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Are trailing arm bushings reusable?

PostPosted: Mon May 23, 2016 3:11 pm
by rusty_eg3
Hey guys! A friend of mine just gave me 2 trailing arms as a present lol. The big bushings look almost new but there's a problem. The arms are incomplete, meaning that they don't have compensator arms, pistons, those green little brake lines and the brake shoes including the mechanism that pushes them. Can I remove the bushings and just swap them on my TA? It's easier than swapping the other parts which are missing. A guy said that those bushing are not reusable, if I remove them and attempt to put them on my TA they will be loose. Is that true? I want to hear your opinions. Thanks!

Re: Are trailing arm bushings reusable?

PostPosted: Mon May 23, 2016 4:09 pm
by Driv-it-hard
Here is what I think,
For $26.00 shipped to you door from energy suspensions website. You can order the two new trailing arm bushings and just pop out your old ones and pop in the new ones.
Less headache and time spent dropping stuff to put it back on.
Please let me know what you all think.

Re: Are trailing arm bushings reusable?

PostPosted: Mon May 23, 2016 9:03 pm
by teal_dx
The oem ones can be properly removed with a press. Most people don't own a press, so that's why people burn the rubber part out with fire and then cut the outer metal ring with a hack saw. Usually when they're destroying the oem bushing with fire, it's because they're dry rotted from age and replacing them with aftermarket poly ones, which don't require an outer metal ring.

Re: Are trailing arm bushings reusable?

PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2016 3:13 am
by TrailerTrash
I am 99% sure that the Energy Suspension bushings require the metal ring to be in place. as in the metal ring around the stock bushing that you either burn out or cut out with a hot knife

Re: Are trailing arm bushings reusable?

PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2016 7:31 am
by rusty_eg3
Energy suspension bushings and other brands that make similar bushings require you to reuse the metal hardware. As for removing the OEM bushings, let's just say I can remove them from the arms without damaging them, let's say I'll cut the trailing arms. Will they still be reusable? The guy told me that once they're pressed in and you try to remove and reuse them, the metal sleeves will be thinned just a little bit, enough that the bushings will be loose on the new trailing arm holes. I hope I've explained well. So, is this just in theory or the guy has a point? Thanks!

Re: Are trailing arm bushings reusable?

PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2016 3:56 pm
by teal_dx
You guys are right, I forgot that for the huge bushing on the main trailing arm, Energy bushings require that the OEM metal sleeve is still in place. For the smaller bushings on the other control arms, it needs to be removed. :thumb: