Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

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Jay-Kay-Em
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Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by Jay-Kay-Em » Sun Oct 04, 2020 3:19 pm

Rear Trailing Arms - Overhaul

Hi Everyone!

Thought I'd do a post separate to the diary as it is more searchable. I couldn't find anything like it elsewhere.

I have just wasted 6 weeks and thrown £60 of new bushes in the bin and want to prevent this from happening to anyone else.

Trailing Arm Bushes; Removal and Description

The rear trailing arms have two bushes, a front and a rear.

They are fairly easy to press out, although the arms are quite flimsy in places so your base support needs to be spot on.

Image

The front and rear bushes are dimensionally identical, but they are different. This is supported by different part numbers....
  • 3411804 (body end)
  • 3411805 (axle end)
This is because the rear bush is solid in construction, but the front bush (the one that attaches to the body) is a bush with voids (empty bits).

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Voids give improved NVH - hence it is the body end (front) with such cavities. Less rubber, less transmission of noise.


Replacement Parts; First attempt!

In many trusted parts websites, the two unique Volvo numbers (804 and 805) only come back to one aftermarket number - a solid bush.

In a quest for originality, I put the extra effort in. I didn't use eBay, but went to a famous Volvo Specialist who clearly pictured the voided bush on their website....

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You wait a week and four turn up... all solid in construction. :angry:

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Discussions with the seller reveal their website is out of date and their supplier hasn't made the voided version in years. The 'specialist' in question was quite dismissive... "we only sell 8 of these a year, so we are not that fussed".

Lesson 1 : You'd be hard pushed to find the correct voided bushes nowadays, irrespective of price or specialist seller. Be careful of misleading pictures. In 2020, it's "solid bushes or nothing".

Installation; First attempt!

So having to concede to four solid bushes, a few weeks go by and I get the arms back from powder coat.

Place the arm on the press with care not to scratch/chip.

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Plenty of soapy water and begin the press...

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Disaster.... 80% complete and the bush stops and just squishes. The plastic outer sleeve is not strong enough for the pressing process.

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You're left with this...

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You then have to destroy the bush to get it out...

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At first I thought it was the thickness of the powder coat in the bore. But this is micron thin. I cleaned one bore of all paint and pressed in bush number two.... destroyed.

I used grease on bush number three.... destroyed.

That's £45 in the bin already!

Below is a picture of the old bush. Its plastic, but its more like GRP.

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The new bush in comparison is just bog standard cheap-o plastic...

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The same arm has now been in the press three times and my powder coat has chipped/flaked badly. :badmood:

Lesson 2 : Avoid these plastic sleeve bushes. They are useless.

Because it had been several months since purchase, no hope of a refund and they are all damaged anyway.

Back to the drawing board. Either custom made, or keep searching.

My mission to find metal sleeve bushes was finally successful...

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There is a company called TEDGUM and they make metal sleeve bushes for their "PRO" range; but only list them for the 440/460. The majority of stock is in Poland.

I bought one at first - a trial - which is about two weeks wait postage. They are about £20 each so it was damage limitation if it all went wrong again!

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This pressed in a treat.

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Ordered three more from Lithuania this time, another two weeks wait!

Finally ready to install...

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You should see this going back on in the next diary update for suspension in about two weeks time.

I wish you all the best if you take this on! :nuts:

JKM.
Jay-Kay-Em
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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by Alan 480 » Sun Oct 04, 2020 3:54 pm

Get similar issues , although not as bad with front wshbones on SS1, they are VERY thin and you need to support the edge nearest the press as push them in as just sits on the edge of the hole, (based on Vauxhall Chevette /Opel Kadet form late 70s)

at least they are steel sleeved so some hope, looks like the better option? mayb eteh originals were nylon, different grades?
I guess the problem is with such samll numbers they will ALL be made in one place , regardless of who/where you buy at whatever price?

actaully found a supplier that shipped/supplied with bushes already installed from a company in Wales doing Chevette 'tuning' !!!! :hopping:
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

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MisterH
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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by MisterH » Sun Oct 04, 2020 3:54 pm

Reminds me of the time we shattered a 70-year old part for our Willys Jeep because the internet guide got the direction for mounting wrong - it was supposed to go the other way to the way shown on the guide, unless you want to crush your part under a 50-ton press...


Great work on finding those bushes, would it matter much if the bush is a void one or not? And would it make a big difference to the car?
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by jifflemon » Sun Oct 04, 2020 6:43 pm

Jay-Kay-Em wrote: Rear Trailing Arms - Overhaul

Discussions with the seller reveal their website is out of date and their supplier hasn't made the voided version in years. The 'specialist' in question was quite dismissive... "we only sell 8 of these a year, so we are not that fussed".

Lesson 1 : You'd be hard pushed to find the correct voided bushes nowadays, irrespective of price or specialist seller. Be careful of misleading pictures. In 2020, it's "solid bushes or nothing".
Methinks lesson 1 should be name and shame. Whilst the more seasoned amongst us will know of these scamming dicks, others may not...

I’ll drop the suppliers of my torque rods a message, as they do a complete rear kit (6 bushes, 2 rods) to see what sort of bushes are supplied.

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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by jifflemon » Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:30 pm

Message back from polish supplier; their bushes have no voids either....

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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by Jay-Kay-Em » Mon Oct 05, 2020 7:39 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:30 pm
Message back from polish supplier; their bushes have no voids either....
Doesn't surprise me Jeff; I tried pretty hard to find some. I bet they are plastic casings too....
MisterH wrote:
Sun Oct 04, 2020 3:54 pm
Great work on finding those bushes, would it matter much if the bush is a void one or not? And would it make a big difference to the car?
Hardly any noticeable difference at all MisterH I bet. After 25 years, the amount of squeeks and rattles we have, bush NVH is the last of our worries... I just wanted it to be OE, like the massive square that I am :wink:
Jay-Kay-Em
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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by MisterH » Mon Oct 05, 2020 8:15 pm

Jay-Kay-Em wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 7:39 pm
jifflemon wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:30 pm
Message back from polish supplier; their bushes have no voids either....
Doesn't surprise me Jeff; I tried pretty hard to find some. I bet they are plastic casings too....
MisterH wrote:
Sun Oct 04, 2020 3:54 pm
Great work on finding those bushes, would it matter much if the bush is a void one or not? And would it make a big difference to the car?
Hardly any noticeable difference at all MisterH I bet. After 25 years, the amount of squeeks and rattles we have, bush NVH is the last of our worries... I just wanted it to be OE, like the massive square that I am :wink:

Don't worry, I'm a resolute purist!

My car has been squeaking from the suspension but only at sub-40 mph, similar to my godfathers 73 mustang, always squeaks and rattles for no reason but only after driving a couple miles from each journey start point :lol:
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

phil480
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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by phil480 » Wed Mar 03, 2021 12:20 pm

This may be a weird question. Regarding the voided trailing arm bushes, is there a particular orientation for them to go into their bore? For example, the voids in a horizontal alignment or vertical? Or does it not matter?
Current: 480 GT 2.0 '94 in Red
Previous: 480 ES 2.0 '93 in White K464SWP -Sold in 2009. Presumed dead

jifflemon
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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by jifflemon » Wed Mar 03, 2021 12:30 pm

not a weird question at all - but first.... Where did you find bushes with Voids in them????

The voids are vertical when installed

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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by phil480 » Wed Mar 03, 2021 12:33 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Wed Mar 03, 2021 12:30 pm
not a weird question at all - but first.... Where did you find bushes with Voids in them????

The voids are vertical when installed
Thank you for clarifying! I got them on eBay of all places, only 2 available, looks like Skandix item numbers on.
Current: 480 GT 2.0 '94 in Red
Previous: 480 ES 2.0 '93 in White K464SWP -Sold in 2009. Presumed dead

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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by brinkie » Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:58 pm

I have heard, but have not checked this myself, that original Volvo bushes are still available.
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

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Re: Rear Trailing Arms : Overhaul

Post by 100 » Sun Jan 16, 2022 10:11 pm

So in an attempt to avoid buying from Skandicks, I wanted to double check that these bushes (TEDGUM 00745354) are suitable for both front and back of the trailing arms?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353338351939 ... Track=true

Interestingly, the front ARB bushes, which I've only managed to find on the Skandix website, were helpfully recommended to me whilst I was browsing the bushes:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353338586662 ... Track=true

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