Trailing Arm Question

[Doug J.]

I recently purchased a set of rebuilt Trailing Arms. As I was looking them over I noticed that one trailing arm has the holes drilled out for the rear sway bar link bracket, the other trailing arm does NOT have the holes drilled out. It's not really a problem because I can drill the 2 holes out myself, my question is this.....Why would the trailing arm NOT have the holes drilled out, what years were not available with a rear sway bar thus not needing the holes, and/or is this trailing arm not correct for the car.

Car is a 1971 with a 454/4spd and F41 suspension. See picture's for arms in question and bracket.

[Harry S.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

63 and 64 no hole.

[Doug J.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

Would the arm from a 63 or 64 still fit properly on a 1971 ?

[Gary R.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

They were drilled out when the rear sway bar was part of the package. You can see the holes are off center which is common. New arms don't have the holes either.
The 63-64 arms( drum brakes) are a little different then the 65-82 arms. They don't have the bump stop or PB bracket on them. The bushings are the same and I believe the offset is as well.
If you bought exchange arms, that is a common complaint, many times the arms received back are not the same quality as the originals and most times rebuilding the originals is the best option unless time is a factor.

[Jack H.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

If memory serves, rear sway bars were only installed on 454 BB's and F41 equipped cars from that era...

[Harry S.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

Doug, on a 63 and 64 there is only one bracket welded on the side for the brake line. Starting in 65 there was a welded bracket on both sides. Go to Bairs website and look at the differences between the two configurations.

[Doug J.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

That was also a question that I forgot to ask originally, if they were drilled out as required, when the car was to have a sway bar installed. The arm with no holes HAS the bump stop and the parking brake bracket. So the arm could have just come from a car that did not have a sway bar installed at the factory ? So there should (hopefully) be no problem with the fit, all I have to do is drill out 2 holes.

[Joe L.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

That was also a question that I forgot to ask originally, if they were drilled out as required, when the car was to have a sway bar installed. The arm with no holes HAS the bump stop and the parking brake bracket. So the arm could have just come from a car that did not have a sway bar installed at the factory ? So there should (hopefully) be no problem with the fit, all I have to do is drill out 2 holes.

Doug----


As long as you have the arms with the parking brake cable bracket, you have what you need. All you need to do is to drill the holes for the sway bar bracket retaining bolts.

All 63-82 GM arms have the same offset, so there's no need to be concerned about that.

[John H.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

Doug -

There was only one pair (RH & LH) of trailing arm assemblies received at St. Louis; when they were going to go on a unit that called for a rear stabilizer bar, the two holes were drilled in the arm in an off-line fixture before they were installed on the rear suspension subassembly.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

Doug,

At least in 67, if not other years to 82, small blocks did not come with rear sway bars. Thus no holes for the sway bars.

I recently had to change the original trailing arms on my 67. When I ordered the new trailing arms from Paragon (they actually came from Ikerd's), you could order them with or without the holes.

Looks like they sent you one side for a small block, which I think is the same except for the holes.

[Michael G.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

I have a Dec. 70 built 71 with the original trailing arms. It's a small block w/o rear sway bar and both are drilled. Could this be a problem for judging or was this possible during assembly? To the best of my knowledge and history research, these are the arms the car was given at assembly. Mike

[Joe L.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

I have a Dec. 70 built 71 with the original trailing arms. It's a small block w/o rear sway bar and both are drilled. Could this be a problem for judging or was this possible during assembly? To the best of my knowledge and history research, these are the arms the car was given at assembly. Mike

Mike-----


I would not be the least bit surprised that some original small block cars had the arms drilled for the sway bar bracket bolts.

[Joe L.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

Doug,

At least in 67, if not other years to 82, small blocks did not come with rear sway bars. Thus no holes for the sway bars.

Jerry-----


1963-74 small blocks did not have a rear sway bar with the POSSIBLE (but, in my opinion doubtful) exception of some 1970-72 with ZR-1. However, beginning in 1975, small blocks with FE-7 HD suspension did have a rear sway bar. It was a different and smaller OD bar than was used for 65-74 big blocks, though.

[Michael G.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

Thank you Joe,
Possibly another anomaly from the factory. I get nervous with the written rules regarding these. Not sure what to expect if/ when judged. Mike

[Gary R.]

Re: Trailing Arm Question

Jerry-----


1963-74 small blocks did not have a rear sway bar with the POSSIBLE (but, in my opinion doubtful) exception of some 1970-72 with ZR-1. However, beginning in 1975, small blocks with FE-7 HD suspension did have a rear sway bar. It was a different and smaller OD bar than was used for 65-74 big blocks, though.

Exactly Joe,
Our 75 is a FE-7 car and had the rear bar, HD shocks and springs.