Trailing arm confusion. HELP!

[admiral awesome]

So I've reached the tail end of a full suspension rebuild due to a minor wreck, and I'm stuck on how I should go about an issue I have with my driver side trailing arm. I was putting on my new rear axel on the driver side (old one snapped) and noticed it was a really tight squeeze and required a scissor jack between the diff and lower shock mount to fit in there. Found out that my trailing arm mounts on the driver side of the rear axel carrier are bent. I thought of just dropping everything down and bashing them straight with a hammer, but there is so little room to move in that area that I would like some other input before I just go to town with the hammer.

Main issue I'm having is I don't want any un-nessescary pressure in the new axel I just installed, and a more minor problem it is causing is that it is giving me a few degrees of positive camber on that wheel which is making it really hard for me to kill the stance game.

Any input on this would be appreciated, would really enjoy not having to drop all the suspension if I don't have to.

Here are some pictures to help a bit.

What the normal trailing arm mounts look like on the passenger side.


The bent ones. Driver side.


Looks like it is putting strain on the axel near the diff.

[bmwguy325is]

Ya you need new sub frame or legit repair. The arm itself may be bent

[admiral awesome]

I don't think the whole arm is bent (at least I hope not) but even if it is couldn't I just get a new trailing arm?

[F34R]

I don't think the whole arm is bent (at least I hope not) but even if it is couldn't I just get a new trailing arm?

Correct

Swap out the arm and frame then install the weld in camber and toe kit from e30tech as no one else seems to have it in stock.

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80410

149.00 kit.

[pantelones]

I thought of just dropping everything down and bashing them straight with a hammer, but there is so little room to move in that area that I would like some other input before I just go to town with the hammer.

Please do not ever do this...




That needs to be replaced. You can come close to getting it back into place, but you will strain to metal. That is a highly stressed area and I would not recommend doing that for safety reasons.

Spend the couple hundred dollars and a weekend to replace your subframe, and verify that your trialing arms are straight. While you are in there make sure your body is straight...

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1289810&postcount=46

[jlevie]

You need a new subframe and a new trailing arm.

[admiral awesome]

Got my new sub-frame today. Took out everything that is holding it to the body and now just need to get it down. Any preferred method of doing so? Would really like to save the bushings it has because the new sub-frame's bushings are shot.

[Cletonius]

Got my new sub-frame today. Took out everything that is holding it to the body and now just need to get it down. Any preferred method of doing so? Would really like to save the bushings it has because the new sub-frame's bushings are shot.

I'd replace the bushings.

Easiest way to get the thing out is to thread a 5/8" lag bolt into the bushing from underneath, then put a 18" round punch in the hole from inside the car. 1-2 hits with the sledge and the subframe should drop.... as long as it doesn't get stuck.

[admiral awesome]

Really hope it doesn't get stuck. Fixing everything has been nothing but trouble so far. Last thing I need is an issue to require more time and money, considering the car has already been down for a couple months...Thanks for all the help by the way. Really appreciate all the input.

[admiral awesome]

Made some good progress today. Got my old subframe off. Looks like the trailing arm held up to the impact and didn't bend, but won't know for sure until we start piecing it back together. One downer is that I accidentally pulled the rear part of the driveshaft back too far while dropping the diff down so now I have to either keep trying to shove the shaft in blind until I line the splines up, or remove the whole exhaust along with the exhaust guards just to put it back in. Still haven't decided what I want to do in that situation. On a positive note however the old subframe and trailing arms have poly bushings already. Need to find a way to get those out because the bushings in the new subframe are SHOT.

My buddy (A.K.A. my mechanic) basking in triumph upon the removal of the old subframe.


Kind of hard to see, but this is the trailing arm mount comparison. New is on the left.


Poly bushings in the old subframe. Really want these out intact. Gotta figure it out.


Bushing comparison. The ones that the new subframe came with are definitely not usable.


If we can sort out the bushing swapping, and my trailing arm ends up not being bent then the car should be on the ground ready for an alignment tomorrow.

[Farbin Kaiber]

So, your mechanic wears slipons and gymshorts to work on a customers vehicle? Really!?!?!

[admiral awesome]

^^Hahahaha, he isn't really a mechanic. Just a really good friend of mine who lives down the street. Despite his attire, he is pretty handy with a wrench. Also accepts my mom's cooking as payment.

[CHIF8008]

yea. someone hit a curb.... mine looked like that when i did a bad drifto


NOTE: you should get a camber/caster kit welded on while you have it out. if there is/ was any uni-body damage that is still causing alignment problems you may be able to correct it with the kit/ along with fixing camber wear, toe wear out back from lowering the e30

[admiral awesome]

I've been thinking about it, but I don't really know anybody that knows how to weld. Plus with all the things I've had to buy along with the possibility of still needing a new trailing arm (really really hope I don't) I am trying to limit spending to needs rather then wants.

[admiral awesome]

Its late, I'm tired, bushings need torched out, rear portion of the driveshaft won't push all the way back in, I'm done for the night.