Trailing arm orientation

[KevAndAndi]

Maybe a dumb question, but: I plan to replace the trailing arm bushings. Is it a good idea to put the arms back in the same orientation, or does it not matter? (I'm also going to be removing the drive shaft for a new center support bearing and u-joints, and I'll obviously mark the heck out of that first.)

[blazingspider]

The easiest way to re-bush is by removing only one trailing arm at a time. This way everything stays aligned and you won't be fighting to get them back on. Obviously that would mean leaving each arm where it is.

Hope this helps.

[azruss]

the long arms have an orientation for the e-brake cable plate so keep them in the same place

[KevAndAndi]

Thanks. I'm now thinking that I will be replacing the trailing arms entirely, not just the bushings. That's what the shop manual recommends, and I think it's probably a good idea. Will also replace the panhard rod, as well as the lower control arms.

Virtually every bushing in the suspension is ancient and rock hard, with the exception of the upper control arms which were replaced by the PO.

[bobplyler]

This is what I found when I changed mine

[mullioni]

Bob, did you replace the entire trailing arm or just the bushings?

[bobplyler]

The whole thing.

[red107]

I just finished replacing all of mine today. I only had one bolt completely rusted to the inside of the bushing. Cut off wheel on a grinder took care of it. Was a little tough torquing everything down with weight on the wheels.

[md88plt]

you know the lengthwise orientation by the brake cable guards. Thats how I realized that I had them backwards.

[mullioni]

I am currently into the back end and had planned to change shocks and springs. I have the rear brakes removed for a caliper rebuild. The bushings look beat, so adding changing the pan hard and trailing arms (1979). Should I change the trailing arms first and then move onto the springs/shocks? Or the shocks and springs first?