Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Zonaman · 03-10-2011, 02:26 AM

When I decided to replace the trailing arm bushings on my C-10, I planned to remove the arms so I could work on them on my bench. Eveything came off OK till I got to the U-bolts on the axle. My air wrench wouldn't budge them. Tried heating them- no good. Got a breaker bar with long pipe on it- you can see the result below. I didn't have a bolt splitter and I didn't want to cut the u-bolts so I just lowered the axle on a couple of jacks. The inner sleeves and old rubber pressed right out- clean! A little tricky lining everything up but no real trouble. I'm wondering- How many others have done it this way?

darush01 · 03-10-2011, 02:45 AM

I had to cut my u bolts and have yet to get the things off
Posted via Mobile Device

Jacfourteen · 03-10-2011, 02:49 AM

You can easily remove the u-bolts by using a cut off wheel on an angle grinder. I've snapped off the bolts before when trying to break them free in the junk yard. If I had a grinder that I could use in the junk yard that would have been my first choice, but you gotta make do with what ya got.

**leddzepp** · 03-10-2011, 03:01 AM

I had to burn out the old bushings with a torch...they were stuck in there for life. Removing the U-bolts on the trailing arms was easy.

ubtripn · 03-10-2011, 09:39 AM

Now keep that wrench under your front seat, it still has uses.

Creative solution by the way!

Zonaman · 03-10-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ubtripn

Now keep that wrench under your front seat, it still has uses.

Creative solution by the way!

You mean like a boomerang?

kelsfine69 · 03-10-2011, 12:20 PM

How did you press out the bushings ?

ubtripn · 03-10-2011, 12:39 PM

More like that steering wheel lock convieniently caled, "The club."

ChevLoRay · 03-10-2011, 12:48 PM

Dang, I feel cheated. Mine came out of the crossmember w/o any issues. The biggest problem was getting the coil spring retainer loose. One galled nut really messed with us, but we didn't let it take us down.

I think it was the fact that we had the rear end out and turned upside down that let us get serious with it.....

....waitin' on the sandblaster to call and say he's done..

smallblockchev · 03-10-2011, 04:43 PM

I would just cut the ubolts off. They are cheap and most auto stores should have them.

eagleuh1 · 03-10-2011, 07:56 PM

Get some PB Blaster and soak them the day before after wire brushing around the u-bolts and nuts. Soak them again a couple of hours ahead of time. This has worked on all but one of my bolts on my truck. The tailgate pivot bolt on bottom snapped while trying to work back and forth. If that don't work, they probably aint worth saving anyways.

Jacfourteen · 03-10-2011, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eagleuh1

Get some PB Blaster and soak them the day before after wire brushing around the u-bolts and nuts. Soak them again a couple of hours ahead of time. This has worked on all but one of my bolts on my truck. The tailgate pivot bolt on bottom snapped while trying to work back and forth. If that don't work, they probably aint worth saving anyways.

Agreed!

cparman · 03-10-2011, 09:32 PM

Looks like you have the nuts off already? I had the same problem on my 69. I put the nuts back on several threads. heated the control arm red hot, and with a BFH drove the ubolts out. Thinking back, I would/should have cut the ubolts off and junked them along with the control arms.

Zonaman · 03-10-2011, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelsfine69

How did you press out the bushings ?

I just needed the inner sleeve and the rubber out (polyurethane replacments). I used a 3 jaw puller with a socket over the screw. Insead of pulling it was pushing. It's real dry in Arizona and, as I suspected, that 40 year old rubber wouldn't give me too much trouble. In fact, it came out clean on both bushings. That rubber was dried out like a rasin! I thought I might need to wire brush off some from the sleeve but it was bare metal in there.

If I was going to remove the outter sleeve, I would surely have cut the bolts because there's no decent way to press them out from undneath. I didn't have a car that day but figured I could get it done this way instead of waiting till the next day to go hunting for u-bolts. It worked but I don't think too many folks ever do it that way.

What's PB Blaster? Sounds like good stuff.

Sicklajoie · 03-11-2011, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zonaman

What's PB Blaster? Sounds like good stuff.

Amazon.com: Blaster 16-PB Penetrating Catalyst -...

Tx Firefighter · 03-11-2011, 07:22 AM

You can buy PB Blaster at any Walmart or O Reilly.

03-10-2011, 02:26 AM	#1
Zonaman Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 519	Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal When I decided to replace the trailing arm bushings on my C-10, I planned to remove the arms so I could work on them on my bench. Eveything came off OK till I got to the U-bolts on the axle. My air wrench wouldn't budge them. Tried heating them- no good. Got a breaker bar with long pipe on it- you can see the result below. I didn't have a bolt splitter and I didn't want to cut the u-bolts so I just lowered the axle on a couple of jacks. The inner sleeves and old rubber pressed right out- clean! A little tricky lining everything up but no real trouble. I'm wondering- How many others have done it this way? Attached Images __________________ 69 C-10 LWB, 350, 700r4, 3.73 posi-traction, front disc brakes. Built for the desert- She can take the heat! Vivat Rex Chevus! Last edited by Zonaman; 03-10-2011 at 02:40 AM.

03-10-2011, 02:45 AM	#2
darush01 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Louisville ky Posts: 398	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal I had to cut my u bolts and have yet to get the things off Posted via Mobile Device

03-10-2011, 02:49 AM	#3
Jacfourteen Big Red - Now its a SWB! Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oroville, Ca Posts: 1,624	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal You can easily remove the u-bolts by using a cut off wheel on an angle grinder. I've snapped off the bolts before when trying to break them free in the junk yard. If I had a grinder that I could use in the junk yard that would have been my first choice, but you gotta make do with what ya got. __________________ 68 3/4 ton (Project)-350 Small Block, .030 over, 10:1 comp, 3998993 heads, C3BX edelbrock intake, comp cams XE268, Holley 670 SA, long tube headers, dual flow 40's, E-fan, Alum rad, currently under the knife getting shortened and bagged build thread 41 3/4 ton (wife's)-flatbed, fully restored to original 01 Tahoe LT 4WD (my daily driver)-Magnaflow Muffler, Rollin on 22's 02 Ford Mustang Convertable (Wife's Car)-Flowmaster 50, Clear corners, Intake, sittin on 18's

03-10-2011, 03:01 AM	#4
leddzepp Moderator Join Date: May 2007 Location: Southern Cal Posts: 20,036	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal I had to burn out the old bushings with a torch...they were stuck in there for life. Removing the U-bolts on the trailing arms was easy. __________________ 1972 C/10 Cheyenne Super SWB. Restored, loaded, slammed. 1968 C/10 50th Anniversary LWB. Unrestored, stock, daily driver/work truck. RIP ElJay RIP 67ChevyRedneck RIP Grumpy Old Man RIP FleetsidePaul

03-10-2011, 09:39 AM	#5
ubtripn Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,280	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal Now keep that wrench under your front seat, it still has uses. Creative solution by the way! Last edited by ubtripn; 03-10-2011 at 10:05 AM.

03-10-2011, 12:20 PM	#7
kelsfine69 18 Till I Die Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 1,522	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal How did you press out the bushings ? __________________ 2011 GMC Acadia 1969 GMC BBC LS7 2007 GMC Crew Duramax 1987 Camaro Iroc 350 Tuned Port Injection 42000Km 1987 Chevrolet Silverado 350 TBI 1987 Chevrolet Silverado 350 TBI(yes 2) Take me drunk, I'm too home...

03-10-2011, 12:39 PM	#8
ubtripn Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,280	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal More like that steering wheel lock convieniently caled, "The club."

03-10-2011, 12:48 PM	#9
ChevLoRay Old Skool Club Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas" Posts: 10,880	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal Dang, I feel cheated. Mine came out of the crossmember w/o any issues. The biggest problem was getting the coil spring retainer loose. One galled nut really messed with us, but we didn't let it take us down. I think it was the fact that we had the rear end out and turned upside down that let us get serious with it..... ....waitin' on the sandblaster to call and say he's done.. __________________ Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was.

03-10-2011, 04:43 PM	#10
smallblockchev Registered User Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bemidji, MN Posts: 65	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal I would just cut the ubolts off. They are cheap and most auto stores should have them. __________________ 2007 Chevy 2500HD all stock 1985 Chevy Blazer- sold 1971 Chevy c10- The Mistress 2014 Ford Interceptor SUV

03-10-2011, 07:56 PM	#11
eagleuh1 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Russellville, Arkansas Posts: 1,699	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal Get some PB Blaster and soak them the day before after wire brushing around the u-bolts and nuts. Soak them again a couple of hours ahead of time. This has worked on all but one of my bolts on my truck. The tailgate pivot bolt on bottom snapped while trying to work back and forth. If that don't work, they probably aint worth saving anyways.

03-10-2011, 09:32 PM	#13
cparman sharp as a marble Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: atlantic beach,florida Posts: 1,082	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal Looks like you have the nuts off already? I had the same problem on my 69. I put the nuts back on several threads. heated the control arm red hot, and with a BFH drove the ubolts out. Thinking back, I would/should have cut the ubolts off and junked them along with the control arms.

03-11-2011, 07:22 AM	#16
Tx Firefighter Watch out for your cornhole ! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Azle, Texas Posts: 14,162	Re: Unorthadox Traling Arm Removal You can buy PB Blaster at any Walmart or O Reilly. __________________ I'm on the Instagram- @Gearhead_Kevin



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