Slotted trailing arm brackets??

97preza

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Joined
Sep 7, 2011
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34
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madison heights,va
I was wondering, on my 97 impreza OBS, can i grind out the mounting bracket bolt hole (where the trailing arm on the rear suspension, mounts to the body) to "slot" it out, so i can move the rear wheels back to the center of the rear wheel well?? Is there enough metal there to still be safe??
 
Preze,

I have to say it but that doesn’t sound too safe. Depending on the amount of lift you will want to move the wheel back 1-3cm. There is probably not enough meat on the bracket to take that (there isn't on my SG forester). Then there would be the issue of elongated holes and suspension parts moving you would need to look at welding on tabs to get the metal where you need it and then the board will have the discussion about welded suspension parts and on and on it goes.

One of the easiest ways if you have some basic metal working skills (and if you can slot holes you do) is to make up some trailing arm spacers. Aluminium is easy to work with woodworking tools and if you have a scrap yard close is relatively cheep. I picked up enough 25mm aluminium plate to make a full set of strut top spacers and trailing arm spacers for $25. The strut tops are a bit fiddley so I am looking at buying those but the trailing arm spacers are strait forward.


Crazydave
 
Slotting is ok, it's the bolt tension holding the faces in place with friction that keeps it all together.

Problem is as your suspension compresses, the wheel will move too far back in the arch.

Crazydave is right, trailing arm spacers are about as easy as fab projects get.
 
thanks guys for the info :) I would like to buy a set of adjustable trailing arms, but money is pretty tight right now(i am sure it is for everyone) Thanks again for the advice.
 
I recently bought a pair of trailing arm spacers from sumo parts in the states, I'll tell you how they go when they arrive
 
Thanks Hunter. The spacers you are talking about, i am guessing they sandwich between the mounting bracket and the body?? I am worried about get the bracket-to-body bolts loose without the welded nut breaking loose in the frame rail.
 
If you can weld what we did was get 4 trailing arms and cut them so when joined they were 25mm longer, it put the wheel right in the center, you may need to go less but it's probably your cheapest way out, we also strengthened them with a fillet where they have no metal on the inner/diff side.

Sorry I can't provide pics as the car is sold and about to go on a transporter to the other side of the country.
 
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i bought some trailing arm spacers for primative racing in the US. i'll let you know how they go when they arrive.
 
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