C2 trailing arm bushing

[Steve D.]

Is there an easily fashioned tool to flare the trailing arm bushing sleeves?
Corvette Central has a screw press type tool for $68, and Vette Brakes has an apparently simple one that comes with their poly bushings, but not with the rubber ones. It seems like some combination of a bolt, washer and shaped nut ought to do the trick.

Steve

[Craig S.]

Re: C2 trailing arm bushing

I fabricated my own by using two pieces of heavy bar stock with large bolts to serve to clamp the unit together to compress the bushing. One bar has a large 1" or so hole, and I turned a taper flaring tool to slide into this larger hole with a centering pilot for the sleeve that is flared. Then, a few good whacks on the punch, and the taper is formed just like GM. Harvey Jacobs designed and built a tool that does all of this in one operation in a press, but it is more involved, but a great production piece. Tom Dennstedt at International Axle has a similar tool that forms the flare with a hardened punch with a round end, so the flare would look slightly different, not that it matters as it is not visible when installed. Craig

[Joe L.]

Re: C2 trailing arm bushing

Steve-----

The critical thing in this operation is that you MUST compress the bushing before you flare the retainer (i.e. the inner tube with flared ends); you can't do this in one operation. A tool as Craig described for this can be easily fabricated.

For a "flaring tool" you can use a grade 8 bolt with appropriate washers and an automotive lug nut. The tapered end of the lug nut will serve to form the flare.