1968 Dart Idler arm issue

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Kendog 170

Kendog 170

Let the boy go !
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So both my SB and BB Dart have the issue of the Idler Arm bolt loosening up (each year) where it Bolts to the K member. Just curious if others have had this problem. I'm thinking a better locking style nut or drill a hole for a castle nut and cotter pin it. Also if anyone maybe knows the thread size to save me the time of checking.
Thanks
 
That's what I thought too. I can't remember what kit I bought but I do remember them saying it was made up of Moog/TRW parts. If I remember correctly they had no hole just a nylon lock type nut. I will have to look again. I will go through my receipts and see if I can find what Kits I bought.My memory sucks ! It's tough getting old lol.
 
I needed an idler arm bolt for under my kids 69 we are collecting parts for. Grabbed a bolt and nut off a 74 dart idler in junkyard. It had a cotter pin hole and a castle nut. I say drill it and put a castle nut on it. Other option is ditch that nylock nut and use a mechanical locking nut thats squeezed slightly oval and will have a heck of a drag torque in it. Use that instead of the nylock nut. In the aviation industry we call these mechanical locking nuts or "jamnuts". The nylon is getting hot under there from the exhaust and losing its drag torque. This is not a good place and application for this type of fastener at all. You should be able to get one of the jamnuts from your local nut and bolt place. Me i prefer a cotter pin.
 
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Kendog 170 said:
So both my SB and BB Dart have the issue of the Idler Arm bolt loosening up (each year) where it Bolts to the K member. Just curious if others have had this problem. I'm thinking a better locking style nut or drill a hole for a castle nut and cotter pin it. Also if anyone maybe knows the thread size to save me the time of checking.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Is the arms bushing sleeve being locked hard in the K-member? It should be, or it will rotate and wear the metal.
 
Not locked hard. Steering will bind. Same on both cars. Somethings a muck. Maybe need a spacer of some sort. I may have an original bolt kicking around but things are already in my storage trailer probably buried.
 
Maybe so.... If stock, then the bushings steel insert is locked and the rubber distorts to rotate... just like the rubber in the stock lower control arm bushings distorts to rotate. Someone please correct me if I am wrong on that. Where/how does it bind if you do put the spec'd torque on the bolt?

Here is the torque spec discussed on a short thread.
Idler Arm Torque Specs
 
Hmmm, I can try it but it seems way to tight to me. I did not try turning the steering wheel just couldn't push tires to get to turn with car off the ground.
 
I bought 2 old mopar idler arm repair kits. Moog problem solver i think. They used ball bearing races, a gollow bolt w grease zerk etc. They popped up on evilbay years ago and i bought em both. They can be moved over and over to replacement arms as the arms wear out. Eliminates the bushing.
 
Kendog 170 said:
Hmmm, I can try it but it seems way to tight to me. I did not try turning the steering wheel just couldn't push tires to get to turn with car off the ground.
Click to expand...
Well, please make sure... Maybe someone can chime in... I am going from memory. But with 65 ft lbs of torque on the nut per spec, it is going to lock the center sleeve.

When I first ran into that with cars of that era, it did not seem right to me either. But that was the way it worked on several cars I have had of that era.

Here are the instructions for the Moog part K7042, which is a greaseable version (sounds like MM2000's part). Looks like there are some washers and such with it. https://fme-cat.com/livedocs/AXCF2636.pdf

If thing are not tight where they ought to be, you will wear the tabs on the K-member.
 
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