Trailing arm pin life expectancy

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Peeps..Dan taylor replaced one trailing arm pin as it was seized into the bush, The bush was knackered as well..When he inspected the O/S which was replaced by the ford garage..(Supposedly)..He said that the pin was seized into the mount and looked the same age as the one he removed although he didnt say that the mount was knackered..I think the pins are mild steel so could it of rusted into the mount seat, It has been a year?..When i called the ford garage he said he definitely changed the O/S one even though he never did the N/S as he wouldnt of been able to remove the fuel tank otherwise..Is this true?..Maybe i have overlooked the greasing of them...Would it matter if the pin has seized as surely its the mount that moves anyway?..Cheers..Ziga

[Wedg1e]

If this is the large-diameter pin that holds the trailing arm into the big rubber bush at the front end of it, it doesn't matter if it's seized as it doesn't rotate within the bush anyway - as the arm swings up and down it distorts the rubber which returns to shape as the arm returns to its normal position - the big nut should only be tightened with the car sat level (usually only possible on a lift). If you do it with the rear wheels hanging it causes the bush to distort as the weight of the car comes back onto the suspension.

[mrzigazaga]

Thanks ian..That makes perfect sense..The ford gararge used an arm lift when they did the work so that would of damaged the weaker one of the two..Cheers..Ziga