Sigh, is this TA toast?

[tdskip]

Hi guys - believe it or not I have actually been working on the existing "fleet". Is this TA, which is oval-ed out where the shock link attaches, toast?

 

[DougF]

No. It can probably be welded and redrilled, or drilled and bushed.

 

[AngliaGT]

By TA,you mean trailing arm,correct?

- Doug

 

[tdskip]

Yes Doug, sorry for flinging that out there. Of course I didn't notice it until I painted and got done clear coating it. Yippie!

 

[HerronScott]

I had some of that when I did my TR4A and used one of the J-B Weld products to build it back up. Drove the car for 75,000 miles and don't think I had any problems but we'll see when I'm able to get back to fixing it up again.

Might have just been youthful inexperience and optimism.

Scott

 

[tdskip]

Hey - now there is an idea! So just strip the paint, clean and then shape it Scott?

 

[dklawson]

Weld, anneal, drill/ream. Drilling/reaming will be best controlled if you have a drill press or mill. If you don't, only plug weld the ovaled-out area and use a fine burr in a die grinder and carefully re-shape the weld to restore the curvature.

 

[Brosky]

And be careful with the heat. It's aluminum at it's thinnest part of the arm.

 

[71MKIV]

If that's aluminum, I would use a mill to drill a larger hole on center with the original, and put a soft steel bush in it . No worry about the heat, no worry about mangling the paint. Glue the steel bush in with Locktite cylinder locker.

My two bits.

 

[HerronScott]

Tom,

That was what I did but please remember that I was a young poor college kid at the time with little mechanical knowledge. In fact I remember doing it in my parent's kitchen (which my Mom loved!).

I seem to recall that my concern was how well it would bond longterm with the trailing arm since as Paul mentioned this is the thinnest part of the arm and there was not a lot of contact area.

Scott

 

[tdskip]

Thanks guys - I am going to have it welded. So much for finishing rebuilding the rear suspension this weekend but clearly more important to get a long term fix here.

Thanks!

 

[HerronScott]

Would love to hear what the cost is and some pictures of the repair afterward!

Scott

 

[tdskip]

Hi Scott - well the JB-Weld got me thinking, thinking right back to some of the suggestions I got when I first posted that the original one was worn. Your college exploits got me researching JB-Weld and that research helped me realize that the earlier suggestions to fill in the wear with JB-Weld would probably work just fine.

Cleaning and scuffing the inside where the ridge / wear spot is;

Mixing the JB-Weld;

It is still has some self-leveling to go here, but starting to take shape. Will need some clean up with a Dremel for sure, but not looking too bad...

We'll see how it comes out, but figured it was worth a shot. I will let you know what I get quoted for the weld repair to the one in the pictures from earlier in the thread.

 

[HerronScott]

I must have missed that earlier posting. I'm assuming the bushing was shot causing this wear? Mine were pretty solid except for dryrot on the outside exposed parts which meant they were lots of fun getting out before I had the fun of getting the new ones back in.

Scott

 

[startech47]

Tom decided to make headers for his Corvair in my high school shop class. He ordered the tubing bends and flanges from J C Whitney and cut them to size. I offered to weld them since I knew he couldn't weld. He told me he had another way. When the big moment came for the test drive I got all of my buddies in my car and we followed him. We picked up all of the pieces as the headers heated up and the epoxy adhesive he used to glue them together failed. We had a big laugh at his expense. Not to think that I am not empathetic. I did weld his headers together after he scraped the remaining epoxy off. Just illustrates the need to use the correct product.

 

[TR3driver]

Just illustrates the need to use the correct product.

Or, to put it another way, "Man's got to know his limitations."
:laugh:

 

[DNK]

Naw, this is