anybody else have this problem?

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rbkt65

rbkt65

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bought a moog idler arm, k7042, for my 71 dart. it came with new bolt and self locking nut. installed it and the idler arm was about .060 wobble up and down, like it was worn out. tried to remove bolt and the nut galled to the bolt. sawzall repair on bolt. new bolt measured .554 in dia and hole is .574. measured 2 old idler arm bolts and they measured the same as new bolt dia, .554. went to farm store and idler hole too small for 5/8 bolt and too big for 14mm bolt. got some .010 shim stock and made a bushing and put in idler hole. tried to install bolt and it pushed the bushing right on thru. looked for some brass shim stock locally and all sometime next week. finally used a .006 brass feeler gauge and put it in idler hole and bolt now slides in and no play. what gives and what is everyone else doing with the parts they aregetting that don't fit real swell?
 
I have also noticed that the idler arms have too much vertical play unless you add extra washers.
 
if its a standard idler the centre tube is clamped to the mount by the bolt and all idler action is the flex in the bush
i.e the loosness of the bolt through the idler centre when in a 2 sided kframe or chassis mount should not be an issue...in a 1 sided mount i'd guess it might be no experiance with them.
if the idler swiveled around the bolt....then you'd have a problem, but it doesn't in standard operation.
 
In the one-sided mount (i.e. 1967) any looseness is fatal.
 
I never use the self-locking nut in any steering application For two reasons
1) the first one you already know, and
2) the second, because those nuts tend to ef up the threads, either going on or coming off.
lol.
If I am forced to use it;
I use a tap to get rid of the self-locking business, then drill thru the bolt to receive a cotterpin.

When yur done installing it with your home-brew shims to stop vertical movement; the centers of the pivot balls of both the idler and the pitman arm, should, with the chassis levelled front AND rear (not front TO rear), should be approximately the same distance to a level floor. The Idler ball needs to run in the same plane as the pitman ball, as closely as possible.
The holes in the K-member are oversize and
so is the tube in the Idler arm Spacer, and
the slop between the tabs, causing end-play,
are all there to help accommodate this.
Some guys install exact-fit washers, top and bottom and after the alignment, weld those washers to the K. Thus it can't go anywhere, even if something comes loose, or should you need to take the idler down, say to remove the oilpan, to replace a dying rod-bearing.
 
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