that looks pretty bad all right.
Wise and cautious of you not to risk/push it.

depends on what level of work you do on vanagons, but changing a rear
trailing arm is pretty straight forward.
a rear alignment would be appropriate afterwards of course.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
I'd offer to sell you a perfectly rust free west coast one..........but I'd
sorta want you old one in exchange so I can tow my parts van away someday
.......so shipping costs would be a bother perhaps.

----- Original Message -----
From: "neil N" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2008 7:59 PM
Subject: Me Sad. Trip cancelled. Whining Content + Warning (PICS)

> Hi all.
>
> *sigh*
>
> Ready to go to Catherine Creek for Wet Westies Reunion:
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/ReadyToGO.jpg/ReadyToGO-full;init:.jpg
>
> But the issue in the pic below was on my mind. Pulled over just before
> the border to check it:
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/TrailingArmHole1.jpg/TrailingArmHole1-full;init:.jpg
>
> While checking, I poked below. It now has little brothers:
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/TrailingArmHoles.jpg/TrailingArmHoles-full;init:.jpg
>
> I did a LOT of work getting Jaco ready to travel, but couldn't see
> driving it 2000 miles + this way. I know. It might have held, but it
> was accelerating in it's growth.
>
> Jake D had kindly warned me about the rust, which I dutifully kept an
> eye on, but as I say, the hole opened up quickly over the last little
> while. That's the part that scared me offa driving it very far/too
> long.
>
> F***.
>
> Yah I'm whining but it just seems like a never ending "battle". It's
> like I can't keep up. I know the job of R&R'ing the arms is not easy.
> I swear. What's next? I feel like giving up. Anyhow....
>
> So here's the thing:
>
> Check out your rear trailing arms.
>
> I AIN'T no expert and DON'T know how long a trailing arm in this
> condition would be ok. But, I couldn't help but see in my minds eye,
> all that weight and torque opening that hole up progressively faster
> til it failed.
>
> Not trying to scare anyone, but I can't imagine what it would be like
> having that thing fail at the forward mount <shudder>.
>
> End complaining. Kirk out.
>
>
> Neil.
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson '81 JettaWesty "Jaco
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
> http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/