Boxing Up a Trailing Arm?

[n2x4]

I was looking at how beefy the STi and other aftermarket trailing arms looked. Like these:



I was wondering, what if we boxed up the factory trailing arms? The factory ones are just a flimsy U shape, so what if another piece was welded to the open part to make it a bit more sold? Combined with some new bushings, wouldn't it be almost as good as the real thing?

[jamal]

it would do very little other than add weight. The link pretty much only sees axial forces, and mostly tension.

The STi parts are aluminum, which saves weight but also needs more material to be as strong. You would be much better off just replacing the bushings.

[n2x4]

Makes sense. So aside from the bushings, the STi arms are kinda pointless for the price then? The factory bushings just suck. Crappiest bushings on my car.
When I had the trailing arm out of my car, it didn't look as though the bushing would come out. I thought it was formed inside the arm and some hacking with like a holesaw would be required to get the old one out.

[jamal]

Well, saving weight on unsprung parts makes a big difference. Half of the weight of the trailing and lateral links is considered unsprung.

[206er]

think of it this way-if you make something disposable like a trailing arm stronger, what is it going to take out? personally I'd rather bend that then the chassis.