help with trailing arm removal

[spivvy]

well is was going oh so well main nut came off easy, brakes and handbrake off, suspension bolts out hub off

HOW THE HELL DO YOU GET THE MAIN BOLTS OUT !

i can't get a socket or spanner over the nut end, and when i move the bolt with a socket the bush flexes and asborbs the turn , is there a spanner needed i think the shaft of the bolt is siezed in the bush

also i need to replace the flexible brake hose it was old and worn , where can i get one

thanks in advance

[mep12345]

Mine just unbolted fairly easily see here

However if the bolts are seized in the bushes then I think you are into cutting the bolts to get them off.

Mark

[Mr Plow]

Sounds like they have rusted in, I ended using a hack saw to chop the ends off.

[spludge]

You need a 7/8AF or 22mm spanner for the nuts but if the bolts are too long you'll not get it over the end. One of mine had siezed but with the nut off I managed to get a lever over the end of the bolt and push and twist it free. Pig of a job to cut them out I'd imagine.

K

[spivvy]

got the nut loose and turning now but can't get it off pass the chassis
the effing bolt won't move no matter how much i hit it . is there something i am doing wrong.

what was a small hole in the out rigger is now two large cracks as well so it has to come off

[tvrgit]

It sounds to me as if the bolt is seized in the bush - in your OP you said the spanner was tensioning the rubber in the bush, and it shouldn't do that. You can't heat the bolt because you're likely to melt the inner bush off the rubber, then you're really stuck...

How about trying to set up a little gear puller to try to push the bolt out of the centre of the bush, if hitting it won't move it?

Otherwise, as you said, you're into cutting through the bolts, and that's a long job, because angle grinder access isn't easy, and a hacksaw will take forever...

[Barkychoc]

Trust me if the bolt is seized in the bush it is never ever going to come out - you will have to hacksaw through the bolt - with a decent blade it is nowhere as difficult as you would think it soon gets through, just make sure you swear at it constantly as it makes you feel better!

Then you will have to buy the Steve Heath bolt kit - I haven't found another source of the trailing arm bolts. I had to cut down the inner ones slightly as they were too long but otherwise they were fine.

[aero340]

once you have the bolt out,if you require a good used bolt drop me a line i have some spares kev

[spivvy]

thanks for the info ,
looks like the hard way then ,
i have a bolt kit but thanks for the offer

[spivvy]

sorry one more thing to get the other bolt out on the S3 would it be easier to undo the 4 bolts that hold the arm on or
or just attack the inner bolt
, i am worried about affecting the wheel alignment if i undo the 4 bolts

[phillpot]

spivvy said:

, i am worried about affecting the wheel alignment if i undo the 4 bolts

Wouldn't think its a problem as long as any shims that come out go back in !

[tvrgit]

phillpot said:

spivvy said:

, i am worried about affecting the wheel alignment if i undo the 4 bolts

Wouldn't think its a problem as long as any shims that come out go back in !

that's how I did mine - I didn't touch the inner bush.

[mep12345]

If you are cutting a bolt though due to the "seized on bush problem" then you will be into re-bushing at least one area so I would suggest you re-bush the lot to ensure even wear. If you do this you'll need the geometry set up anyway so the shims coming out shouldn't be an issue.

Also I wish I'd re-bushed mine when they were off I wouldn't be in the situation I am now, i.e. continually putting off the trailing arm removal due to the amount of work involved.

Mark

[S2Andy]

Hi, I've always undone the 4 bolts when taking out the trailing arms. Just don't lose the shims trapped between them, although they are large plates. I wouldn't worry about disturbing athe allignment as new bushes will probably have a greater effect. Andy

[DaveV8s]

You should just be able to get in with a thin cutting disk, other wise you will be messing about for hours.

[spivvy]

It's off .
its off at last no hacksaw in the end just patience and perseverance , the annoying thing is the inner bolt took 10 minutes ,now the hard work starts

[spivvy]

ok how do i get the trailing arm bushes out without too much work

[clarenceboddiger]

spivvy said:

ok how do i get the trailing arm bushes out without too much work

[tvrgit]

spivvy said:

ok how do i get the trailing arm bushes out without too much work

There is no "no hard work" way unless you have a 10-tonne hydraulic press handy.

Assuming you haven't, you need to get the centre out first - now I tried drilling it and cutting it etc but in the end, I burnt them out - the rubber and the inner bush then drops out, leaving the outer metal sleeve in the arm.

Then you need to fold the sleeve in on itself - get a drift between the sleeve and the arm and bend the sleeve inwards at 2 or 3 points around its circumference. As it fold inwards, you can get a bigger drift and give it more welly, and batter the sleeve out the other side.

I cut through the sleeve first by putting a hacksaw blade through the hole, putting the saw onto the blade and then cutting through the sleeve outwards - if you are going to do this be carefull that you do not damage the arm abd create a stress point for future cracking to start from!

[tvrgit]

clarenceboddiger said:

spivvy said:

ok how do i get the trailing arm bushes out without too much work

That's just unkind... true, but harsh