Trailing Arm bushings

[steelhorse]

I am ready to do some work on my chassis and want to replace the trailing arm bushings. What are you guys using and where are you getting them? I saw a kit that had reinforcing plates and bushings but they were polyurethane and didn't look to have the outer metal shell that you press into the trailing arm. How does that work?

[leftybass209]

You reuse your original shells with the polyurethane bushings. That's what I have but not installed yet.

[Fldawg]

bought some of the rubber ones from lmc,

[boraxman]

Heres a question...How do you know when they need to be replaced?

[steelhorse]

I am doing a frame off so all my bushings are being replaced.

[engineer_gregh]

I replaced mine this summer with ones from LMC. Mine looked to be original and were dry rotted and cracked. At the same time I did new coils, shocks, CPP front stabilizer bar, new u-joints and carrier bearing, and a CPP rear track bar. Drives great but with all of that at once I couldn't tell you how much of a difference the trailing arm bushings actually made.

[Number98]

I just did this with the Poly bushings, getting the old ones out can be tough since you have to leave the outer shell. I drilled several holes through the rubber, then pushed them right out. I put the Poly bushings in the freezer for a bit, then put the lube that comes with them on and they slide right in.

[kamikazekyle05]

I got mine from travis at azproperformance http://www.azproperformance.com/Prot...lls-7-301.html

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by steelhorse

I am ready to do some work on my chassis and want to replace the trailing arm bushings. What are you guys using and where are you getting them? I saw a kit that had reinforcing plates and bushings but they were polyurethane and didn't look to have the outer metal shell that you press into the trailing arm. How does that work?

I got my polyurethane from Performance Suspension in Phoenix. When I posted this, their website was under construction.

3001 N 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85017
http://www.performancesuspension.co...

(602) 272-4085

It seems I had the most trouble getting the old rubber ones out, don't remember exactly how I did it but I used a wire brush to finish cleaning the inside of the old existing tubes before installing the new ones into there, they went right with the supplied lubricant. I did them with the truck fully assembled with the axle tubes on jack-stands, I loosened the U-bolts on one side at a time and dropped the trailing arm just enough for clearance one at a time and had no problems at all. I had my come-along and bottle jack at the wait, but not needed.

I HAVE HEARD since then that once you loosen those U-bolts that you need to replace them. I have not, but since I heard that it's on my to-do list. I only drive it to the dump, I know, no excuse but I'm not as young as I used to be and not as energetic.

The old bushings, after some 250,000 miles, were still good. The new bushings are nice but if I told you I could tell the difference I'd be lying.