Trailing arms are an integral piece of many modern cars' suspension. They are largely responsible for accurate cornering, especially at high-speed when the car begins to lean over. Not only do they sharpen your steering, proper Oldsmobile 442 trailing arms will reduce tire wear by keeping your wheels turning in the right direction.

Trailing arms were originally rigid in design, which led to the wheels turning towards the outside during cornering. Carmakers quickly redesigned these rigid trailing arms and came up with the now-common semi-trailing arm. These arms pivot between 50 and 70 degrees to negate the tendency of a fixed trailing arm to point outwards, thus eliminating the understeer.

Q: What is a trailing arm? Why buy one?
A: Trailing arms are a common component of rear suspension design on vehicles equipped with solid axles and independent suspension alike. The trailing arm normally mounts in a front to back layout and is one of the components that locates the axle and allows the wheel to travel in an up and down motion while keeping it centered in the wheel well. For this reason trailing arms are crucial for handling and car control. A damaged or bent trailing arm can have substantial effects on handling, tracking and tire wear. If your trailing arms have suffered damage or are just worn out it is highly recommended that you replace them with new units. In addition there are high-performance trailing arms designed with increase strength and lighter weight to maximize your vehicle’s performance from the street to the strip.