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Re: Trailing Arm Help

To: James Henningsen <trguy@cfl.rr.com>
Subject: Re: Trailing Arm Help
From: "Robert M. Lang" <lang@isis.mit.edu>
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 14:01:08 -0400 (EDT)
On Fri, 12 May 2006, James Henningsen wrote:

> One of the studs that secures the rear axles to the trailing arm has
> stripped in the trailing arm.  I have it out and need advice on the best
> fix.  Can anyone recommend a good fix.  Drill out and use a speedy sleeve??

Drill it out and use a _heli-coil_ or other thread repair insert
(Key-n-sert, etc.) There's also a step-stud that you can use (3/8 on one
side, 5/16 on the other side. Note that with the heli-coil you need to use
the proper drill/tap for the heli-coil... nothing else will work properly.

The only gotcha with inserting the heli-coil is that the standard
heli-coil tap assumes that the hole is through-drilled, so it is possible
to bottom the tap out in the hole. You can dress the tip of the tap to
mimic a "bottoming tap"... it doesn't take much, you just need to make
sure you can get the whole heli-coil in the hole (meaning that the last
thread has to be below the surface of the hub flange interface) so that
the heli-coil cannot back out. It is for this reason that many folks like
the key-n-sert or other thread repair methods.

The only potential "gotcha" is that you need to drill SQAURE to the hole
or it's a PITA to install/remove the hub assembly.

DO NOT USE THREAD REPAIR EPOXY. This is a highly stressed part on your
car, and failure of the studs can lead to loss of the axle/wheel in
certain cases. You want to do this job right or you want to replace the
trailing arm.

> Thanks
> 
> Jim Henningsen
> 
> Maitland, FL

regards,
rml
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