ALignment & corner balance reveals bent traling arm, what now? Options

[echocanyons]

Things were going great, the car is running good, got new tires and the car feels very balanced and solid. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

In preparation for the WCR (and after getting new tires and replacing the rear suspension) I had a full alignment and corner balance done.
I was supposed to pick it up today and I get a call that they can't bring the right rear into spec. So must be a bent trailing arm.

I had previously noticed a bit more than usual neg camber to the passenger side trailing arm and am not to suprised, but still another freakin hangup.

I haven't seen how far off spec it is but what would be an acceptable variance, without eating up tires.

My alternative is yanking the T/A and swapping the bits from the bent arm to a spare that I have (I new my 2-3 tons of extra parts would come in handy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) ).

The other problem is that I am limited in time, I leave town for a conference this weekend and work until the WCR, how long of a job do you think swapping a trailing arm would be?

Either way it's looking like the right rear will not be aligned professionally before the WCR. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)


At least it wasn't all bad, the good news was it was within 3lbs of being perfectly balanced before he even touched it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Jeffs9146]

If you have the tools and the parts you can do the swap in a few hours! But I agree with others that you should fix it later and do the "while I am in here" stuff at the same time! I had to do the same thing, bent trailing arm, and when I got the arm off the suspension ear was ovaled and needed to be welded up and re drilled!

Not my photos but you get the idea!