TUBULAR TRAILING ARM SET- VB-VS LIVE AXLE
Adjustable Tubular Chromoly Upper & Lower Trailing Arm Set – VB–VS Live Axle
Designed to install into the factory trailing-arm mounting locations on VB–VS live-axle Commodores, this complete upper and lower trailing-arm package replaces the factory pressed-steel arms with a substantially stronger, fully adjustable tubular chromoly setup.
Factory trailing arms can flex or bend under heavy loads such as hard launches, aggressive cornering and motorsport use.
The adjustable upper arms allow pinion-angle adjustment, while the lower arms provide a strong, rigid connection between the differential housing and chassis.
Our current-generation lower arms use a large-diameter chromoly main tube with a straight-load-path design, developed following extensive real-world use and testing to significantly increase strength and resistance to bending over our previous design. The straight-tube layout also provides excellent clearance for wide tyres and shortened-diff applications.
This Listing Includes
• 1 x pair adjustable tubular chromoly lower trailing arms
• 1 x pair adjustable tubular chromoly upper trailing arms
• Appropriate mounting hardware
• Choice of polyurethane-bushed or Heim-joint configuration for both upper and lower arms
Available Options
Polyurethane Bush
The polyurethane-bushed option is intended primarily for standard-horsepower and very mild street applications where some additional suspension compliance is preferred.
As power, tyre grip and vehicle abuse increase, the polyurethane bush material itself becomes the limiting component and will generally not tolerate repeated high-load use as well as the Heim-joint option.
For vehicles making meaningful increases in power, seeing regular hard launches, drag-strip use or other high-load driving, we recommend the Heim-joint configuration.
Kevlar / Teflon-Lined Chromoly Heim Joint
Our current Heim-joint option uses a premium Kevlar / Teflon-lined chromoly joint designed for long service life and high-load performance applications.
Modern lined Heim joints are very different from the older unlined metal-on-metal race-style Rose joints that developed a reputation for knocking, rattling and excessive road noise. The liner provides a much smoother and quieter joint while also significantly improving wear life.
When correctly installed, maintained and kept free from damage, these joints can provide many years of service while handling substantially higher loads than the polyurethane-bushed option.
For most modified, high-performance and motorsport vehicles, the Heim-joint option is our recommended configuration.
Upper & Lower Combinations
The upper and lower arms can be individually optioned with either polyurethane bushes or Heim joints, allowing the package to be configured around the intended use of the vehicle.
Please keep in mind that if polyurethane bushes are selected at either end of the package, those bushes remain the more load-sensitive component within the setup. For higher-power or regularly abused vehicles, Heim joints on both the upper and lower arms are recommended.
Pinion-Angle Adjustment
The adjustable upper trailing arms allow the differential housing to be rotated to alter pinion angle.
Correct pinion-angle setup is an important part of configuring the rear driveline and suspension, particularly on modified, high-performance and drag-racing applications.
Pinion angle should be set by a suitably experienced installer to suit the vehicle's driveline and suspension combination.
⚠️ Important Ride-Height Information
The current-generation lower trailing arms install into the factory lower trailing-arm mounting locations; however, they are not a factory-geometry reproduction and are not guaranteed to retain the vehicle's existing rear ride height.
The current straight-tube lower-arm design differs from both the factory pressed-steel arm and our previous bent-tube design. Because the lower arms retain and locate the factory-style rear coil springs, this revised geometry can alter the installed spring position and resulting rear ride height.
In some vehicles, the rear ride height may increase after installation. The amount will vary depending on the vehicle, springs and overall suspension setup.
Customers wanting to maintain a specific rear ride height must allow for the possibility of changing the rear springs after installation.
Do not purchase this kit on the assumption that your existing springs will produce exactly the same ride height once the lower arms are fitted.
The straight-tube construction is an intentional design choice. Adding a bend or additional drop into the main tube solely to reproduce the factory spring position would compromise the strength advantage that the current design is intended to provide.
Key Details
• Suits VB, VC, VH, VK, VL, VN, VP, VR and VS live-axle Commodores
• Does not suit IRS models
• Adjustable tubular chromoly upper and lower trailing-arm construction
• Adjustable upper arms allow pinion-angle adjustment
• Current-generation large-diameter straight-load-path lower-arm design
• Developed through extensive real-world use and testing
• Designed to minimise flex and bending under high load
• Polyurethane bushes intended primarily for standard-horsepower and very mild street applications
• Premium Kevlar / Teflon-lined chromoly Heim joints recommended for modified, high-performance and motorsport applications
• Suitable for wide-tyre and shortened-diff applications
• Upper and lower joint types can be selected independently
• Installs into the factory trailing-arm mounting locations
• Professional installation and suspension setup required
• Lower arms are not designed or advertised as a lowering component
Installation Notes
Installation must be carried out by a suitably qualified and experienced professional.
After installation, pinion angle, rear axle alignment, wheelbase, suspension travel and all surrounding clearances must be checked and correctly set before the vehicle is driven.
Final ride height should only be assessed with the vehicle:
• On level ground
• Under its normal operating load
• With the tyres correctly inflated
• After the suspension has been properly settled
For the most accurate ride-height comparison, measure from the centre of the rear wheel to the guard lip, rather than from the ground to the body.
Lead Time
Most Showtime Customs & Fabrication products are manufactured to order.
Products may appear available online; however, please allow up to 4 weeks for production before shipping, unless otherwise stated.
For time-sensitive orders, please email us before purchasing:
online@showtimecustoms.com.au
🚚 Shipping & Pickup Policy
Showtime Customs & Fabrication is a manufacture-to-order workshop rather than a retail storefront.
To keep production efficient and orders moving, we operate as a shipping-only facility. Completed and fully paid orders are dispatched via courier.
We do not offer on-site pickup or walk-in sales.
Disclaimer
All products supplied by Showtime Customs & Fabrication must be installed by a qualified professional. Regular inspection and maintenance are the responsibility of the end user.
Unless otherwise stated, suspension, steering, brake and related performance components are intended for off-road, motorsport or show use. Showtime Customs & Fabrication accepts no liability for damage, injury or loss resulting from incorrect installation, misuse, lack of maintenance or failure of associated components.