Idler arm silly question

[Print Dad 58]

Hello all,

I ordered and received an idler arm for our 70 Mach - manual steering.

I got a MOOG - - it is the 2 pieces. The mounting bracket and arm.

The idler arm is VERY stiff on the mounting arm. Is  this OK

I thought the idler arm itself should move a bit freer.

Not sure if this is OK - it has greese fittings to install but I didn't do that yet.

Just seems to this OLD mind that the idler should move pretty free on the mounting bracket

 

I appreciate the advice on this small but important matter

 

Thanks - Print Dad - -Sam

[lanky 44]

Totally normal. They loosen up with use...often requiring redoing steering alignment at least once while the fresh rubber breaks in. I don't know what you meant by 2 pieces though. You should install the grease zerk, and squirt grease in it while using a wrench or pliers to rotate it, gets the grease in there that way

[RPM 1,190]

Or...you may want to consider the OpenTracker roller idler arm. I've got one and have never heard anyone give a negative review.

http://opentrackerracing.com/product/roller-idler-arm-manual-steer-1967-1970/

[Mike65 475]

Print Dad, I would go with the Opentracker Racing roller idler arm like RPM suggested. I have one on my 69 Coupe that I converted to manual steering & the engine is out of my car right now, I have no problem turning the steering wheel with one hand.

[69ShelbyGT350H 61]

6 hours ago, RPM said:

Or...you may want to consider the OpenTracker roller idler arm. I've got one and have never heard anyone give a negative review.

http://opentrackerracing.com/product/roller-idler-arm-manual-steer-1967-1970/

Agree, pricey, but you will never have to replace it again. That's the Open Tracker one on the left side of the photo.

View my build photo album by clicking on the image

Edited May 4, 2018 by 69ShelbyGT350H
Post Editor kept eating my words???

[Print Dad 58]

Hello All,

Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I haven't done an idler arm in about

35 years and I thought the idler arm would pivot easier.

Lanky - by the 2 pieces I am talking about the mounting bracket and the idler arm itself. Some places sell just the new arm

and you use the old bracket.

I am attaching a picture.

I wish I knew about the Open Tracker - -I was planning on putting the idler arm tomorrow

but if I don't I may return the MOOG and get the OT.

Thanks so much for the advice and heads up.

Any tips on removing the arm from the center link. I have forks and a hammer but

thought someone may have done an easier approach   LOL

Thanks again - -Sam

[69ShelbyGT350H 61]

Wish I could remember, I had the entire suspension and steering out of the car when I took it off. But then, I have one of those 12 ton Harbor Freight presses and it can move a lot of things that don't want to move. I might have used that to press it out. Or, it may have been so worn it just pulled out. The center link pin goes through the metal shaft that is in the rubber bushing, so heat is out. Some penetrating oil and a BFH might knock it loose. Mine was an oily mess, and I dreaded working on it. 

View my build photo album by clicking on the image

[RPM 1,190]

This Harbor Freight tool works like a champ.

[barnett468 418]

some parts stores like oreilys and autozone have free loaner tools.

you can get a few different kinds at the same time and try them all.

.

 

this style is sometimes too tall and will hit the exhaust pipe or something else but you can try it. the one oreilys has, has 3 fingers but it can be changed to 2 opposing fingers. the tapered knurled nut on the top keeps the fingers from spreading apart as the bolt is tightened.

.

 

.

 

[69ShelbyGT350H 61]

I found this video by CJ Pony. A mistake they made is that as the threaded rod is attached to the center link, do not hit directly on the threaded rod with a hammer. Thread the castle nut back on enough so that it can take the impact of the hammer, and not the rod, causing damage to the threads when you go to put your new idler arm and castle nut on.

 

[Print Dad 58]

Wow - - Amazing responders - -Thanks so much.

I would like to make a few additional comments

69ShelbyGT350H - - Thanks for the thoughts - -sounds like my kind of work  LOL

RPM - - i did buy a Pitman arm puller form HF if I ever get around to pulling the steering box.

- - but the separator looks like a tool I could use in the future when working on the car. I must say

I have a LOT of Harbor Freight tools and for the amount of time I use them they are great.

barnett468 - good idea - -free is always what my wife likes best. I may just rent one - there are several

stores very close

 

69ShelbyGT350H - - Thanks for the heads up on the video. I did watch it - and great catch.

I want to thank everyone for the info and for taking the time to post some great pictures.

Not sure why I am hesitating - -seems after retirement I just seem to lack the confidence to do much.

Honestly - -when I was a bit younger I would just break out the tools and do it - no thinking - just do it.

That is why the steering box is still in the car and the idler arm is on the bench. And oh yeah - - I am NOT nervous

to harm the car - -it is only a car - - -

I was planning on doing this Saturday - but if I don't I will do it on monday - -no procrastination

 

Thanks all - - - Sam

 

 

[69ShelbyGT350H 61]

If you were closer I'd tell you to bring it over. Noting like a little "competition" to help with the motivation.

[aslanefe 333]

On 5/4/2018 at 1:10 AM, Print Dad said:

Hello All,

Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I haven't done an idler arm in about

35 years and I thought the idler arm would pivot easier.

Lanky - by the 2 pieces I am talking about the mounting bracket and the idler arm itself. Some places sell just the new arm

and you use the old bracket.

I am attaching a picture.

I wish I knew about the Open Tracker - -I was planning on putting the idler arm tomorrow

but if I don't I may return the MOOG and get the OT.

Thanks so much for the advice and heads up.

Any tips on removing the arm from the center link. I have forks and a hammer but

thought someone may have done an easier approach   LOL

Thanks again - -Sam

If it has 2 zerk fittings, I would think that is has bearing instead of rubber bushing.

[barnett468 418]

3 hours ago, aslanefe said:

If it has 2 zerk fittings, I would think that is has bearing instead of rubber bushing.

It does not have a bearing.

[aslanefe 333]

On ‎5‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 5:16 PM, barnett468 said:

It does not have a bearing.

Then, what are the zerk fittings for?

[barnett468 418]

5 hours ago, aslanefe said:

Then, what are the zerk fittings for?

To grease the heim joint on the one end and the steel sleeve inside the rubber bushing on the other.

 

 

[aslanefe 333]

So, there is the original style idler arm with replaceable bushings on both ends.

Then there is the one printdad bought shown above with helm joint on one end and rubber bushing on the other; is the rubber bushing replaceable on this kind?

Then the opentracker roller idler which has helm joint on one end and roller bearing on the other end.

Am I correct?

[Guillaume69 150]

On 03/05/2018 at 11:07 PM, RPM said:

Or...you may want to consider the OpenTracker roller idler arm. I've got one and have never heard anyone give a negative review.

http://opentrackerracing.com/product/roller-idler-arm-manual-steer-1967-1970/

Man, those OT front end parts are sweet aren’t they?

After the roller spring perches, this one might very well be my next upgrade. Not so pricey considering how long it will last. Their roller UCA and LCA are way pricier....

G

[Guillaume69 150]

On 07/05/2018 at 10:52 PM, aslanefe said:

So, there is the original style idler arm with replaceable bushings on both ends.

Then there is the one printdad bought shown above with helm joint on one end and rubber bushing on the other; is the rubber bushing replaceable on this kind?

Then the opentracker roller idler which has helm joint on one end and roller bearing on the other end.

Am I correct?

Aslanefe,

I am pretty sure the picture used above actually shows the OT idler arm. Only one zerk.

The Moog he’s got probably looks more like this (two zerks).

G

[aslanefe 333]

7 hours ago, Guillaume69 said:

Aslanefe,

I am pretty sure the picture used above actually shows the OT idler arm. Only one zerk.

The Moog he’s got probably looks more like this (two zerks).

G

I believe Open tracker roller idler has 2 zerks as you have to lube the roller and the heim joint.

But I think there are idlers with 2 zerks without rollers two. If you look at regular mustang part supplier's web catalogs, you see one idler with 2 rubber bushings on ends (without zerk fitting) and another idler with helm joint on one end and 2 zerks (one at each end) and they do not specify those idlers as roller. So I assume and per what barnett468 says above, those have rubber bushing on the other end.

[Guillaume69 150]

I thought no zerks were needed on roller bearings. Isn’t that so?

[aslanefe 333]

3 minutes ago, Guillaume69 said:

I thought no zerks were needed on roller bearings. Isn’t that so?

I see at least one zerk on open tracker's site on 1969 idler arm picture where the heim joint is. The photo shows only one view so there may be a zerk on the other end not visible on the picture.

[Mike65 475]

I just looked at the OTR roller idler arm on my 69 Coupe & it has 2 zerk grease fittings as the pic above.

[Vicfreg 771]

My OTR on my '70 also has 2