Easy check for trailing arm bushings

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ryann
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Alabama

Easy check for trailing arm bushings

Postby ryann » Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:58 pm

You can check your bushings by parking your truck on level concrete or pavement and laying down beside the rear wheel. Position yourself where you can see the opposite lower trailing arm. Rotate the rear wheel with your hands and you can see if your bushings are collapsing. You will be able to easily see and understand why this causes the "death sway". When I did this, my 03 with 180K miles looked like the link had about 3/8" of movement. When I saw this, I KNEW this is what was causing the problem.


oekundar
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2014 5:19 pm
Location: SE PA/NJ

Postby oekundar » Mon Jul 14, 2014 4:59 am

I'm assuming this is done by jacking up the rear but is it only 1 side?

ryann
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Alabama

Postby ryann » Mon Jul 14, 2014 7:08 am

oekundar wrote:I'm assuming this is done by jacking up the rear but is it only 1 side?
No jacking required. All you are really doing here is rocking the vehicle back and forth while its in gear and watching for movement in the bushings. This is pretty easily done if the vehicle is on flat ground. The amount of movement in my old bushing was at least 3/8".

I hope this helps.

oekundar
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2014 5:19 pm
Location: SE PA/NJ

Postby oekundar » Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:24 am

Interesting, I will give it a shot on the new to me path...same as yours with 143k and I'm pretty sure that hasn't been done.

ryann
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Alabama

Postby ryann » Mon Jul 14, 2014 5:56 pm

oekundar wrote:Interesting, I will give it a shot on the new to me path...same as yours with 143k and I'm pretty sure that hasn't been done.
Is it showing signs of wear? IOW, does it have "death sway"?

oekundar
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2014 5:19 pm
Location: SE PA/NJ

Postby oekundar » Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:47 pm

It is showing signs of suspension wear and when it was still my sister's truck she mentioned the sway, but I can already see the shocks are shot so I'm pretty much ready to give the car an overhaul all around just for peace of mind.


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