Need trailing arms
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
Need trailing arms
Hi all,
I was under my 2000 Exp. yesterday and realized my trailing arms are in terrible shape. Questions:
What happens if a lower trailing arm breaks when I'm on the highway?
Is this strictly a dealer part?
Any aftermarket sources?
Do the bushings come with it or do I buy these separately?
Thanks for any input you have!
I was under my 2000 Exp. yesterday and realized my trailing arms are in terrible shape. Questions:
What happens if a lower trailing arm breaks when I'm on the highway?
Is this strictly a dealer part?
Any aftermarket sources?
Do the bushings come with it or do I buy these separately?
Thanks for any input you have!
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
Where did you get these for $60? This is a great deal. The best deal I found was $510 for the set of all four. Oh well, I've got a bunch of long trips planned with the family this month and I don't want to mess around, so I got them...
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,254
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From: Location, Location.
Changed em on my 2000 Expy too - strictly a dealer part - dealer's computer had a note - new lower trailing arms are 1/4" SHORTER than the original. Normally you'd change one at a time so that the other holds the axle in place, but because the new ones are shorter you can't do that - you gotta remove em both, but the shocks and springs will want to rotate the axle, so you gotta hitch it up to something by the shock mounts to rotate it slightly so the new ones will fit.
Also, if you jack it up by the frame, the arms get at radical angles that make changing them difficult.
Also, if you jack it up by the frame, the arms get at radical angles that make changing them difficult.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 74
From: Blue Hill Township
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
Well the lower ones are replaced. Thank goodness because I had 2 or 3 holes in each one. They were even worse than I thought... The only problem I had was getting the left-front bolt out. It pushes right against the gas tank and won't come out far enough to remove the arm easily - what a pain. I'll wait on the uppers because they don't seem as bad.
...and the new ones are actually slightly LONGER than the old.
...and the new ones are actually slightly LONGER than the old.
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Senior User
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From: MA
Well the lower ones are replaced. Thank goodness because I had 2 or 3 holes in each one. They were even worse than I thought... The only problem I had was getting the left-front bolt out. It pushes right against the gas tank and won't come out far enough to remove the arm easily - what a pain. I'll wait on the uppers because they don't seem as bad.
...and the new ones are actually slightly LONGER than the old.
...and the new ones are actually slightly LONGER than the old.
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
Here is what I did...
I thought about cutting the bolt off but I'm glad I didn't.
After taking the rear of the arm off, I twisted it to the side a little bit - this caused the bolt to angle slightly toward the front of the gas tank. With the bolt squeezed against the gas tank and over the skid plate, there is no way to get a socket or wrench in there so I started to work it out with pliers (by turning the shaft). Once I realized I was starting to press into the plastic gas tank pretty bad, I put a heavy jar lid (piece of metal) between the bolt and the tank. It still put a lot of pressure on the tank but at least it was not gauging it anymore. With the arm angled to the side, the threads of the bolt will grip and come out most of the way - enough to squeeze the arm out. Hope that make sense?
I thought about cutting the bolt off but I'm glad I didn't.
After taking the rear of the arm off, I twisted it to the side a little bit - this caused the bolt to angle slightly toward the front of the gas tank. With the bolt squeezed against the gas tank and over the skid plate, there is no way to get a socket or wrench in there so I started to work it out with pliers (by turning the shaft). Once I realized I was starting to press into the plastic gas tank pretty bad, I put a heavy jar lid (piece of metal) between the bolt and the tank. It still put a lot of pressure on the tank but at least it was not gauging it anymore. With the arm angled to the side, the threads of the bolt will grip and come out most of the way - enough to squeeze the arm out. Hope that make sense?
