Repair? correction: [LOWER] trailing arm front support

[dantye]

******Sorry - see my later post with photos, and thanks for trying to help this old guy!*******

Anyone have experience repairing this? Should the support with the 4 holes be removed and body metal replaced between it ant the other structure plate with the 4 mounting holes? No rust is visible on the heavier supports. Not sure which part is structural.

The body metal here is only rusted away on either side of the 4-hole flange - pan under seat is being repaired/replaced anyway.

Thanks for any insight.

[mdrburchette]

If you do repair it, make sure it's of a heavy gauge steel. If you take off aggressively, the rear end torques and it'll twist where the trailing arm mounts. We're getting ready to repair this very same problem on the Lemons racer next week. I'll try to take pics as we progress.

[Fiat1980spyder]

Had to do the same to mine a while ago guess that turbo is doing a number on trailer arm mounts. This is the way i did mine.

Only have pictures of the right side the left driver side was much more involved including removing fuel from fuel lines and relocating battery cable from batt to engine compartment.

Parts Rusted were the trailer arm mount and as well the lateral support which the rear bottom cushion would lye on.


Since lateral support had rust i ended up cutting a hole so i could clean the metal properly and make a nice weld for the new metal. The metal in later support looks worse then it is.
Image of metal already installed with 2 dummy studs.


I dunno if you can see it but on the sides of the mounting but their bent down to make the same angle as orignial mount. Made plate then spot welded the corners and used hammer to help bend the metal down for proper angle.



Oh, and if you decide to make a hole like i did in the lateral support make sure u spray a good amount of por 15 or something for rust inside lateral support i used a old style undercoat gun with compressed air it makes a nice mist and covered everything from what i can c i also did this when i did the drivers side also made some holes towards middle of support to fit flexible nozzle to spray where the side could not get.



Then made plate for lateral support where i made the hole initially, sorry its not cleaned all the way had some more grinding and touch up welding to do.



Painted bottom plate with por-15



Lateral support painted



Took me 3 hrs with prep and paint, drivers side was a different dilemma.
Hope this helps good luck

[dantye]

If you do repair it, make sure it's of a heavy gauge steel. If you take off aggressively, the rear end torques and it'll twist where the trailing arm mounts. We're getting ready to repair this very same problem on the Lemons racer next week. I'll try to take pics as we progress.

Sorry, guys - this old man goofed. I think this is the LOWER arm. The upper arms seem ok.

Here are some photos of what I've got:






Taking it out for welding in the next next couple of weeks to see if I cant get my investment up from 4 x to 5 x what it's worth!

Again, sorry - any advice is welcome.

[Fiat1980spyder]

Figured it was that, those pictures are for the Lower arm not upper, the upper is bolted to chassis using a long bolt and usually will not rust, hard for water or humidity to sit up there. I guess i went with the flow and said upper trailer arm buts it defiantly the bottom.