Trailing arm MOT Fail

[TurboTony]

J-LLO went for MOT today and failed because there is a hole in the offside trailing arm:



I had checked everything else and had tightened up the exhaust clamp to eradicate the slight blow and replaced the stone chipped driving lamp. I had a check of the chassis but did not look underneath the rear trailing arms.

The guys at the MOT station seemed more disappointed that I was about the fail!

Thankfully, the large suspension bolt and the four setscrews are free. I have loosened them slightly and given them lots of freeing agent to make sure that they can be removed easily. Having to order a 41mm socket meant that I could not complete the strip down today but perhaps the arm will be off the car tomorrow night.

Looks like I will be calling Adrian Venn to enquire about renovation - he gets such good reviews on the forum and is close by.

I am not sure about the best place to source replacement bushes. Any current advice appreciated.

I will try to get J-LLO ready for SCH at Blenheim but there is some doubt given my other commitments.

[Stew Mc]

Hi Tony.

That's a shame. Send Just Al an email as his failed last year on the same thing. He will be able to assist I am sure.

Cheers, Stew.

[phillpot]

Tony, I bought poly bushes. There was a post little while ago where someone had tracked down the originals as being same as Land Rover leaf spring bushes, I think?

Have you already ordered the socket? got one and a huge torque wrench you're welcome to borrow.


Give me a shout if I can be any help

[mep12345]

Bought my replacement bush from TVR southwest aka ml performance parts. They sent it straight to Adrian Venn and he did the rest. Alternatively when I replaced all of mine before I bought them from polymax, part number KPSB301463. See this thread

http://mobile.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=...

Btw can't praise Adrian Venn (adrian@) enough for the job

Hth

Mark

Edited by mep12345 on Monday 11th August 21:53

[TurboTony]

Thanks all for the helpful advice. I have ordered a socket (on the basis I will need it for the other side sooner rather than later!) and it will arrive tomorrow. I have the use of giant torque wrenches from work so reassembly should be OK.

I have found the thread about Land Rover bushes but there were no definite conclusions:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=11&...

I see that obsolete TVR have original style bushes in stock:

http://www.obsoletetvr.co.uk/product/s-series-rear...

I think that I will stick to this type rather than poly as I am not sure about mixing them until I can replace all of them. The cost is about the same for a set. In an ideal world I would strip out both sides but I will not have enough time to this before the end of September. May be I am being too cautious?

[Niiige]

Tony,

Sorry to hear that JLLO held a nasty secret from you.

If you need any help let me know. I'm sure I can manage to pass you even a huge torque wrench. Can't promise that I have any new jokes though !

Niiige

[phillpot]

TurboTony said:

In an ideal world I would strip out both sides but I will not have enough time to this before the end of September. May be I am being too cautious?

While the back end is in the air and the tools are out I'd get into Turbo mode crack on and do the pair but you must, of course, do what you feel comfortable with and at your pace. .........

[v8s4me]

Hard luck Tony; hope you get it sorted. I'm with Phillpot on getting the other one done at the same time. Then you know you've got the job done and out of the way.

[TurboTony]

Mike and Joe

Agree with you in principle but I want to strip the entire back end this winter including dropping the tank and cleaning / repainting the chassis. So, the other side will get done soon but I am keen to keep the car on the road through, hopefully, some nice autumn weather.

[phillpot]

I'd still consider doing "the pair" while Adrians got the welder fired up, then you know you can drop them off complete (and easily) later to do back end refurb?

Edited by phillpot on Monday 11th August 22:16

[greymrj]

Regarding the bushes, I would speak to Adrian direct first, he may well have some. He is dead against using poly bushes, let him explain why. When I last needed bushes I got them from Neil Perry at ML Performance Parts 01823 660238, he is ex the old TVR Car Parts and knows his stuff.

[phillpot]

greymrj said:

He is dead against using poly bushes, let him explain why.

Oh no!!! what have I done to my P&J ?????

[v8s4me]

phillpot said:

Oh no!!! what have I done to my P&J ?????

So that's why you couldn't quite catch Andy at Spa! Nothing to do with the extra 12st in the passenger seat

[Adrian@]

phillpot said:

greymrj said:

He is dead against using poly bushes, let him explain why.

Oh no!!! what have I done to my P&J ?????

Only you know..you must of read the data/blurp on the items you purchased.

IF they were that good, IMHO you would think that you would be able to remove them from the swing arm and pop them back in again, but because there is no connection to the inner sleeve and the poly, the smallest bit of grit 'acts' like sandpaper and grinds into the poly and then they are as good as worthless...as part of the process of welding the arms up I need to remove the metlastic OE item, in ALL the time that I have done this, I have only found 2 (that is 1+1 ) that have failed to that extent.
Adrian@

[glenrobbo]

v8s4me said:

phillpot said:

Oh no!!! what have I done to my P&J ?????

So that's why you couldn't quite catch Andy at Spa! Nothing to do with the extra 12st in the passenger seat

No, the real reason is because Andy took a shortcut!


After Adrian's comments, I'm glad I left Austin's rear trailing arm bushes well alone, but both of them had been replaced by the second owner anyway.
Not sure if the bushes are rubber or poly, but they feel good when driving.

Tony,
Chin up mate, you'll soon have J- LLO's rear end back to her usual delectable self.

[JustAl]

Hi Tony got my replacement from David Gerald in Redditch, phoned from work an picked it up on the way home, all bushed and bolted. It did work out about £50 more than Adrian, but I wanted to get mine done before paying for another MOT.
Choice is yours as they say, if you need any help in getting the old one out, just let me know.

Al

Edited by JustAl on Tuesday 12th August 22:45