Rear Trailing Arm

Rear Trailing Arm

The rear trailing arms are two metal links that connect your rear axle to the body of your car. Their purpose is to allow the rear axle to move up and down freely while maintaining proper vehicle alignment. The trailing arms themselves don’t contain any moving parts. Trailing arms are especially prevalent in many aftermarket truck suspension kits. There is also the less common leading arm, which is the same component as the rear trailing arm except it is attached to the front axle. A rear trailing arm won’t typically wear out, however the bushings on them will, which can cause issues for the back of your vehicle.

Signs of a worn rear trailing arm

• Thudding noise coming from the rear – You may notice a thud as a result of bad rear trailing arm bushings while turning, braking, accelerating, or hitting bumps. This noise is loud so it should be easy to identify.
• Rear of vehicle looks like it’s lifted higher – Due to worn bushings, the rear springs of your car may lift that side of the car up by up to an inch. This is because the rear trailing arm must extend further to compensate for the wear in the bushings.
• Car can’t keep to a straight line – When the bushings wear out too much, the rear axle is free to move around much more than it is supposed to. This results in the vehicle being unable to hold a straight line, especially while turning. You may notice that your rear wheels are changing the direction of your vehicle. Get this issue checked out right away as this handling issue presents a safety concern.
• Uneven rear tire wear – If you notice uneven tire wear exclusively in your rear tires, chances are that you have an issue with the rear of the vehicle and possibly your rear trailing arm bushings. Worn bushings will allow the rear axle to shift out of position, causing this uneven wear.

Rear trailing arm maintenance

Oftentimes, it is cheaper to have the entire rear trailing arm replaced as opposed to repairing just the individual bushings. Replacing rear trailing arms requires special mechanic tools, so it is important to get a car care professional to service the replacement for you. The best way to book rear trailing arm maintenance is by booking through CarAdvise. With CarAdvise, you are guaranteed to pay less than the retail shop price!