Rear trailing arm bushings

[70spider]

Hey I can not figure out how to get the old bushings out of the trailing arm. I took a couple of pics.


My initial problem is that I can not get the outer washers off. It appears they are fitted to the center shaft. Also when I looked at trailing arms at our vendors they do not have the large washer. Any thoughts and suggestions as usual are greatly appriciated. Thanks.

[76was124]

I don't know for sure, but I thought I read somewhere it's a press fit, so a bearing puller, or a hydraulic jack and a hard surface could be used....can't find the thread at the moment though.

[76was124]

If someone confirms they are just a press fit on Fiats, there is a possible solution for a self made tool at the bottom of this web posting: http://www.firstfives.org/faq/trailing_ ... g_faq.html

[So Cal Mark]

push the sleeve out of the middle, then push the bushing out

[SoFlaFiat]

The washers are just stuck to the rubber but are in fact washers. A sharp knife to the back will get them off. And then, what Mark said! If they don't push out, cut then with a hack saw blade in a couple places.

[SoFlaFiat]

Or, soak them in gasoline, light them up and run!!

The poster of such post accepts no responsibility, actual or inferred, for weakened metal due to extreme heat developed during such an insane action. Lawyered!!

[70spider]

Or, soak them in gasoline, light them up and run!!

It might have to revert to that, I shouldn't have fixed my flaming exhauast

push the sleeve out of the middle, then push the bushing out

I tried to punch the centers out but not much luck, I was a bit worrried of hitting them to hard and doing damage.
I figure I'll try to cut some of the rubber away and hammer them out using a socket about the same size. At any rate, I will have time to figure it out, the bolt threads are completely shot so I'll have to order some.
I was wondering if I bought new trailing arms do I put washers on the outside like these?
Thanks for the help guys, I'm getting close, I start him up every day just to hear that engine. Have a great evening .

[70spider]

I was looking into getting new trailing arm components if I can't manage the old ones and came across something a bit odd, I found a new panhard arm from Midwest for 67-77 and Vicks but noticed they are straight, AR doesn't have a pic for the early ones but there pic for the later ones and it is curved. The one on my Spider is curved, follows the upper contour of the rear axle. Are there 2 types? If so are they interchangeble? The mystery continues

[vandor]

There are two types and are NOT interchangeable? Yours should be straight from the factory. The later rear ends with a cover on the back used the curved type.

[DieselSpider]

Sometimes on that style of bushing after you knock the washers off you need to run a drill though the old rubber bushing in a few places to ease them so they can slide out. If really bad they may not come out in one piece. Some times you can get them moving by prying the rubber away from the outside of the bore in the end of the arm so a little penetrating oil can be applied and allowed to soak in to break the bond that has developed over the years.

[70spider]

Csaba said:

Yours should be straight from the factory

here is a pic of my rear

So what can we say from this. The rear is an early one due to the fact I had the shock mounting points set below the spring seat and had to remove the bracket to remove the shock or is it?. So is mine bent? Or is this the work of a former owner?
The question is where do I go from here, do I get a new straight one?
Edit: I added a couple of more pics so someone could get a better idea.

[njoconnor]

If you can wait until this evening, I have some pix/description of the process I just took this past week; figured someone else would run into the task.

I used a combination of a 4 1/2 inch bench vise and a medium sized c clamp, along with various sockets. Also....lots of soaking with PB blaster and WD 40. Mark describes the best sequence: metal sleeve first, bushing second. I only have one more to go, and it's been a bear (lower trailing arm). I just may take it to a local shop and have them use their press.

Reinstall was simpler (I finished the panhard rod last week). Used dish soap for lube, and pressed the bushings in with the bench vise, then the sleeve with a necked down socket. No pix of re-install yet; I have some priming and painting to do!

Neil

[70spider]

Well earlier I was talking how my Spider's rear axle has a 2cm shift to the passenger side, I found out why. From the photo of my panhard rod, Csaba confirmed it was bent and that my Spider whould have a straight bar. Apparently it had been bent by th PO causeing the 2cm shift. I recieved the new from AR today, here is the comparison:

And apparently this was the cause of all my noise in the rear when I made a right turn.

[RRoller123]

Wow, that is quite a bend!

[fiatfactory]

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