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New Idler arm play-is there supposed to be some

Started by oldcarnut, February 28, 2010, 03:43:39 PM

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oldcarnut

I got a break so i thought I'd try to get a chunk of the suspension rebuild done (70 RR).  I had bought a new Moog idler arm and after bolting it in I see it has play in it already unattached to anything else.  I can hold the link end and without much effort I can wiggle the arm up and down.  I thought it would be tighter but is there supposed to be some?  The play is in the arm to inner sleeve area and not in the bolt to sleeve as it is already tightened.

resq302

Is it torqued down to spec?  If not, I would get another one or call Moog and see whats up with their part.
Brian
1969 Dodge Charger (factory 4 speed, H code 383 engine,  AACA Senior winner, 2008 Concours d'Elegance participant, 2009 Concours d'Elegance award winner)
1970 Challenger Convert. factory #'s matching red inter. w/ white body.  318 car built 9/28/69 (AACA Senior winner)
1969 Plymough GTX convertible - original sheet metal, #'s matching drivetrain, T3 Honey Bronze, 1 of 701 produced, 1 of 362 with 440 4 bbl - auto

oldcarnut

Yep its torqued to specs.  
UPDATE-Took it back off and ran the bolt through and tightened to a nut clamped in the table vice.  Got no movement so it may not be the idler arm.  The ears in the k frame were just a tad barely spread so after a little adjustment and a re-torque to 65 ftpds everything seemed tighter like it should be.  One thing I did different was to add a thick washer under the bolt head and nut to get a better pressure spread which did the trick. 

resq302

Brian
1969 Dodge Charger (factory 4 speed, H code 383 engine,  AACA Senior winner, 2008 Concours d'Elegance participant, 2009 Concours d'Elegance award winner)
1970 Challenger Convert. factory #'s matching red inter. w/ white body.  318 car built 9/28/69 (AACA Senior winner)
1969 Plymough GTX convertible - original sheet metal, #'s matching drivetrain, T3 Honey Bronze, 1 of 701 produced, 1 of 362 with 440 4 bbl - auto

Blakcharger440

Quote from: oldcarnut on February 28, 2010, 04:09:28 PM
Yep its torqued to specs.  
UPDATE-Took it back off and ran the bolt through and tightened to a nut clamped in the table vice.  Got no movement so it may not be the idler arm.  The ears in the k frame were just a tad barely spread so after a little adjustment and a re-torque to 65 ftpds everything seemed tighter like it should be.  One thing I did different was to add a thick washer under the bolt head and nut to get a better pressure spread which did the trick. 

Hey,could you post a pic of what you did as I think that I am having the same problem with my Moog arm?

oldcarnut

I hope this is what you wanted to see.  The red arrow points to the upper flange (ear).  It was just slightly bent up maybe from older stresses.  I used a hammer and just tapped it back straight.  I assume the 65 pds wasn't enough to draw it down.  There was a washer that came with the arm which the box instructions said some vehicles used it to fill up a gap.  Mine didn't have any room for a washer and it didn't have one to start with.  Just the little tapping I did made it a tight fit on the inner sleeve.  The 2 X's  are the washers I added to the outside.

Blakcharger440

Quote from: oldcarnut on February 28, 2010, 11:21:23 PM
I hope this is what you wanted to see.  The red arrow points to the upper flange (ear).  It was just slightly bent up maybe from older stresses.  I used a hammer and just tapped it back straight.  I assume the 65 pds wasn't enough to draw it down.  There was a washer that came with the arm which the box instructions said some vehicles used it to fill up a gap.  Mine didn't have any room for a washer and it didn't have one to start with.  Just the little tapping I did made it a tight fit on the inner sleeve.  The 2 X's  are the washers I added to the outside.

That is exactly what I wanted to see!  :2thumbs: Mine is having the same problem and I am sure doing this will fix it. I thought I purchased a brand new idler arm that was bad until i purchased another one and had the same results.
Much appreciated.

oldcarnut

Your welcome and hope it helps.  Make sure you have enough thds coming up through the lock nut.  I going back to use a little thinner one under the nut to be sure.