have to cut them out, other than that I would remove the drive shafts at each end, gets them out of the way to give you room to work. Take off shocks, calipers, discs, remove the hub nuts and remove the bearing carriers(lightens up the trailing arms as well), You can work on the trailing arms yourself or have them blasted and coated. If you have a S1 there are no shims, if you have shims, you do not need to break the shim joint to remove the trailing arms. Check there is no holes or thin metal on the arms as blasting can remove weak metal as well as the paint.
Barkychoc said:
Check the bolts attaching the arm to the chassis are not seized in the bushes first - they are not easy to get hold of.
Maybe not too hard to find if you like Land Rovers
Done.
Trailing arm is off. Bolts were plated but beginning to corrode. They are marked with SP on top and S on the bottom. I assume this is comparable to a grade 5 fine thread here in the states.
I also removed the drive shaft. Definitely rusted inside the tube but not terminal. I'm considering having the trailing arms powdercoated? We have a local shop that can do the work very reasonably but would I just be inviting the inevitable rust underneath? Eastwood has a two part ceramic paint I might try instead.
Trailing arm is off. Bolts were plated but beginning to corrode. They are marked with SP on top and S on the bottom. I assume this is comparable to a grade 5 fine thread here in the states.
I also removed the drive shaft. Definitely rusted inside the tube but not terminal. I'm considering having the trailing arms powdercoated? We have a local shop that can do the work very reasonably but would I just be inviting the inevitable rust underneath? Eastwood has a two part ceramic paint I might try instead.
Edited by robinlarry on Monday 26th January 03:54
Hi
Either the ceramic or there normal black is fine (I used there normal chassis black sprayed on over eastwood black primer). the bolts are not grade 5 but 12.9, you can get them on ebay and takes only days to get to the states.
Alan
PS this may help
http://www.ebay.com/gds/Just-what-is-a-grade-5-or-...
Either the ceramic or there normal black is fine (I used there normal chassis black sprayed on over eastwood black primer). the bolts are not grade 5 but 12.9, you can get them on ebay and takes only days to get to the states.
Alan
PS this may help
http://www.ebay.com/gds/Just-what-is-a-grade-5-or-...
Edited by Alan Whitaker on Monday 26th January 08:58
robinlarry said:
They are marked with SP on top and S on the bottom. I assume this is comparable to a grade 5 fine thread here in the states.
I think you are right, "SP" is probably a manufacturers mark and the "S" is an imperial bolt grade (these bolts are 5/8" unf) comparable to your grade 5 or 8.8 on a metric bolt.These bolts basically just act as a pivot pin,they are not under any tensile strain (i.e. not done up megga tight) so I see no need for a higher grade bolt. I think that by the time you hit something hard enough to bend or break one you'd have much bigger problems!!!!
just my personal opinion, based on no scientific knowledge or testing
http://www.mlperformanceparts.co.uk/product/traili...
I'm not familiar with a 12.9 grade. Here in the states we have grades 5 and 8. I expect 8 would be too brittle.We also have coarse and fine threads.
I expect a fine thread grade 5 would work as well as the British source.
BTW ... any idea what the small plastic pop-out piece is on the backing plate?
I'm not familiar with a 12.9 grade. Here in the states we have grades 5 and 8. I expect 8 would be too brittle.We also have coarse and fine threads.
I expect a fine thread grade 5 would work as well as the British source.
BTW ... any idea what the small plastic pop-out piece is on the backing plate?
Edited by robinlarry on Monday 26th January 18:19
robinlarry said:
BTW ... any idea what the small plastic pop-out piece is on the backing plate?
This little chap?
For checking brake shoes without removing drum (cuts down service time)
12.9 is a very high tensile metric grade, 8.8 is "normal", 10.9 is the next common grade up then the 12.9.
Your S will be a "mish mash" of imperial and metric!
Check out the bolts wiki at top of Forum
robinlarry said:
No. It's a small round piece. About 180 degrees from that.
Oh, you mean K ?
Described as "Adjustment Plunger"....... think you can use it to tweak the brakes up a bit if auto adjuster not working too good.
America the land of the free, home of the brave.......... but no nut and bolt shops
That's it. Still available anywhere?
Were the original trailing arm and shock bolts imperial or metric? I can find 12.9 through the internet but the parts list shows 9/16" rather than 14.5 or 15 mm dia.
Here's a grade 9 9/16 x 4.5 supplier:
http://www.pacificcustoms.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Scr...
Were the original trailing arm and shock bolts imperial or metric? I can find 12.9 through the internet but the parts list shows 9/16" rather than 14.5 or 15 mm dia.
Here's a grade 9 9/16 x 4.5 supplier:
http://www.pacificcustoms.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Scr...
Edited by robinlarry on Monday 26th January 23:35
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