trailing arms

[birdman]

would it be worth the time to make the stock trailing arms square instead of being 3 sided. i could weld a plate to make them boxed, do think it would work? thanks.

[90TGP]

If you know how to weld, it shouldn't be that hard.

[pwmin]

theyre made of crappy metal, sorta like pot metal, (stamped steel actually, technically). they should be weldable but may be easy to burn through. still think the gmpp ones would be better though.

[GutlessSupreme]

just spend the ~<30 bucks on GMPP ones and be done with it.

[cutlass1991]

i have a new set of rear trailing arms that I didnt put on yet. Can I just take the old ones off or will the leaf spring shoot me in the chest or something? What I'm asking is there a special procedure to remove them, or can I just take out the two bolts holding the hold one on without removing the rest of the rear suspension.

[birdman]

thanks, i didnt know they were made of crappy metal, my other option was to cut off the ends and weld a good bar in there, like a 1x1 piece of square stock, worth it or still go for the gmpp ones. btw where do get the gmpp ones? thanks

[Prospeeder]

i have a new set of rear trailing arms that I didnt put on yet. Can I just take the old ones off or will the leaf spring shoot me in the chest or something? What I'm asking is there a special procedure to remove them, or can I just take out the two bolts holding the hold one on without removing the rest of the rear suspension.

 

i was wondering this too, the trailing arms are not like keeping anything surpressed is it?

[birdman]

no i dont belive it is but the front bolt usually requries a torch to get loose

[Vegeta]

They are a bitch to get off, and you will need a screwdriver or something to fit through the hole and line it up to put the bolts back through when you are ready to do the install.

 

I had a hell of a time though getting mine off, including burning the rubber out and cutting in sideways to spray WD-40 inside the sleeve to the bolt.

[J]

They are a bitch to get off, and you will need a screwdriver or something to fit through the hole and line it up to put the bolts back through when you are ready to do the install.

 

I had a hell of a time though getting mine off, including burning the rubber out and cutting in sideways to spray WD-40 inside the sleeve to the bolt.

great to hear, and come to think i was gonna do this on a day when i had an extra hour to spare Fuck, but that shouldn't suprise me, wbody and rust = a bitch to work on

[birdman]

is it the rust that makes it hard to do because my underbody is almost rust free

[J]

is it the rust that makes it hard to do because my underbody is almost rust free

so is mine, its the rust on the bolts that make it tough.

[R Dubya]

i did them on both of my cars, one of them a ny car since its existence began and a winter beater for an IBM'er here who drove a nice Caddy during the summer months. My advice, invest in an electric impact gun, grab a good can of rust inhibitor, a boxed end wrench and spin that nut off. Home Depot has a nice Dewalt impact that can definetely get most jobs done. and dealer can get those GMPP trailing arms. I don't have the pn# handy but the dealer can find it.

 

Edit: tubular trailing arm pn# 10409660. You will need 2. Or order the kit #12498649.

[birdman]

thanks everyone, seems like gmpp ones are the way to go, that is if i can get the bolts out.

[cutlsp]

pb blaster kills rust but like others have said get the GMPP trailing arms

[pwmin]

just get them from gmpp http://www.gmgoodwrench.com/perfpartsjsp/partsearch.jsp?partsearchinput=12498649&submit.x=22&submit.y=6

Good wrench Rust Penetrant and Inhibitor # 1052627 works much better than pb blaster.

i think even if you boxed them in, they still wouldnt be as strong as the tubular ones

[birdman]

thanks alot, so those fit with no mods?

[Kalgorn]

Just order the set from http://www.gmpartsdirect.com

 

The part # is 12498649. Shipping was like 13 bucks or something.. no big deal. I put one on because my stocker snapped in half. Was ridiculous trying to get it on. My dad ended up torching the front bolt off and replacing it. The rear was tough to get off too but it finally budged with a breaker bar with a long pipe attached to it for leverage. I've got the second one sitting in my back seat. A cop thought it was my club.

 

I believe the reason they were tough to remove is that the nut on the bolt is one of those locking ones that is meant to be incredibly tough to remove so that they will only be removed if you REALLY want them to.

 

Yes, the GMPP ones will bolt up without any sort of modification or fabrication. They're bolt-in replacements and a MUCH better design. You can just tell when holding the two in your hand.

 

I fixed my stocker that snapped in half with a piece of green metal fence post and 4 hose clamps. :shock: 8)

[moneygreen]

i'm trying to fird the part number for trailing arms on gmpartsdirect.com

for a 96 monte/lumina. any body know i came up with 10282766

[Prospeeder]

http://www.gmgoodwrench.com/perfpartsjsp/partsearch.jsp?partsearchinput=12498649&submit.x=22&submit.y=6

[moneygreen]

is that the correct part # for the 96 lumina/monte because it says for a 99-02 monte,2000-02 impala and 97-02 grand prix it does't say 96 monte/lumina.

I just want to make sure it is correct.

[Supreme Cutlass]

It'll work on a first gen, right?

[Prospeeder]

It'll work on a first gen, right?

 

Yes, its the same for first gens, 1988-2003 use the same trailing arms

[moneygreen]

thank you

[Prospeeder]

im thinking GM didnt want the public to know they were reusing 1988 design on thier 2002 cars