limegreen70
Pokorny Enterprise's
how can you tell when you have a bad idler arm? because I have it bolted all the way tite into the steering linkage and it has some play in it the steering linkage will move up and down.
Bad idler arm
- Thread starter limegreen70
- Start date
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Sounds like you have a bad one. That's the way we used to test them on a state inspection. Grab the drag link and try and move it up and down. Any visible movement was a fail.
nm9stheham
Well-Known Member
It does not take much up and down movement to making your sterring reeeealy squirrely. So any vertical movement means loose steering to some degree. I'm getting ready to replace one that just barely moves up and down, just to tighten things up in the steering.
limegreen70
Pokorny Enterprise's
so the only fix is just to replace it I take it
Frank Mopar
Well-Known Member
What year and car is it? The 1967 uses a different kind of idler arm that doesn't use a through bolt so you can move them even if they are good. Crappy set up it is.
nm9stheham
Well-Known Member
Some idler arms can be rebushed, on other cars/designs. These are like tie rod ends; use 'til loose then discard. Thease are not all that pricey.
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
What year car are you working on?
limegreen70
Pokorny Enterprise's
well actually its for a b-body 71 charger I was just curious on what you do with one
Replace it. Moog K7041 $27.79 @ RockAuto.com
TrailBeast
AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
Do what he said ^^^^^
limegreen70
Pokorny Enterprise's
ok thanks the people on this site have such wealth of knowledge im grateful
Just tryin to repay the favor. My *** has been bailed out here dozens of times!
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
moog also used to make a kit to rebuild it. this included actual bearing races, washers, and a new bolt assembly that had a hole in it and a zerk fitting. i have 2 of these kits in storage for when i get around to rebuilding my front suspension. one is a spare. i got these of feebay. nice thing about the rebuild kit is it can be swapped out to a different idler arm when the other end of the arm wears out.
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
Bringing this thread back because....the mopar idler arms suck these days. I have changed one 3 times only for it get floppy on me and have the car dance around in the lane at every imperfection in the road....
I don't like the idea you have to spend 125 bucks for firm feels over priced bearing and sleave kit Just to have a steady tracking car.
Anyone else have a idler arm woe?
I don't like the idea you have to spend 125 bucks for firm feels over priced bearing and sleave kit Just to have a steady tracking car.
Anyone else have a idler arm woe?
Anyone else ? LOL Google loose idler arm. This isn't a "forabodiesonly" issue, or even a Chryslersonly issue. It's a fairly common issue for any conventional steering linkage. Nissan Pathfinder guys have adapted other brand/designs, and that's just 1 example. If someone develops and offers a proven cure for us ( maybe FirmFeel has ) they aren't going to give it away.
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
Help always has to come at a hearty price, when it comes to vendors.
I'm going to visit a bearing manufacturer near me and size a coupleout for cheaper.
nm9stheham
Well-Known Member
What brands have you been trying? Have you tried the Moog part?
Perhaps see if you can run down one of the old Moog rebuild kits as referred to in the post above yours. They were good. Or spend the $125 and be done with it.
Yeah, the rubber from India and China tends to be crap and of the wrong durometer (hardness). I gave up trying to find good replacement strut tops for my Starion/Conquest cars because the rubber supports were all wrong, and adapted in Subaru strut tops.....
nm9stheham
Well-Known Member
And I suspect you do know that a hard bearing at that point is going to put a lot higher impact stress there and throughout the steering linkage and into the box too. That is the one point where rubber was used as the shock cushion in the steering system.
Yeah, S10/S15 4wd chivvy/GMC, probably retired a couple hundred Moog employees on their idler arms alone. Then there were the ball joints and occas. pitman arm fails. Hated
cutting/knocking those rivets out, Oye!
cutting/knocking those rivets out, Oye!
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
It's a Moog idler arm, 3 months and its trash.
Not exactly. The earlier idler arm design had the same ball in cup on both ends, like tie rod ends. When the daily commuter bumped a curb hard enough the ball in cup would loosen and that single attach limb might bend. Toe setting changed again and again.
The later, stronger, bolt through, attach design was relieved by the shock absorbing rubber. It could absorb a curb bump without a major change.
Today the majority of these vehicles aren't daily commuters, driving on icy streets, banging the curbs, etc.., so what changed?
I have to wonder if it is aftermarket part quality that is responsible for more frequent/more rapid idler arm failure or might it be the header heat? or maybe it's the 17 inch wheels and shorter, wider tires many owner throw onto these antiquated steering component designs?
Is rack and pinion steering the ultimate solution? Is the idler arm kit from FirmFeel a more affordable alternative?
I don't seek those answers 'cause I don't have the problems ( my idler arm is just fine ). Just sharing my thoughts.
GeorgeH
Well-Known Member
Same here, Don't think the parts are what they used to be. 3 Moog idler arms on my chevy 1/2 ton in 4 years. The last one has made it 2 yrs. Maybe NOS? lol
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
I agree. I also notice something else, the bolt going through is not as close as you can get without being interference fit so to speak...so the idler slightly teeters on it as well. Stack the two together and you a floppy idler arm.
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