Trailing arm pin removal

[Big Daft Lad]

Has anyone removed the pivot pins at the front of the trailing arm? Any tips or techniques to best remove them? I can't get them out of the arm!

I’ve got new trailing arm mount bushes to fit and I want to remove the pivot pins to check if they are bent or not.

Ta.

BDL.

[Wedg1e]

I sem to recall having the same issue and somehow arriving at the conclusion they weren't meant to come out.

You can get the rubber bush from SJ sportscars in Devon, it's the same one used on the Lotus Esprit. For some reason it was always cheaper from a Lotus dealer than a TVR one...

[Big Daft Lad]

Got it out after three hours of heating, hitting, pulling and pushing! (and a couple of sweary words)

It's not bent. AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Gotta love working on old cars eh?

[Bobbybedtime]

Got mine out last week, they weren't bent either although rubber bush was tired and pretty 'spongy' feeling compared to new part.
Been trying to find out about rose jointing the trailing arm instead but not a lot of info out there.
Regards,
BBT.

[tempus]

Check out some of the Esprit specialists,they make conversions for them,they started out in the Europa`s so there have been a few different variations,even the pins would do better without the changes in dia.to weaken them.Tempus

[MJG280]

One useful piece of information I found was this photo. The other alternative is to fit a braket on the unsupported side to enhance security and perhaps reduce the wobble. I will be tackling the rebuild next year so hopefully you will work out the best route before then.

[SEvans]

When they started racing the Tasmin's this was a weak point. The first thing they tried was putting an eliptical piece of Ali around the bush (bolted through the same holes as the bush) to support it. It's an easy upgrade and I have this on my car. Later on they used a rose joint. Moore racing did many of these conversions. Cheers Steve.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

there should be some pic's of the moore racing Rose Joint mods on my progress report on the TVR Dunlop Racing section Forum.

[UKAuto]

The pin should be free in the bush and the arm; if it is frozen in place it may not cause you any real issue, but I have broken a couple of pins and in both cases it was was seized (not sure this played a role). The pin failed at the stepped point where the diameter changes. As noted elsewhere in this thread you are likely to be heating and pounding to get it out.

I have done two things to "fix" the bushing.

First for my Tasmin I went to a metal supplier that sold large pipe and found pipe with the correct inner diameter to slide over the rubber of the bushing. I cut a piece off and put slid it on, it kept the bush a little more stable. I was going to weld two tabs to it that would go on to the two bolts (but never did). This did help.

For my 350i I had to replace the bushings often. About 60,000 miles ago I made a modification that has not needed repacing. I machined a block of steel to bolt where the bubber bush goes, but to accept a small standard bush, you can find a common bushing that is inexpensive, and have an option of any material. I am actually using a bronze bush - and it isn't harsh. I would probably suggest a poly bush. You can set it up so that you can take off the nut and slide out the bush without taking it all apart. The other thing I did was install a grease fitting.
With this mod I also replaced the pin with a good quality non stepped bolt, this allowed me to make the pin the larger diameter all the way. This does men that I lost the standard retained washer that is part of setting toe in, and instead use a couple of thrust washers to get it right. If doing it again I would consider threading the block, and make a bushing carrier that is threaded on the outside (like a bolt) so that you can turn it to set toe in (as it would screw in and out of the block bushing and all). The arc of travel is close enough to being on a single plane that it didn't need a rose joint, but it should work well if it's a cartridge type slid in the block.

Can't find pictures - but hope it gives an idea.

[adam quantrill]

They do sound like useful mods.

UKAuto said:

The pin should be free in the bush and the arm; if it is frozen in place it may not cause you any real issue, but I have broken a couple of pins and in both cases it was was seized (not sure this played a role).

Actually I have to take you up on this detail, in fact both nuts on the pin are done up tight so there is no opportunity for 'swivel', despite its name, when using the standard bush.

All the swivelling is done in the compliance of the bush, which is why the inner nut must be tightened with the suspension under load (I do it on ramps.) This is how I understand it to work, normally.

[rev-erend]

Be careful what pin you pull out

[UKAuto]

adam quantrill said:

They do sound like useful mods.

UKAuto said:

The pin should be free in the bush and the arm; if it is frozen in place it may not cause you any real issue, but I have broken a couple of pins and in both cases it was was seized (not sure this played a role).

Actually I have to take you up on this detail, in fact both nuts on the pin are done up tight so there is no opportunity for 'swivel', despite its name, when using the standard bush.

All the swivelling is done in the compliance of the bush, which is why the inner nut must be tightened with the suspension under load (I do it on ramps.) This is how I understand it to work, normally.

Of course, that does makes sense.

Either way the pin certainly should not be frozen in place, although based on your insight it probably doesn't matter if it is. I would suggest putting a small amount of anti seize grease on the pin when it is apart so that it can come apart in future.

Cheers

Rob.

[adam quantrill]

It does help if the pin isn't siezed into the bush if you need to remove the trailing arm ;^) though by the time the bush is fully knackered it's fairly easy to remove it...