Tyre guys hoisted off the trailing arms!

**DiscoDevil** · 14th March 2012, 05:08 PM

I just bit the bullet for some new cooper st maxx, came back to the shop and voila there she is on the hoist hanging on the rear trailing arms and font cast trailing arms!

Now I have a slight bend in both rear trailing arms. Is this a problem?

It's at least 5mm deflection across the length against a straight edge.

I'm about to embark on a six month camper trailer mission and this is a bad way to start no doubt!

Anyway the manager says it'll have to go out the way it came in, well fix it.

So here I am asking the question, do I need new ones, where can I get em quick or will it be ok like it is?

They are other wise good blokes who helped me out with the tyres and I trust them to come good so I don't want to be a d1ck and start demanding genuine parts when it doesn't matter etc

Cheers

245x75 if anyone is wondering

**isuzu110** · 14th March 2012, 05:16 PM

I'd be worried...

Here's a picture of what can happen to trailing arms (thanks Slunnie)

I'd be concerned that once they get a kink, they lose strength in the sidewall and become more vulnerable.

**Blknight.aus** · 14th March 2012, 05:26 PM

yes, its a problem back you go, MR automotive will be able to send them down but Im fairly certain that JC down in tassy way will be your closest and fastest supplier of them.

**DiscoDevil** · 14th March 2012, 05:42 PM

It has a 2 in lift. You don't suppose they are meant to be bent?
Would the weight of the car bend them on the hoist?

**Blknight.aus** · 14th March 2012, 05:58 PM

yes, if you lift in the center of the trailing arms they'll bend nearly every time.

you can lift by the locations they mount to no problems but if the vehicle slips and the supports hit the tubes they get kinks in them and then they have to be replaced.

Ignoring all of that... The trailing arms are round smooth objects that are at an angle on the vehicle. Does that sound like the kind of thing that youd want to jack or support a vehicle on?

**langy** · 14th March 2012, 05:59 PM

Whilst you can get cranked trailing arms, once an ordinary arm is bent I, like Messrs BK & Isuzu, have the opinion that it is prone to bend further. I've been in the near vicinity when this has actually happened on a RRC. Further, if the arms have bent to slightly different angles, that will throw alignment out and reduce tyre wear on the rear. Echoing Mr BK - they are not designed for carrying the entire weight of the car, they are only ordinary steel tube.

If the tyre shop manager is fairly decent, a pair of 2nd hand trailing arms (provided they are straight and have decent bushes) will do the job and won't cost much.

**landiematt** · 14th March 2012, 06:09 PM

Agree with blknight, replace before your trip.

**PSI250** · 14th March 2012, 06:24 PM

if your going to put 2nd hand ones in just use rangie ones, bigger diametre and stronger. disco ones have a habit of bending, especially with a rear locker.

**MacMan** · 14th March 2012, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

Ignoring all of that... The trailing arms are round smooth objects that are at an angle on the vehicle. Does that sound like the kind of thing that youd want to jack or support a vehicle on?

As usual the wise man speaks truth. What ninnies.

**PhilipA** · 14th March 2012, 07:03 PM

And I can tell you if they let go it is not pretty as it will pivot the axle and smash at least the diff yoke.
I saw it happen one day when mate with a bent arm ( which you couldn't see it was so slight) tried a really steep climb at the training ground behind Bruce Davis's palce.
Regards Philip A

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