Top hat bush, line bored after installation.
Just need an accurate jig to bore the end of the arm with minimum setup time.

That was my first though as well, machine a tube in one pc. I thought about aluminum due to cost. It would be hard to machine as you would need to increase the bore between the inner and outer bearing areas. Boring a hole that small that long due to size and length of boring bar required would be a drag.( Just realized could turn down the shaft for same effect.) Or a threaded groove, some way to assure the two don't get wet and grow together. I have bucket full of swing arms that the needle bearing went bad and damaged the bore. I'm working on a plan to save them as well. Yes some swing arms are completely packed with grease. Steve (CTR)

I've never done a rear arm overhaul and I suspect one of my plastic tubes is split. Reading with interest what you guys have to say, I wonder if it would be possible to have the bushes and tube come as a complete assembly, pre- line bored/honed, maybe with a new shaft. The assembly could then be pressed into the swing arm. Steve's description of his rear arm solution seems to be part-way there. If the two bushes were joined with a stronger tube, it might be possible, though the swing arm casting may need modifications (assuming there is enough meat to do so ) .

I try very hard to get the old ones out whole. I think I still have a NOS tube from a very old set that supplied correct ones. I have thought about looking for thick wall tubing correct ID and large enough OD to machine. On vintage racers I machine oil lite bronze bushes for both front upper arms as well as rear swing arms. At the rear I machine the ends of the bushes to engage a thin wall tube between the bushes. Then align hone both bushes at same time. I need to look into material to make tubes for street cars. Steve (CTR)

I'm not aware of anyone making the metal ones.  Mine has original metal ones and unfortunately one of them stopped short on the cast lip inside the arm just short of the machined bushing bore, and pressing in the bearing and bushing caused the end of the sleeve to bend over.  I grafted a short piece of the plastic tube over the mangled end of the metal one to make it work, but would machine a new one if I had more time.

Its actually a straight tube that has been flared on one end, so ideally you could find an exhaust flange flaring tool small enough to make one out of a standard tube.

While I've got someone with experience and I'm thinking about swing-arms, I'm getting ready to do a swing-arm rebuild on my partners car; is there anyone making real metal grease sleeves like the originals, or do I have to make my own again. I hate having to fill up the entire swing arm with grease to get squeeze-out at the needle bearings when the useless re-pop plastic sleeves rupture.

No there way too small for that, I've seen these in kit's before and always wondered why they are there as they would shim the wear to be worse not better! Could it be the difference between wet and dry arm's (If there is a difference?)

Those shims look like the ones for shimming the front ball joints.....maybe got put in the wrong bag, along with your swing arm kit.

These shims fit the threaded portion of the shaft.





I agree, that even if there were ever a use for them between the thrust washer and the shaft (which there would not be unless the shaft is shorter than standard, or the trailing arm width grew, they would not last long.

I'm not getting any shaft movement or gap between the thrust washers, so I'm going to assume it is fine.  My trailing arms appear to have always been greased liberally.

Thanks.    Craig

Ideally the shims would fit the OD of the shaft, not the OD of the threaded portion of the shaft.  That would allow them to fill the gap that Alex mentioned without making the assembly "longer".  However, as Steve said, the shims probably won't last long when you consider the forces that will be on them during cornering.

Years ago when I rebuilt the rear arms on my car I made the spotface on the washers that Alex mentioned.  The washers I had were hardened so adding the spotfaces meant using carbide for machining.  Given the choice again, I'd shave the end of the shaft down like Steve suggested.

Alex, if I'm understanding correctly, you make a small counterbore in the thrust washer for the shaft to go into, so the thrust washers can move inboard and against the trailing arm?

Wouldn't adding spacers to the end of the shaft increase the distance between the thrust washer and the arm?

Either fix - turning the thrust washer or the ends of the shaft - makes sense to correct for worn arm thrust washer surface.  Adding shims does the opposite.   These shims still do not make sense to me.

If the ends of the swing arm are nice and square after getting the bushing reamed assemble on bench and measure between thrust and arm if more than wanted chuck the pin in lathe and face the area where washer sits to get proper clearance. Considering the condition of a hardened 1/4 inch thick washer coming out how long will the shims last? Steve (CTR)

As the arms get older, it is more and more common to find that they are undersize widthwise where the thrust washer has worn away the end of the arm through lack of grease.

I normally chuck the thrust washer in the lathe and take a smidge out of the middle, but these shims would appear to do the same thing far more easily.

Rebuilding trailing arms, and a small ziploc bag with these small shims of varying thicknesses came with each kit.  I can only guess these would be used to take up slack if the shaft moved side to side inside the arm when everything is tight.  My old arms had no extra shims, only the thrust washers, nuts and lock washers.  Most kits I see sold here and elsewhere only contain the standard parts.  These have the extra shims, which are a mystery to me.

Thanks,

Craig