Got the trans fluid flushed, dealer noticed the rear trailing arm bushings (body end) were shot (rubber seperated from the steel outer part of the bushing), parts are supposedly $60 but labor is over $500, so *obviously* I'm doing the work myself.

 

 

I'm no stranger to suspension work, but how big a job is this?

 

Any big gotchas involved?

 

 

I have yet to crawl under to see what the hell a trailing arm is... I assume there's the lower control arms (looks like a wishbone on these critters, yes?) and then an arm that controls the fwd-rearwrd movement, and that's the trailing arm?

 

 

BTW, yes I paid extra to get the trans flush done at the dealer, jiffy-lube ain't touching anything to do with my AWD. Had the diffs done as well. And an oil change.

 

Don't ask how much it all was.

 

 

Dave

the trailing arm is at the rear of the car and is mounted from front to rear.......i believe i need to do mine on my 96 legacy......they arent that difficult to do.....i do believe you need to press them out though.....check out your haynes manual if you have on.....on mine i would say it doesnt looks like a wishbone...more like a regular dog bone....

It would help to answer your question to know what car, year,model these simple clues can greatly increase the accurasy of our replies

It would help to answer your question to know what car, year,model these simple clues can greatly increase the accurasy of our replies

 

I figured 2003 outback was the sum total of the info req'd to spec it-if not:

 

2003 Outback LL Bean H3 3.0 wagon, automatic, 75Kmiles.

 

 

Dave

I figured 2003 outback was the sum total of the info req'd to spec it-if not:

 

2003 Outback LL Bean H3 3.0 wagon, automatic, 75Kmiles.

 

 

Dave

 

 

 

Your right my bad didn't see it hiding up there.:-p

didn't see it hiding up there.:-p

 

Brings up a pet peeve of mine. All pertinent information should be included in the body of a post. Never depend on the reader to remember facts stated only in the title.

Oh, boy, now I'll troll for pipple with some top-posting...

 

 

Dave

 

Brings up a pet peeve of mine. All pertinent information should be included in the body of a post. Never depend on the reader to remember facts stated only in the title.

Got under the 'ru and took a look.

 

I can see some wear and tear on the bushings (BTW nothing in the service manual is labeled a 'trailing arm'), I checked all of 'em but could not find any where the rubber had seperated.

 

The sway links didn't seem to be in awful shape, either.

 

 

Dave