Justwondering
Well-Known Member
Decades and decades of awesome character activity!
Sagging passenger side
- Thread starter Intrepolicious
- Start date
Be careful how many decades you speak of..
AJ/FormS
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- Joined
- Apr 26, 2016
- Messages
- 1,291
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- 305
Oh boy, better not say too much more,lol
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
Yes yes, the "center link", the drag link, the tie rods, and the idler arms; I need to replace all that, now that we've got the terminology out of the way lol.. Got a good source on these other than Rockauto? I see the "kits" on ebay for like $260-280 but I think I could piece together just the parts I need for a little less. No?
Forums are good for that. Ask me how I became an expert on a 2nd generation LH body suspension when I decided to lower my '98 Dodge Intrepid ES a few years back. I learned a lot with that car, and on those forums.
Here's one of the may threads I had going on that car...
^^^Yeah I've been a member of those forums since '03 with almost 20,000 posts
I'm not a professional mechanic, as in I don't work on cars for a living... but I've always worked on my own, (and I've owned many) and family and friends' cars. I grew up around mechanics, and to this day it's still a way of life. Many of my friends are mechanics, really good ones, but when it comes to something vehicle specific as in the case of my Cordoba for example, I'd rather find a forum like this with people who know these specific cars personally for my questions. It's always people in forums like this that have the best answers, people who have real world experiences with the particular vehicle. I'm 48 this year, and still learning things with every new (or not so new!) vehicle that comes along.
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
Dang.. I guess it was only like 6 years ago when I did that complete rebuild of the front suspension on that Intrepid...
This Cordoba is a different kind of animal for sure! I do like that I have the adjustable torsion bars..
This Cordoba is a different kind of animal for sure! I do like that I have the adjustable torsion bars..
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
Well, I for one haven't even started on my fifth decade yet... I'm still a young whiper-snapper!
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
So having driven this J body for the last couple of weeks now, I feel like I'm getting to know her a little better. I'm starting to hear all her little noises now, and becoming familiar with her quirks.
It idler arm is the most commonly worn item on these cars. A worn idler also causes bump steer and other “looseness” feel in the suspension.
Any time I have a front wheel off of the ground, I like to grab the tire at the 9 and 3 o’clock position and check for looseness. A slight bit is normal.
Then do same at 12 and 6 o’clock position and check for the same. If looseness is felt, then a second person may be needed to check on where the play is coming from.
If tie rod ends and ball joints are tight and boots are not torn, then just give ‘em a bit of grease and keep driving.
Note: you do need to check for play and give those joints a touch of grease every oil change . . . (at least the ones that have a grease zert on 'em).
BudW
Any time I have a front wheel off of the ground, I like to grab the tire at the 9 and 3 o’clock position and check for looseness. A slight bit is normal.
Then do same at 12 and 6 o’clock position and check for the same. If looseness is felt, then a second person may be needed to check on where the play is coming from.
If tie rod ends and ball joints are tight and boots are not torn, then just give ‘em a bit of grease and keep driving.
Note: you do need to check for play and give those joints a touch of grease every oil change . . . (at least the ones that have a grease zert on 'em).
BudW
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
I did exactly that when I had it up on the stands yesterday, almost instinctively. This was how I noticed the sloppy idler from the right side. (Passenger)
Now, about a good source for these parts...
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
I've noticed a lot of the aftermarket parts are sealed nowadays (without the grease zerts). What are your thoughts on those?
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
Anyway, so where the idler arm attaches to the "center link". The bushing... I can't find it. Anyone got a part # for this?
Rockauto only has the idler arm, which doesn't come with anything for the center link end.
Rockauto only has the idler arm, which doesn't come with anything for the center link end.
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
I think this is what I need for that end right?
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
I was just reading through all of this again, and I believe what you meant was the "Drag link goes from the Pitman arm to the LEFT steering knuckle".
Unless things were different way back when, I thought the drivers side was the left and passenger side was the right.
(While were picking nits)
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
Correct.
As viewed from the drivers seat.
RockAuto is hard to beat – as long as you can wait for the parts to arrive. EBay a close second.
If you have to have the part now – then choices are more limited (and more expensive).
Sealed parts are cheaper to make.
My opinion (which you don’t have to agree with), a sealed part are not made as well as greasable parts are. I have co-workers who think the opposite than I do.
It is hard to compare two different style of parts for comparison sake/longtivitly.
Most Idler Arms have rubber bushings on both ends and there is not (much) to add grease to begin with. A few Idler Arms have a ball joint on outer end (Center Link side) – but not many.
Yes, a replacement rubber bushing insert is made for the idler arms - but for cost to replace the whole thing, doesn't make any sense.
Please don’t buy the cheap stuff. The rest of us are on the road with you, and I don’t want to meet you after our cars have merged - the hard way.
That said, you don’t have to purchase the most expensive thing, either.
Looking at RockAuto, I found Idler Arms ranging from $6.75 to $29.89 (US) (plus freight).
I do not have any faith in a $7 Idler Arm . . .
The steering linkage part names from Left to Right:
Steering arm (bolted to steering knuckle and to lower ball joint), Left Outer Tie Rod end, Left Tie Rod sleeve, Left Inner Tie Rod end, Center link (or Drag Link). The Pittman Arm and Idler arm also touch the Center Link. Right Inner Tie Rod end, Right Tie Rod sleeve, Right Outer Tie Rod End and finally steering arm.
The inner and outer Tie Rods are identical except for thread direction, One is Left hand thread and other is normal (Right hand thread). That way you can loosen the Tie Rod sleeve nuts and turn the sleeve to shorten or lengthen the distances.
The only thing that can happen to a Center Link, steering arms or sleeves is physical damage (or rust – to the sleeve threads).
The Idler Arm, Pittman Arm and Tie Rod ends are the items that wear out
BudW
If you have to have the part now – then choices are more limited (and more expensive).
Sealed parts are cheaper to make.
My opinion (which you don’t have to agree with), a sealed part are not made as well as greasable parts are. I have co-workers who think the opposite than I do.
It is hard to compare two different style of parts for comparison sake/longtivitly.
Most Idler Arms have rubber bushings on both ends and there is not (much) to add grease to begin with. A few Idler Arms have a ball joint on outer end (Center Link side) – but not many.
Yes, a replacement rubber bushing insert is made for the idler arms - but for cost to replace the whole thing, doesn't make any sense.
Please don’t buy the cheap stuff. The rest of us are on the road with you, and I don’t want to meet you after our cars have merged - the hard way.
That said, you don’t have to purchase the most expensive thing, either.
Looking at RockAuto, I found Idler Arms ranging from $6.75 to $29.89 (US) (plus freight).
I do not have any faith in a $7 Idler Arm . . .
The steering linkage part names from Left to Right:
Steering arm (bolted to steering knuckle and to lower ball joint), Left Outer Tie Rod end, Left Tie Rod sleeve, Left Inner Tie Rod end, Center link (or Drag Link). The Pittman Arm and Idler arm also touch the Center Link. Right Inner Tie Rod end, Right Tie Rod sleeve, Right Outer Tie Rod End and finally steering arm.
The inner and outer Tie Rods are identical except for thread direction, One is Left hand thread and other is normal (Right hand thread). That way you can loosen the Tie Rod sleeve nuts and turn the sleeve to shorten or lengthen the distances.
The only thing that can happen to a Center Link, steering arms or sleeves is physical damage (or rust – to the sleeve threads).
The Idler Arm, Pittman Arm and Tie Rod ends are the items that wear out
BudW
Intrepolicious
Well-Known Member
That's what I was thinking, but just looking at the pictures it didn't look like the arms came with the bushing at the center link end. So if I order the Moog idler arm I have linked here, that comes with everything I need?
More Information for MOOG K7086
It "should" come with the arm (with bushing pre-installed), a castle nut and cotter pin.
Not to burst your whipper-snapperness, but at 48 years young you are already 8 years in on your fifth decade on earth.Well, I for one haven't even started on my fifth decade yet... I'm still a young whiper-snapper!
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
And that's excluding the 9 months you spent in gestation.
lol
man have we deranged the point of this thread...
lol
man have we deranged the point of this thread...
