QUOTE(Philip W. @ Jan 4 2014, 11:15 PM)
Also without this the arm surface would be hard against the suspension ear rubbing metal on metal as the arm pivots with the suspension movement.
Philip, (this isn't meant to sound like I'm know-it-all) that's actually not how the stock trailing arm setup works. The pivot shaft is butted directly up to the suspension ear and does not rotate. Though the arm itself rotates, the rubber bushing (if it's still intact) is actually sandwiched between the arm and the suspension console ear. The rubber is stationary and simply flexes with the travel of the arm up and down.
Like Bruce, I've never seen a washer on a stock car. I
do know that the polybronze rear trailing arm setup does require a washer inboard of the suspension ear. On TC's yellow banana car it's obvious that the washer is required to allow the nut to bottom out. But their design is completely different.