Reversing rear trailing arms?

[Wulfthang]

I've been working on my rail to get the rear trailing arms set correctly. I used a set of plus one inch in length with stock width. It had way to much positive camber and looked like a jacked up swing axle. I cranked on it with pry bars and 2x4's but it still had to much camber. I made wedge shaped shims to install between the trailing arm spring plates. (I have double plates) It all helped but it's still to much positive camber.

Now I'm thinking about swapping the trailing arms from side to side. Has anybody ever had to do that before?

[BFB]

Where’d you get the arms from?
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"how am i supposed to torque the rear wheel nut to 250 ft lbs??? " - clonebug
An interesting thing happens in forums where everyone starts parroting the same thing and "common knowledge" takes over.
Most experts aren't.

[Dan_Lockwood]

With the inner trailing arm pivot bushing being a "FIXED" position AND the arm and spring plate needing to be at the right length for the proper toe in on the rear suspension, I'm still left with LOTS of questions about how adding shims in any place will change the camber of the rear wheels/tires.

Can someone finally explain to me how "shimming" in the rear trailing arms changes the camber?

Thanks, Dan

[Wulfthang]

I got them from Chirco in Tucson. They're reputable and not known for selling junk.

The thing is, I'm wondering if I installed them upside down. There was no Up or Down on them.

[Dan_Lockwood]

[BFB]

Well, even if they are reputable it doesnt seem that a lot of the suspension parts made these days are very accurate so who knows. Hope flipping helps. I assume you have seen how adjusting the point where the arm bolts to the spring plate will adjust camber?
_________________
"how am i supposed to torque the rear wheel nut to 250 ft lbs??? " - clonebug
An interesting thing happens in forums where everyone starts parroting the same thing and "common knowledge" takes over.
Most experts aren't.

[Wulfthang]

Yes, I slotted the bolt holes too. Shims, 2x4's, jack stands, pry bars with pipes on them, screaming, bleeding, begging, etc,. etc,. etc,. were all tried too but nothing has worked well. It all helped but not enough for me to want to drive it regularly on the street. I think it would eat my tires.

I'm going to swap them and see what it looks like.

To Dan Lockwood: Imagine three metal plates. Two of them are right next to each other with the third one sandwiched between the other two but only on the ends. Two of the plates are attached at the the same point on one end. The third is attached at the other end. That is a double spring plate system.

Now put a steel plate (aka shim) between two plates at the top using the outer plate and another one between the two plates on the bottom using the inside plate. When you torque it down, it's going to twist the middle plate.

[Dale M.]

[Wulfthang]

[Crogg]

Have you tried some stock arms to see if you have the same issue. I have discussed with jbugs about crappy 1.5 x .75 fronts from latest rage i got and looking for better quality i called chirco about 2 inch longer latest rage fronts they have advertised. They told me they did not have them in stock when i told them my issue with the j bugs i got ...(weird).... the Poor manufacturing specs seems to be an issue lately. Mostly from latest rage products. Please keep us updated as im looking for 1 inch wider rears for one of my bugs.

[Wulfthang]

It had boxed but basically stock arms on it when I first built it and it was fine. The tires were flat on the ground at normal ride height. There's nothing wrong with the car. It's the arms. I'm going to swap them to see what happens.

[BFB]

Ive heard of ppl getting lt & rt switched around quite a few times. Ive had a few sets of 3x3’s and its really best guess which side they should go on, youd think the dumbass manufactures would mark them. So good luck , hope swapping them solves your problem otherwise, aside from some cutting & rewelding i cant think of a solution..
although i did have a frame ( automotive) guy i know bend around a buggy to get the rear end aligned once. But i dont think id want my buggy tweaked and made to fit arms that werent right.
Theres a guy in the classifieds that sells rear arms that he lowers, id talked to him about making a raised set once but never followed through. He mostly does lowered stuff but i bet he could be persuaded to do some mildly extended ones, seems like hed have done a raised set if id have been more serious about it.
_________________
"how am i supposed to torque the rear wheel nut to 250 ft lbs??? " - clonebug
An interesting thing happens in forums where everyone starts parroting the same thing and "common knowledge" takes over.
Most experts aren't.

[Wulfthang]

These had no indications on them as to which side was up or down. I installed them the way that looked right. Oh well. It's to cold to ride around in it anyway, I'll swap them and see what it looks like.

[dustymojave]

I had trouble with Latest Rage Combo spindles a couple years ago. The holes in the Combo Links were oversize for their linkpin bushings. For EVERYBODY's link pin bushings in fact. Latest Rage themselves DGAS. I wound up "fixing it" by epoxying the bushings in place. Not good, but working. Now I need to replace the bushings. I'll probably have to use a torch to remove them, and epoxy in the new ones.

VERY disappointing quality.

I agree with Dale. Not gonna permanently alter camber with that shimming. Break the spring plates pretty soon though.

I wonder who made those arms for Chirco.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[Wulfthang]

[Crogg]

Please ask chirco who made them... im dying to know.

[BFB]

[Wulfthang]

[Wulfthang]

[WaterBuggy_24]

I had this problem with my stock × 1" arms. They didn't have a shock mount or brake bracket so i weld a shock mount on the side someone suggested and I had to flip them and try again. I was having those same issues as you are. Even after all that I cannot toe the tires out far enough. I'm going to slot the holes.
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One day, I may learn.
Probably not today though.