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If or When I make an attempt at removing the IRS Cage, which end of the 'Trailing Arm' should I try and take off?
From what I've read in many Posts you undo the metal locking strap and then try and force the Rubber Doughnut off with either a pry bar and or a hammer and chisel
But on paper it would seem easier to undo the Nut that's on the other end, although I haven't read of anyone trying to do it this way
But I was thinking that if you tried to get the Trailing Arm off the Body, if they were really hard to get off then you might pull the Trailing Arm Pin out of the Body
Which could involved a lot of skillful Welding in putting a new one on
Just wondering how the Trailing Arm would get in the Way, as once you've got the Cage out then that would be the only thing you would be working on
I just swapped my IRS and was not able to remove the big with out destrying my new-ish bushings... So I took off the little end. It was a bit tricky getting the IRS back in becasue I have a rear sway bar and out board brakes so and the arms and brake lines get in the way. Its very doable and a cinch if you have inboard brakes and no rear sway bar. The rear shock does have to come off the get the bolt out of the little end and putting the bolt back in is quite difficult.
Last edited by icsamerica; Jun 16, 2018 at 11:26 AM.
If/When I decide to tackle this Job, I will probably go for the small end or you could rip the Pin right out of the Body leaving another awkward job to do
Though strangely many people seem to prefer taking the doughnut off the Pin
OB, removal is straight forward and rather simple:
Undo battery, i convert, open rear cubby and lift floor up, unplug both ABS sensor cables, if coupe remove rear bottom seat cushion and undo both cables, undo the right hand brake line (flexy), unclip handbrakecable under car, lift the rear end up high enough on jacks, take both wheels off, undo the radius arms, undo the prop (3 bolts on the diff), unplug the speedo sensor in the rear right corner of the boot, take the exhaust on the left and right side off (undo the over axle connector before the axle and then leave them weaved in the axle), put hydraulic jack under the car, undo all 8 bolts/screws (2 on each rubber bracket) which hold the cage to the body and then drop. I don't think I have forgotten anything...
It sounds like a lot of work but it can be done in a garage or on the floor or what not. Just need some sturdy jacks...
If/When I decide to tackle this Job, I will probably go for the small end or you could rip the Pin right out of the Body leaving another awkward job to do
By "pin" do you mean the dome-shaped seat the the large round bushing engages?
The only reason I can think of that the pin would break off is if the area is rusted out. If that's the case then you have bigger problems than just removing the cage.
If the area is rusted it's better to find out now, and make the needed repairs, rather than have it come apart while driving the car and ending up in a ditch.
OB
In my experience Doug is dead right. Undo the large bolt holding the big end to the cup on the body. get a ;large cold chisel and place it just against the join where the inside cup of the arm bush meets the welded cup on the body. One or two HARD smacks on the metal bits where they meet, not the rubber, and off it will pop.
The small end is hard to undo, requires the shock to suspension pin to be undone at the bottom, the special washer to be knocked back, etc etc. I guarantee you the big end is far easier.
After reading many threads about dropping the irs, I saw several recommendations for using a 24" pry bar like this one from sears to release the front of the arm from the body. I've only done the job once (on an xj6) but it worked as promised. I'm sure you could find something similar in the UK.
Could you use a Puller to pull the Big Rubber Cup off, when you undo the Bolt instead of hitting it with a Chisel ? (or am I wimping out here?)
Yes, you are!
Believe me, the join between the top of the arm cup and the body cup is obvious once you give it a clean and get a light on it. Works fine; but it does need a shock on it (rather like the calliper/steering arm bolts) to get it off.
A puller will just wreck the bush and leave the cup and shreds of rubber still attached.
They look easy but can be stuck in. And you CAN remove the floor in the cubby as that is where the plugs of the ABS sensors are. Just tracking the cables back and ypu'll know what I mean. There must either be a floor or just a carpet base. If carpet, peel it back and done...
I'm not saying to lift the metal chassis up... There must be a floor at the bottom of the cubby to stop things rattling in there. I doubt it is just, when open, a metal case with no sound deadening...
Yes there is a Carpet in there for Sound deadening and protection but the Floor itself is made of Steel which does not give any access to underneath the Car
Hypothetical Situation: Removing the IRS Cage
