Reproduction trailing arms

[Donald H.]

I'm rebuilding the trailing arms on my 67. Doesn't appear that they have ever been off the car. I have them off, after a struggle and finally my sawzall to get into the frame pockets and cut through the rusted alignment shims and bolts. By the way, they were original type alignment shims.

I have the spindle support separated from the trailing arms. The trailing arms are pretty rusty and pitted. I started media blasting one of them, and they will probably clean up enough to reuse. There is pretty heavy surface rust, but no particularly thin areas and nothing close to rusting through, but I was wondering if I should replace them.

Paragon has new ones for $185 each and LIC wants $285. First, I wonder why LICs is $100 more. I find it hard to believe that there are that many people manufacturing them.

Has anyone on the forum used either of the reproduction trailing arms? If so, what's your opinion of the reproductions.

Thanks,

Don

[Donald H.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

Also, the reproduction arms are already painted and have the front bushing assemblies installed, or at least they do in the website pictures for both Paragon and LIC.

[Bob W.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

Donald Corvette Central also sells them and there catalog says that they are made in America. As you said I don't think many people are making them.I hope someone who used them will answer your thread

Bob

[Larry M.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

Why not just contact Bairs or Van Steel and have them send you reconditioned originals for your car. Maybe even pay a bit more for the "best of what they have in stock"????

Larry

[Gary R.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

Don,
There are USA made and imported new arms. I have used plenty of the USA made arms and they are as good as the originals- if not better. I get them from Bairs and never had any issues with them. The gloss on the powder coat is shiny compared to stock but you can scuff and paint them if you want. Vendor pricing varies all over the net. If you need a new arm I would use Bairs bare arms.

Now the question is if yours are still good? They rot from the inside out, many are bent from alignment shops, or possible curb damage. I have a cut away I bring to my Carlisle seminars to show where the rot and what to look for. Look at the overlap seam on the end for bulging and separation. Pinch the area inside the large opening, feel for bulging. Look inside the large hole where the plate separation seam can be seen. It should be flat, no gap showing. Measure from the flat plate to with a good 2' level and to the bushing point of the arm, it should be 1.920 - 2.00" if you find a lot more the arm is bent. If you find any these things, dump them.

Be sure to check the axles, did the outer bearing stay on the axle or come off? Check the supports for bent legs, deformed D flat hole, and bores out of round. Do not believe the axles are bad if the flange has up to 010" runout, that is how they were new. New axles are ground not faced and are better in respect to runout but the final product is to have 003" or less rotor runout and -0- lateral play in setting up the bearings, forget about the mystical 002" endplay number that has been floating around the net the past 20 years. If you don't remove the lateral play your endplay will be higher then what you believe you set them to.

There's more to this but I don't want to hold an online seminar.

[Bob W.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

Gary In what way do think they maybe better? So find the best price on USA made arms.

Bob

[Gary J.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

One of the differences you are going to notice on the reproduction is there is no weld splatter on the arms where they welded the park brake cable bracket on. Noticeable if you put the two side by side.

[Gary R.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

Gary In what way do think they maybe better? So find the best price on USA made arms.

Bob

They are smooth, as Gary Jaynes mentioned. They are dipped,powder coated, ruber bushings install, spring cups installed and cable guides installed. The welding is better overall.

[Brian T.]

[Bob W.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

Brian, Gary & Gary , Thanks for your input.

Bob

[Joe L.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

They are smooth, as Gary Jaynes mentioned. They are dipped,powder coated, ruber bushings install, spring cups installed and cable guides installed. The welding is better overall.

Gary------


Actually, the current reproduction arms I've seen look identical to the GM SERVICE arms during at least the last 10 years, or so, of their availability. These GM arms were supplied with installed bushing and gloss black, "powdercoated" finish. There was no welding spatter on them. So, I think that someone (maybe Bair's?) located the manufacturing source used by GM and that manufacturer using the original tooling makes them now. They probably make them for a single Corvette parts vendor who orders them in a "minimum order" quantity and that vendor wholesales them to the other vendors.

[Joe R.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

As far as I am concerned Bair's at 1 800 421-9644 is the only way to go. Bair's suggested list is $185.00 but some vendors want more profit and shipping is a little more expensive on trailing arms than most things. That price includes the front bushing installed. Bair's trailing arms are made in PA. They also have 63-64 trailing arms available.
The welding spatter depends on who is welding that day! Goober is pretty messy!

JR

PS. Bair's will also completely recondition your trailing arms with their new trailing arms and your hardware. When you get them back you will never have to mess with them again, ever!

[Edward J.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

One other note is that the spring cups on the repro's I got were not the correct for mid years that used the smaller lip. L.I. Corvette sells the correct cups.

[Richard M.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

Don, Bair's supplied me with 2 sets(a 66 & a 67) and are excellent. I had them do the rebuild with their new arms.

You might want to try to convince them to scuff and shoot semi-gloss on the arms before assembly if you have them do the rebuild. It was a lot of masking to prime and paint.

Reference photos before and after:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?108979-1967-Body-Lift-for-Chassis-amp-Frame-Restoration&p=735179#post735179

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?108979-1967-Body-Lift-for-Chassis-amp-Frame-Restoration&p=740291#post740291

[Donald H.]

Re: Reproduction trailing arms

Thanks all,

Gary R. - thanks as always for the great advice. The outer bearings did stay on the passenger side axle. I don't have the driver side off yet (see issue below). The bearing support on that side looks good, I.e. the D is still well defined, the holes are round, and the legs look good.

I'm convinced. I think my arms are reusable, but I'm going to get a new set from Bair's.

This morning I found a new issue. I moved on to the driver side trailing arm and removal of the spindle. The spindle on this side must have been replaced at some point. When I tried to screw on the spindle knocker, it was to big. The spindle on the driver side has a 5/8" threaded end (as I measured it), and the passenger side has something more like 3/4" (which the spindle knocker fit).

Anyone know what this spindle is from? I'm assuming I will just get a correct replacement spindle from Bair's when I order. Their website says their spindles are made in the US.

Since my spindle knocker will not fit this spindle, the only way I know to get it out is pound it with my small hand sledge which will ruin the spindle, but I do not see any reason to try and save it. Any advice?

By the way, in answer to one comment, yes I know I can get Bair's to do all of this, but then I think doing things like this help keep my active in my retirement. What else would I do??

Thanks again,

Don