Hi guys,

After seeing this: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=49975

I figured my bud's totaled 89' Turbo wagon push button 4x4 auto --I want to take the complete rear trailing arms, rotor, calipers and struts and put em on my 88' GL 4x4. Is there good reason to take the turbo diff too?

 

Reason: my rear drivers bearing is bad and I'm too cheap for bearings/machine press time.

 

Is my reasoning correct: the bearing has the stub axel pressed in--so If I want to replace the bearing I can just replace the entire bearing/stub axel/trailing arm as a unit? I also need new rear struts and the one's on the T-wagon look clean and recent-- is anything flawed here? can I just remove my axel install the replacement trailing arms and go?

 

I really want to replace the bearing and strut--this is just a way of doing it faster with no machine shop time and no new costly parts--just found parts. And i figure a bolt in disc upgrade is a nice touch.

 

Thoughts?

 

sounds like a plan.

 

 

the t-wag likely has a different diff gear ratio than yours so won't be a bolt up. it MIGHT have a limited slip, but unlikely. but only takes a second to see if the sticker on it says LSD. that's the only reason it might be worth saving.

 

the trailing arm bolts are likely on there extremely tight. and are pretty hard to get at on the car. so it's kind of a big project. but would work just fine.

 

 

 

you may also find that the turbo wagon has a rear sway bar.....and the mounts are on the trailing arm. adding the bar to your car would really help the handling!

sounds like a plan.

 

 

the t-wag likely has a different diff gear ratio than yours so won't be a bolt up. it MIGHT have a limited slip, but unlikely. but only takes a second to see if the sticker on it says LSD. that's the only reason it might be worth saving.

 

the trailing arm bolts are likely on there extremely tight. and are pretty hard to get at on the car. so it's kind of a big project. but would work just fine.

 

 

 

you may also find that the turbo wagon has a rear sway bar.....and the mounts are on the trailing arm. adding the bar to your car would really help the handling!

 

 

Much appreciated--the trailing arms seem to be accessible--I will certainly hit em with PM blaster!

 

So the arms are swapable! I haven't seen a diagram but all this assumes that the stub axle/bearing is apart of the trailing arm and will bring the bearing with it when I swap it over because remember, I need the rear bearing most of all and swapping trailing arms is how I intend to replace it. So this arm, once in place will bolt right back to my existing rear axle? Then up with the strut and im done!

 

Please point out any flaws with my logic... I need to get this girl done!

Yes, it will bolt right up. The bearing is part of the swingarm/hub.

Like Chux said, grab the sway bar also.

Do you have to swap out the subframe too for the swaybar because it also has mounts?

Do you have to swap out the subframe too for the swaybar because it also has mounts?

 

nope. the sway bar only bolts to the trailing arms. 2 places on each arm.

nope. the sway bar only bolts to the trailing arms. 2 places on each arm.

 

I don't recall seeing a sway bar--do all turbo GL's have them on the rear?

 

Thanks again to all for your time!

CH:banana:

I don't believe all of them did. but I think they're fairly common. it'd be worth another look anyway.

I really want to replace the bearing and strut--this is just a way of doing it faster with no machine shop time and no new costly parts--just found parts. And i figure a bolt in disc upgrade is a nice touch.

 

Thoughts?

 

There is no machine shop required. The stubs are not really pressed in by any functional definition of the term. They are a loose friction fit. The bearings are held in by a ring nut on the back of the arm. You can replace the bearings without removing the arm from the car easily. You just pound out the stub (inward - once it's loose from the axle), remove the ring nut, and drift out the old bearings & spacer. Drift the new bearings in, slap on the ring nut and drive the stub through the bearings. It's actually quite easy and the time is more than worth it considering you are getting NEW bearings instead of used.

 

And if the turbo's trailing arms don't have the sway bar links, then there's no real reason to use them other than cheap used bearings.

 

GD

it MIGHT have a limited slip, but unlikely. but only takes a second to see if the sticker on it says LSD. that's the only reason it might be worth saving.

Here's what they look like.

There is no machine shop required. The stubs are not really pressed in by any functional definition of the term. They are a loose friction fit. The bearings are held in by a ring nut on the back of the arm. You can replace the bearings without removing the arm from the car easily. You just pound out the stub (inward - once it's loose from the axle), remove the ring nut, and drift out the old bearings & spacer. Drift the new bearings in, slap on the ring nut and drive the stub through the bearings. It's actually quite easy and the time is more than worth it considering you are getting NEW bearings instead of used.

 

And if the turbo's trailing arms don't have the sway bar links, then there's no real reason to use them other than cheap used bearings.

 

GD

 

I was hoping to hear from you GD--you have captured and eliminated my real concern nicely. Priceless!

Thank you,

CH

There is no machine shop required. The stubs are not really pressed in by any functional definition of the term. They are a loose friction fit. The bearings are held in by a ring nut on the back of the arm. You can replace the bearings without removing the arm from the car easily. You just pound out the stub (inward - once it's loose from the axle), remove the ring nut, and drift out the old bearings & spacer. Drift the new bearings in, slap on the ring nut and drive the stub through the bearings. It's actually quite easy and the time is more than worth it considering you are getting NEW bearings instead of used.

 

And if the turbo's trailing arms don't have the sway bar links, then there's no real reason to use them other than cheap used bearings.

 

GD

 

Thats how it should go. But in my case, the drum is stuck on the spindle. I pulled the trailing arm off the car, after heating and hammering and soaking and more hammering. Then let a pool of kroil set in there for two days with the whole set up setting upright. More heat and hammering with no luck. Took the mess down to a local shop where their 50 ton press wouldn't seperat or even budge the spindle, so I am on the search for trailing arms and brakes.