OMG my head is swimming. I took a peek under the rear to see what might be causing the recent sag and was greeted with this.
There has been rust on the bottom part for a long time that had received some light patching with a welder to limp it along, but now it’s over Johnny.
It is cracked at least half way around and looks like it could snap with the next big bump. A search around the forums emphasizes the opinion of a machinist in-law who says suspension parts should never be attempted to be welded so repairing the crack by welding seems out of the question.
A scout around the area confirms that this looks like a huge undertaking. There is soo much attached: wheel, joint, springs, strut, brake lines, pressed bushings.
How much time are we looking at here to remove and replace with another one?
I don’t see any donor cars on my local craigslist and local junkyards are some genuinely terrible and overpriced people to deal with.
I’ve been calling this a “swing arm” but it seems that the correct name is “trailing arm”. Is “trailing arm” the correct name that I need to be asking for?
Somebody tell me its going to be alright and I can knock this project out in an afternoon or two 
Anyone in driving distance of Chatt. TN that has a part I would be glad to hear from you too.

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84 300SD 274K
38K miles on flatplate heat exchanger and various diesel/veg blends. prior to that 4K miles on unheated veggie blends with kero and DinoD.