Trailing Arm Bushings for Honda Civic FC

A trailing arm runs forward from the wheel carrier or axle to a pivot on the body, locating the wheel fore and aft. Its bushes take braking and drive loads into the body. This page covers firmer trailing arm bushes and an axle-side radius arm bush for a beam axle.

The front bush of a trailing arm carries the full fore-and-aft load of its wheel, and it must also twist as the arm swings through its arc. A soft or worn bush lets the wheel move back under braking and forward under power. On many rear suspensions that movement also steers the wheel slightly, which can make the rear feel nervous on turn-in or under braking.

A firmer bush keeps the wheel’s toe steadier through those load changes, while passing more road noise and impact into the body. On a beam axle, radius arms locate the axle, and the axle-side bush lets it articulate; a firmer one resists that twist a little more.

When choosing:

• Position: titles give the axle and, for the radius arm bush, the axle side.
• Vehicle: check the models in the title against your car before work starts, as arm designs change between generations.

Trailing arm bushes are pressed in, so a press or a draw-bolt bush tool is needed. Mark the arm’s position first if its mount carries an adjuster. Tighten the pivots only with the suspension at ride height, then have the alignment checked.