ovaling of the rear suspention ear, +installation tips on rear susp bushings Options

[ChrisReale]

I fear my right rear suspention ear has been ovaled due to rubbing of the trailing arm shaft and the ear. With the rear jacked up I can move the wheel back and forth. Not much, but I see the trailing arm moving at the ear. I want to catch this before it gets more serious. How much would it cost to fix the ear hole? Is this something I can do in my garage, or should I let the pro's do it? I "might" have access to a welder, but I dont have access to experience.... :toilet:

[ChrisFoley]

In order to get the bushing installation right, it is necessary to press the bushings into the arm. Then slide the shaft through until one end is flush with the end of the bushing. The difference from the end of the shaft to the end of the bushing at the other end is the total amount you have to trim off the bushings.
Usually the bushings don't fit well into the arm. They should require firm hand pressure to install. The shaft should slide through with little effort. Normally the bushing becomes out-of-round when it is pressed in the arm, and this causes the shaft to bind. Also the two ends are usually not on a common center, so even if the shaft doesn't bind in either bushing, it will when it is in both.
Monoballs eliminate the problem entirely, but require a lot of modification. Roller bearing kits are better than the Weltmeister polygraphite bushings, but they are expensive and have their own shortcomings. My Delrin bushing installation completely eliminates the binding problem. I also address the common problem of rust on the pivot shaft by grinding the shaft to a slightly smaller dimension.