Trailing Arm Bushing Replacement

Join me on a journey tackling one of the T25’s notoriously difficult areas – the trailing arms. Sparks fly whilst I remove hub nuts, disconnect brake lines, snap bleed nipples and meet the tin worm.

If your bolts are seized like mine, I recommend using a power saw to cut them off. I used an angle grinder but struggled with reach and control in such a tight area.

When fitting new Powerflex set I use the GoWesty technique to fit the bushings with a 30cm M12 threaded rod, nuts and washers. The only difference is I use jubilee clips to compress the bushing, instead of an tapered pipe (or the specialist 3053 VW tool).

To calculate the 500Nm force for the hub nut I used the following formula to calculate where I should stand on the breaker bar:

Force x Distance = Torque
80kg (my weight) x 64cm = 502Nm

Useful resources and research:

• Fitting OE rear trailing arm bushes without special tools
• Servicing Rear Brakes
• Rear Brake Backplate

Part numbers in this post:

• Trailing Arm Bush – T3 [Polyeurethane] – 251501131A
• Trailing Arm / Left – 251501401E
• Trailing Arm / Right – 251501402E
• Trailing Arm Mount / Left – 251803197
• Trailing Arm Mount / Right – 251803198
• Hub Nut – T3 / Rear – N90149601
• Split Pin – N0125482

As mentioned in the video, you could use T4 Trailing Arm Inner Bushings instead which are a split design so really easy to fit. They are the same part number (251501131A).

Brake Parts

• Brass Blanking Plug M10 / Male
• Brake Back Plate – T3 / Rear / Right / Alternative – 251609426D
• Brake Pipe – T3 / Rear / Trailing Arm / Left
• Brake Pipe – T3 / Rear / Trailing Arm / Right
• Brake Pipe Retaining Clip – 803611715
• Brake Pipe Clip – T3 Trailing Arm / LT – 291611767
• P-Clip – 10mm – N0206093