Looking for help with rusty rear upper spring patch.....

[cutchemist42]

Bought this car a few months ago from someone who had owned it for the last 8 years. Had receipts for all work done, and was taking it to a shop I take my Audi to too.

Went to put on new springs a few nights ago. End up finding out the driver side upper rear spring perch has no knub to accept the pad! This guy was driving around for years with only the weight of the vehicle keeping the springs from slipping out.

Am I looking at finding a donor car with that part of the perch available to cut out and weld in?

Thanks for the help, looking forward to posting here in the future!

[jlevie]

You will have to cut that part out of a donor car.

[petrolhead]

I've done two of those, from 3mm sheet metal and a piece of pipe.

But, for my project, I had to replace both left & right. For that I got parts from donors. Bit of sandblasting and they're as good as new.
Drill out the welds, remove the part. Discover that the part where the spring plate is supposed to sit, has rusted away also. ->more cutting and welding.
Weld on the new spring plate. Paint inside 'n out. :)

[frankie591]

I had to replace both the spring pads on my trailing arms because the nubs were completely rusted off. Just used some sheet metal for the circle part, and a piece of thick wall pipe with the correct diameter for the nubs. I drilled holes in the circular sheet so I could plug weld the pad to the trailing arm, then seam welded around the edges to be safe.

[cutchemist42]

I had to replace both the spring pads on my trailing arms because the nubs were completely rusted off. Just used some sheet metal for the circle part, and a piece of thick wall pipe with the correct diameter for the nubs. I drilled holes in the circular sheet so I could plug weld the pad to the trailing arm, then seam welded around the edges to be safe.

I was actually considering something similar.I'll see how finding a donor car goes. With it being winter, this repair won't be happening until Spring.

[TimKninja]

You might want to find a whole new trailing arm at this point.

When i say new I mean Used and in good condition.

[Smelser]

look up any racing store, like BRP and get a set of adjustable spring perches. You can weld thim in to the car and then use them to set ride height while renforcing what was rotted and its win win

[cutchemist42]

look up any racing store, like BRP and get a set of adjustable spring perches. You can weld thim in to the car and then use them to set ride height while renforcing what was rotted and its win win

The problem is this car has to be safetied in my province before it can be insured. To pass a safety, the car has to be stock suspension.

[cutchemist42]

I've done two of those, from 3mm sheet metal and a piece of pipe.

But, for my project, I had to replace both left & right. For that I got parts from donors. Bit of sandblasting and they're as good as new.
Drill out the welds, remove the part. Discover that the part where the spring plate is supposed to sit, has rusted away also. ->more cutting and welding.
Weld on the new spring plate. Paint inside 'n out. :)

So you were repairing the upper spring perch or the part of the perch/nub on the trailing arm?

[cutchemist42]

Here's some pictures too

[cutchemist42]

So in terms of putting in a new knub resting part, what should I be cutting away and welding based on what is actually there?

[JGood]

I would get in there with a wire wheel, and take it down to bare metal all around the area, to see what you're working with. You need to know where the good metal ends in order to determine what you'll need to remove and replace.

That just seems like surface rust, maybe a little more severe near the center 'cone' area. In which case you could get away with just cutting the center area out and welding another piece in, either from a junk car, or just make the piece yourself.