Cant get a idler arm for my car????

-
7

73_Dart

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
217
Reaction score
2
Location
Paden City, WV
To start off with I own a 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger. 225 /6 with the auto trans. I havent had it real long. My problem is I took it to the shop to have it looked over to make sure it was road ready. and the guy told me i needed to get an idler arm and replace it. because mine was going bad.
The car is still driveable right now but I dont want to drive it very far till i get it replaced.
So my problem is that i cant find a replacement idler arm. I went to autozone and ordered one from a 73 but it is shaped alot different than the one on the car and wont fit. I ordered one from a 72 car thinking that the factory might have used parts from a 72 on my 73. Nope its alot different to.
So my question is, Where can i get a idler arm to work for my car? I have tried all the parts stores and they are all different than what mine is.
 
I've gotten them through Summit - Moog K7086.
I don't trust off-brands.
 
Thanks. I looked at all the site you guys posted and they are all different than the idler arm on my car. Some have a part at the end that i dont have and the other ones are bent to the side. mines not bent like that.
 
I will try to get one soon. Right now theres snow on the ground and its raining so i cant get under the car. but will try to maybe tomorrow.
 
K-frame style is easy to tell. '73 & up have the 1-piece rubber insert mount while older have the 2-piece rubber sandwich.

As far as comparing to pics on websites, the companies often post a generic part photo that usually doesn't match the part number. I've ordered Summit/Moog parts through Summit with no issues.
 
He's asking if it could be a 67 because that is a one year only idler arm that attaches to a 67 k member differently than a 68+.

This what a 68-72 arm should look like. A 67 is similar, but with sockets on both ends, like the second picture.

Is yours more like the third picture?
 

Attachments

  • IdlerArm 002.jpg
    108.5 KB · Views: 441
  • IdlerArm 003.jpg
    19 KB · Views: 433
  • IdlerArm 004.jpg
    35.7 KB · Views: 439
Yea. the third picture is what it looks like. im pretty sure at least. Does that one curve to the side any. or just up and down?
 
Unfortunately, it's not my arm. I stole the picture from eBay. The only one I have in my hands is the first picture.

Check out. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-...arQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_500wt_766

They might be willing to take more pictures for you.

Some of the others that you've seen may also fit, even though they look a little different. Some companies make arms that fit multiple applications. Who knows?
 
damnimcooltom said:
You might also see if a local parts store has a Moog K7014 that you can look at and compare.
Click to expand...

K7014 is for a '65-'68 C-body through 4/1/68!

All '73 & up A-bodies take idler arm K7086.

They also fit F, M & J bodies, so they shouldn't be too hard to find.
 
It fits other applications through 73, too. I doubt it's right, and I wouldn't order it in to look at it, but if he's held the K7086 and it's not what he needs, I'm thinking outside the box.

The car is almost 40 years old. Who knows what someone has done to it. I know that many of my old cars don't have stock steering components for their year any more.
 
Had same problem on 73 Duster...order the Moog part number from Summit...it is the right one.
 
Ok.
I guess we need to wait until he ID's the k-frame and gives us pics and/or numbers to cross-reference what he did get.

Then again, the manufacturers can put the wrong parts in the boxes also!
 
If its dry enough i will get the car up on the ramps tomorrow and get pictures. If its not it will probably be saturday. cause thats when my dad want to take it to the garage.
 
Sometimes a replacement part will not look exactly like the one coming out. As long as the top and bottom mount line up and everything measures out, then you should be fine. The one I dropped into my 72 looked a bot different, but the ends measured up and a dry fit looked good.

O'reilly (CSK autoparts) lists:

Moog - Idler Arm
Part # K7086
Rare Parts - Idler Arm
Part # 20893

Get us some pictures or lay the parts side by side to make sure the two ends equal up and you should be good.
 
Have fun changing that if it's anything like the 71' slant six that i have. You can't get the bolt out of the top side without lifting the engine a couple of inches. Just to give you a heads up you might need a hoist.
 
Well I do know that he arms were different from the generation before mine. I got one thinking it might work. SO im hoping that they changed that and made it easier to get to.
 
Heres the pictures of mine. It is like the one on ebay. I hope these are good enough for you guys to look at.
CIMG1844.jpg

CIMG1842.jpg

CIMG1840.jpg

CIMG1839.jpg

CIMG1837.jpg

CIMG1836.jpg


Sorry about the size by the way. I thought they were smaller.
 
Looks like you would be able to get one that mounts under the center link. I will snap a pic of mine here in a bit to give you an idea of what I mean. That one looks like it hits the side of the motor.

If you hold the new idler up to the old one, does the mountings look even close?

All of the ones I have seen have been mounted under the center link, but I have only ever worked on V8 cars.
 

Attachments

  • 20253.jpg
    9 KB · Views: 315
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top