Trailing arm bushings - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

70 longbed · 10-13-2003, 11:38 PM

I have a 70 longbed c10. Do I need to completely remove the trailing arm to replace the bushings. Are there any secrets in this taslk that I need to know about before I begin. The bed is off, so I am sure that now is the time to accomplish this.

paintpyro · 10-14-2003, 02:54 AM

Trailing arm bushing arent fun. I burned mine out with a propane torch. Yes, you'll need to completely remove them. If there is a way to do it without removing them, Ive never heard it. good luck, itll leave you

**1970 CST Short Wide** · 10-14-2003, 09:45 AM

I have a NEW set of bushings that I'm not useing. Yours for $10 and shipping

Custom 68 · 10-14-2003, 10:03 AM

I went to Autozone and rented one of their removers it looks like a beefy c-clamp with a hole in one end where the bushing goes out and different size cups on the other end for support. I crawled under my truck used my impact and went at it. Yes it can be done under the truck. Now last weekend I replaced the ones laying on the floor and they were much easier but you can do it with that tool.
good luck
Dave

**COBALT** · 10-14-2003, 12:49 PM

I did mine last fall (a year ago), and here's what I did.

Got under the truck (I had my bed on), and soaked the bolts with plenty of penetrant. Waited until it was nice and deep, then fired up the blue wrench (propane torch). Heated up the bolts.

Then, with a 3/4" drive breaker and a floor jack I broke those bolts loose using the concrete floor, and the jack to put pressure on the breaker bar. Not too fancy, but it did the job. You may have to heat, cool, and soak several times to get them to break loose.

Once the trailing arms were out I didn't waste my time trying to "press" them out with any of my presses. Since it's so thick it's just a process of using your blue wrench to burn out the bushings. You won't re-use the metal cores anyway. They fall right out, and burn on the floor. This is simple and doesn't require you to:

a. risk deforming the end of the trailing arm.
b. spend a lot of energy to get the bushing cleanly out.
c. end up with rubber residue all over the inside of your trailing arm you'll have to clean out because the old bushing was dried out and breaking apart.

All you'll have is soot, and that's easy to clean with some brake cleaner and some scotch brite.

I got my bushings from Early Classic Enterprises (but I got mine in a kit with the panhard bar bushings, and the front swaybar bushings). They were Energy Suspensions.

They banged into the trailing arm just fine with some lube, but they ended up being too long (the trailing arm wouldn't fit back into the bracket on the frame). I had to run the bushing against the side of my grinder wheel to reduce the length by 1/16" to get them to fit into the bracket. Once that was done I used new grade 8 bolts and nuts to reattach the trailing arm to the frame, and then I torqued to spec.

Done.

Fred T · 10-14-2003, 01:24 PM

I did mine about the same way as Cobalt, but I couldn't get one of the nuts loose until I had it almost plastic (left wrench marks in the sides) heating with oxy-acetylene. My bushings wouldn't fit, at first, so I radiused the corners and squeezed them with clamps to slide them in. I pulled my arms out to lower the truck, ended up replacing them due to rust at the springs.

70 longbed · 10-14-2003, 02:21 PM

Cobalt,

You did remove the trailing from the truck to do this? Seperate front and rear and work on the bench!

Overholt11 · 04-19-2014, 09:03 PM

Any tips on getting the new ones back in. It's pretty tight even with greasing them. Not sure?

10-13-2003, 11:38 PM	#1
70 longbed Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sierra Vista, AZ Posts: 490	Trailing arm bushings I have a 70 longbed c10. Do I need to completely remove the trailing arm to replace the bushings. Are there any secrets in this taslk that I need to know about before I begin. The bed is off, so I am sure that now is the time to accomplish this. __________________ Keith 70 CST longbed in progress. Hoping to get it back on the road soon.

10-14-2003, 02:54 AM	#2
paintpyro Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Santa Fe Springs, CA,USA Posts: 1,579	Trailing arm bushing arent fun. I burned mine out with a propane torch. Yes, you'll need to completely remove them. If there is a way to do it without removing them, Ive never heard it. good luck, itll leave you __________________ 70 shortbed stepside "Schleprock" 350 w/TH400 rallys and BFGs -We can rebuild it, we have the technology-lower,shinier,faster

10-14-2003, 09:45 AM	#3
1970 CST Short Wide Senior Moment Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pittsburg Ca Posts: 4,101	I have a NEW set of bushings that I'm not useing. Yours for $10 and shipping __________________ 1970 CST LS 1 6 speed Ford 9 inch Detroit Tru Track, Dakota Didgital, Vintage Air, QA1 Coil Overs Front & Rear Lots of FUN 2013 GMC PU, Oldest Son 71 GMC LWB. QA1 Suspension, Angry SB. Youngest Son 2019 GMC Diesil Dually. Youngest Son 2017 Toyota SUV Daughters car 2018 Traverse , Wife’s Ride Pittsburg Ca 94565

10-14-2003, 10:03 AM	#4
Custom 68 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 2,928	I went to Autozone and rented one of their removers it looks like a beefy c-clamp with a hole in one end where the bushing goes out and different size cups on the other end for support. I crawled under my truck used my impact and went at it. Yes it can be done under the truck. Now last weekend I replaced the ones laying on the floor and they were much easier but you can do it with that tool. good luck Dave __________________ Dave 1968 Custom Chevy with turbo charged 5.3 gen III 4l80e swap 1967-71 GMC 3/4 ton long step 4x4 (not sure what year exactly?) "A good friend will bail you out of jail...but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying "that was frekin awesome". "If it doesn't fit force it...If it breaks then it needed to be replaced anyway!"

10-14-2003, 12:49 PM	#5
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	I did mine last fall (a year ago), and here's what I did. Got under the truck (I had my bed on), and soaked the bolts with plenty of penetrant. Waited until it was nice and deep, then fired up the blue wrench (propane torch). Heated up the bolts. Then, with a 3/4" drive breaker and a floor jack I broke those bolts loose using the concrete floor, and the jack to put pressure on the breaker bar. Not too fancy, but it did the job. You may have to heat, cool, and soak several times to get them to break loose. Once the trailing arms were out I didn't waste my time trying to "press" them out with any of my presses. Since it's so thick it's just a process of using your blue wrench to burn out the bushings. You won't re-use the metal cores anyway. They fall right out, and burn on the floor. This is simple and doesn't require you to: a. risk deforming the end of the trailing arm. b. spend a lot of energy to get the bushing cleanly out. c. end up with rubber residue all over the inside of your trailing arm you'll have to clean out because the old bushing was dried out and breaking apart. All you'll have is soot, and that's easy to clean with some brake cleaner and some scotch brite. I got my bushings from Early Classic Enterprises (but I got mine in a kit with the panhard bar bushings, and the front swaybar bushings). They were Energy Suspensions. They banged into the trailing arm just fine with some lube, but they ended up being too long (the trailing arm wouldn't fit back into the bracket on the frame). I had to run the bushing against the side of my grinder wheel to reduce the length by 1/16" to get them to fit into the bracket. Once that was done I used new grade 8 bolts and nuts to reattach the trailing arm to the frame, and then I torqued to spec. Done. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

10-14-2003, 01:24 PM	#6
Fred T Cantankerous Geezer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bel Aire, KS Posts: 6,264	I did mine about the same way as Cobalt, but I couldn't get one of the nuts loose until I had it almost plastic (left wrench marks in the sides) heating with oxy-acetylene. My bushings wouldn't fit, at first, so I radiused the corners and squeezed them with clamps to slide them in. I pulled my arms out to lower the truck, ended up replacing them due to rust at the springs. __________________ Fred There is no such thing as too much cam...just not enough engine.

10-14-2003, 02:21 PM	#7
70 longbed Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sierra Vista, AZ Posts: 490	Cobalt, You did remove the trailing from the truck to do this? Seperate front and rear and work on the bench! __________________ Keith 70 CST longbed in progress. Hoping to get it back on the road soon.

04-19-2014, 09:03 PM	#8
Overholt11 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: California Posts: 1	Re: Trailing arm bushings Any tips on getting the new ones back in. It's pretty tight even with greasing them. Not sure?



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