Trailing arm rebuild - lots of photos

[MYBAD79]

Here's where it all starts:


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Poly bushings are garbage, they crumble....
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So after disassembly and some quality time with the sandblaster we can see how awesome the GM welders got splatter everywhere....
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After welding up the arm and improve GM's welds and some time with a flapper sanding disc we are here:
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Now the overlapping sheetmetal at the end of the arms get welded up:
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more parts blasted.....
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All parts get three coats epoxy "Chassis Saver" then ready for re-assembly.... set up on the setup tool (old spindle that was polished down to allow slipping the bearings on and off):
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Timken bearings:
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With the flange nut torqued you want .001-.002" max endplay with oil only, no grease...
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select shims to get it to .0015" endplay....
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then continue assembly with new backing plate and parking brake shoes as well as SS PB hardware...
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I thread the spindles 3/8X24 UNF and countersink the rotor holes - that way the rotors can be bolted to the spindle instead of riveted. Photos show the bolts/rotors after the spindle was already pressed in...
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compression tool for front trailing arm bushings:
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New front bushing installed, I only use rubber for obvious reasons....

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finished ...


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[rtj]

Good job. Nice southern parts.

 

[BBShark]

Nice.

Are the spindles new?

 

[MYBAD79]

I rebuilt three sets this year, on two sets I had to replace the spindles because they were slip fit, one set of spindles was good so I used them... slip fit is a controversal topic, on my own car I'd run them slip fitted but I sold two sets and wanted them to be to GM specs or better...