Idler Arm giving me a hard time.

[Morbid]

Not sure if this is the right spot as I think the part I'm working on is more to do with steering than suspension.

Anywho I'm trying to replace the idler arm on my Regal and it's a royal PITA (esp for one person).

So I'm looking for some help from the experts.

What is the best way for one person (who is not a gorilla with long arms) to turn both the bolt head in the frame rail and hold the nut on the inside of the arm, or vice versa.

TIA

MorBiD

 

[PaCemkr86]

air tools

 

[Morbid]

Can get to the bolt heads with an extension on my impact gun, but there is too much stuff in the way (fan shroud, trans coolant line) to get to the nuts on there inside w/even my 3/8" gun.

Unless I'm coming at it from the wrong side.

 

[TURBOTWIN2]

My way

Take off the RF tire. Use a wrench on the engine side nuts. Use an extention and socket going through the frame rail from the outside and zap with your 1/2 drive impact gun. You already broke it loose at the center link first, didn't you? Be sure and grease up the fittings (all 11) before you're done. Should you get an alignment afterwards? Theoretically, you didn't change any adjustments, so not necessarilly, but it's a good idea to at least check the specs. 15 minute job including coffee break after you've done a few. Pays .9 hours. HTH.

 

[PaCemkr86]

l Pays .9 hours. HTH.

ah.. the dealership tech talk....

 

[Morbid]

Take off the RF tire. Use a wrench on the engine side nuts. Use an extention and socket going through the frame rail from the outside and zap with your 1/2 drive impact gun. You already broke it loose at the center link first, didn't you? Be sure and grease up the fittings (all 11) before you're done. Should you get an alignment afterwards? Theoretically, you didn't change any adjustments, so not necessarilly, but it's a good idea to at least check the specs. 15 minute job including coffee break after you've done a few. Pays .9 hours. HTH.

Thanks TurboWin2 for the info. I'm doing it just like your describing and have mananged to get the top frame bolt out last night.

No I didn't take the nut off holding the arm to the center link yet or break the entire assembly free. Should I? The Chilton shop manual (which I'm working from) says to remove the frame bolts first, then the bolt to the center link, I have the puller that fit's to remove the arm from the stud.

The car needs to be aligned (failed inspection). 15 min's w/coffee break huh, I've got 10 times that in just throwing sh*t around the garage in fustration

MorBiD

 

[chopped39]

pull the nut off the center link before you pull lower bolt in frame off .otherwise its going to be hard to hold still . and then its time to start throwing $hit around again:biggrin:

 

[Morbid]

Got it. Thanks guys for the help. One last thing.

When I was checking out the fit of the puller I noticed that the rubber grease seal (sit's between the bottom of the idler arm and the top of centerlink, I guess around the stud) is split.

I went to several parts stores and they all said I need to buy the whole centerlink to get those. No Motormite or something. Is this seal important?

Morbid

 

[chopped39]

It keeps all the crap from the road out of it. I know napa used to sell them. It should have come with new idler arm. its a little foam peice .

 

[Morbid]

yup that's the one. I got the TRW arm from AutoZone and looked at the ACDelco and Moog elsewhere but they didn't have them. They do come with the Centerlink though.

I know someone has em cause shops have to replace them too? I'll stop by Napa in the morning, although checking the website produced zip.

 

[Morbid]

well I got it off guys, thanks for the pointers and help. I went to every auto parts store in town (Pep Boys, Napa, AutoZone, you name it) and none of them have that grease seal which sit's on top of the centerlink arm.

Had to call the Dealership and have them overnight me one.

Live and learn.

MorBiD