Trailing arm disaster!
Discussion
Took the wheels off yesterday to wash various assorted types of muck off the wheelarches and chassis, and found a rust hole in the side of the swing arm, and a large crack underneath (just alongside where I had it welded about 3 years ago). Swing arm is starting to go banana-shaped (especially when I am sat in it, according to my son who followed me back to my garage today).
So I need a new swing arm - I know they are available from TRV Carparts and a couple of other places, so getting one isn't a problem (apart from the price!).
Is there anybody up here is Scotland who can fit it? I don't want to drive it far, so the nearer to west Edinburgh the better. How easy is it for a "general" competent garage? I would normally do it myself but I've done my back in, and the installation cost might be less than the cost of chiropractor fees!
One other question - is the hub bearing standard Sierra? I won't bother even trying to change it over - you're as well putting a new bearing in, I think.
Any advice appreciated chaps.
So I need a new swing arm - I know they are available from TRV Carparts and a couple of other places, so getting one isn't a problem (apart from the price!).
Is there anybody up here is Scotland who can fit it? I don't want to drive it far, so the nearer to west Edinburgh the better. How easy is it for a "general" competent garage? I would normally do it myself but I've done my back in, and the installation cost might be less than the cost of chiropractor fees!
One other question - is the hub bearing standard Sierra? I won't bother even trying to change it over - you're as well putting a new bearing in, I think.
Any advice appreciated chaps.
Just read about this on your site - it doesn't look good. I found that it's a simple job really and I had no problems getting the bolts out like some people seem to have problems with. Undoing the hub nut needed a long breaker bar and an extension on it as well but it was all straight forward mechanics. Rear wheel alignment will need to be checked and the shims added/removed as required. Helps if you have some tracking guages but shouldn't be beyond any competent mechanic.
Only thing I would say is that the TVRCarParts price is plus VAT and you need 2 of the bushes at 22.50 each. With delivery I guess you're nearer £320 per side.
Only thing I would say is that the TVRCarParts price is plus VAT and you need 2 of the bushes at 22.50 each. With delivery I guess you're nearer £320 per side.
Strewth £320 per side ! I took mine off today and I knew it was split just like TVRGIT describes, started poking hole to see how big it would get... dunno why as i knew it would get no smaller 
take a look at My Photo Album ... looks bad so I thought right lets just get a replacement and bite the bullet... but Hang On whats this about a rebuid ? and for £180... more details please John.
Removal was a doddle as you say, all pretty straight forward stuff... At least I only need one.
Kevin
take a look at My Photo Album ... looks bad so I thought right lets just get a replacement and bite the bullet... but Hang On whats this about a rebuid ? and for £180... more details please John. Removal was a doddle as you say, all pretty straight forward stuff... At least I only need one.
Kevin
Got both the trailing arms on my S2 replaced by Dreadnought in Callander Aug 2005; I believe they've done a few over the years. Main complication I had was the change from the S2 arms to the later S3 adjustable type which involved new brake pipes and a lot of messing around to get a sensible ride height at the back - ends up looking like a dune buggy with the S2 fixed platform Konis. Changing to the S3 arms, which seem to be the only ones available, meant that I had to get both done instead of just the offside one which had rusted out. The folks at Dreadnought fitted both arms, new brakepipes and 4 wheel alighment for around £360 - the trailing arms I sourced myself from David Gerald. By far the cheaper option at the time would have been to send the old rusty arm to one of the companies down south (Adrian Venn if I remember correctly) which had a jig/fixture to weld in a complete new tube - problem I had was the lack of a decent sized garage to leave the car in while the suspension was away getting welded.
Grant
Grant
No major problems removing the arms on mine, apart from rusted/siezed bottom shock bolts and brake pipes but they came out eventually, I haven't undone the hubs.
I'd have thought that Exactly should be able to refurbish the arm, fit bushes and bearings shim the inner pivot block and ship the whole lot back ready to fit. If they can then you've only got the brake, cv and three bolts to take out.
I'd have thought that Exactly should be able to refurbish the arm, fit bushes and bearings shim the inner pivot block and ship the whole lot back ready to fit. If they can then you've only got the brake, cv and three bolts to take out.
pies said:
Try Adrian Venn at www.exactly-tvr.demon.co.uk/
Cheers Colin - Adrian answered my email immediately and my trailing arm is on its way tonight. Price inclusing new bush, paint and return carriage is just over £200... cannot complain at that.
Sorry for semi-knicking your post Tvrgit... but at least if you can get someone to remove yours and let you send it off for repair while it stands a week or so, you could save a few quid. Pity you are not closer mate, you could have parked it next to mine and I could have helped you remove and re-fit yours... I know what a bad back is like
Hi I did the left hand arm this winter and found it fairly easy.
The bearing cost me £19 from a motor factor place and is standard Sierra all the same I think - they come in a kit so you need to watch for the handing as the replacement hub nut is either left or right hand threaded. Also I used a 3/4 drive socket with a 6 foot extension to undo same ( tip - put the spare wheel on and the socket fits through the centre, with the car on the ground, brakes applied undo / do up)
For a garage / I was in the same situation - dont know what space you have but I bought a marquee 6m by 3m new for £299 and it survived the south coast windy winter and is still there.
Hope this helps
Mark
The bearing cost me £19 from a motor factor place and is standard Sierra all the same I think - they come in a kit so you need to watch for the handing as the replacement hub nut is either left or right hand threaded. Also I used a 3/4 drive socket with a 6 foot extension to undo same ( tip - put the spare wheel on and the socket fits through the centre, with the car on the ground, brakes applied undo / do up)
For a garage / I was in the same situation - dont know what space you have but I bought a marquee 6m by 3m new for £299 and it survived the south coast windy winter and is still there.
Hope this helps
Mark
I got my 41mm from a Wilco in Norwich but it is a stock item in most good motorfactors - the advantage of Sierra running gear.
Inspired by your site I made some notes when I did my car:
http://deadpineapple.net/tvr/suspensi
Inspired by your site I made some notes when I did my car:
http://deadpineapple.net/tvr/suspensi
Edited by jed-s on Tuesday 3rd April 22:03
I've only just added that! Are you stalking me or something?
I know I need to do springs and/or shocks as a pair - I just need to decide what I'm going to do... tempted to just change the springs at the moment though, depends on cost, there's nothing (obvious) wrong with the shocks I have.
I know I need to do springs and/or shocks as a pair - I just need to decide what I'm going to do... tempted to just change the springs at the moment though, depends on cost, there's nothing (obvious) wrong with the shocks I have.
Just got in from visiting relatives and was the first site i visited 
I would replace the springs ,not the shocks.My reasoning is the springs are not matched to the front.I.E 250lb front 300lb rear, but the shocks are all the same so changing just the rear could have a bigger effect on handling
AIMHO
I would replace the springs ,not the shocks.My reasoning is the springs are not matched to the front.I.E 250lb front 300lb rear, but the shocks are all the same so changing just the rear could have a bigger effect on handling
AIMHO
As Pies noticed, I got the swingarm off yesterday (Well, Dave did, my back is knacked at the mo, I put it out again just moving my toolbox yesterday).
It wasn't as bad as it looked, it was much much worse.
From the top, ie what you see under the wheel arch, it was bad enough:
Underneath wasn't nice at all:
Because they rust from the inside outwards, it looked perfectly ok until 2 or 3 weeks ago, albeit with a bit of paint bubbling. One hard knock and it virtually disintegrates... Check them carefully boys and girls, the consequences of total failure aren't nice...
And if you haven't waxoyled the inside of those two tubes, do it now! I've been "meaning to get round to it" since I got the car, and even after I got a tiny hole patched 3 years ago, I didn't...
Needless to say, I will be checking the other side very carefully tomorrow.
It wasn't as bad as it looked, it was much much worse.
From the top, ie what you see under the wheel arch, it was bad enough:
Underneath wasn't nice at all:
Because they rust from the inside outwards, it looked perfectly ok until 2 or 3 weeks ago, albeit with a bit of paint bubbling. One hard knock and it virtually disintegrates... Check them carefully boys and girls, the consequences of total failure aren't nice...
And if you haven't waxoyled the inside of those two tubes, do it now! I've been "meaning to get round to it" since I got the car, and even after I got a tiny hole patched 3 years ago, I didn't...
Needless to say, I will be checking the other side very carefully tomorrow.
tvrgit said:
And if you haven't waxoyled the inside of those two tubes, do it now! I've been "meaning to get round to it" since I got the car, and even after I got a tiny hole patched 3 years ago, I didn't...
Needless to say, I will be checking the other side very carefully tomorrow.
I am amazed that supported the weight of the car.
Would it be worth getting a piece of plate welded over the end of the tube once you've waxoyled it and seal it for life??? it looks as though that tube is the Achilles Heel on these arms
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