Help! Trailing arm question! It's broke!

[Whiteshadow]

Lower passenger side trailing arm ( if that's what it's called, goes from he axle to the frame ), is in 2 pieces. This is my first full size 4wd truck, so I'm learning about it. It's broken, I'm guessing the truck should not be driven? I has been driven daily until I crawled under it today just to look around. Where is the best place to get one? Local parts store has them for ~ 140 each, and they say they must be replaced in pairs. I'm guessing that means I need to replace both lower arms? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I don't know!

 

[Canadian Expy]

The rear trailing arms are a bad design from Ford. Common problem for 1st gens.
You can get after market ones that should last forever, rectangular tubing. PMT makes the ones I put on. Check Ebay/amazon for them.

I would check all four upper and lower.
They don't have to be replaced in pairs but if the ones that bad my guess is the other one will soon go. Very dangerous to drive

 

[Whiteshadow]

I'm seeing kits on Amazon, hardware included, for ~200$. Are they decent?

 

[ARiley23]

Rockauto.com or ebay has the best prices

98 Eddie Bauer 5.4

 

[that1guyb4u]

broke trailing arm

I have a 99 Eddie Bauer. Both my trailing arms rusted and broke when I was pulling away from a stop sign. Pilling my drive shaft out breaking my yolk and U joints. You should probably get that fixed. It is a bad design. U shaped holding in the dirt and water.