Idler Arm in Front Supension

[4402tuff4u]

Last night I crawl underneath the Charger to install the new ss tranny lines, clean all the dust from the body shop on the undercarriage/front end/K frame and grease all the fittings on all the new suspension components I installed several weeks ago on the K frame. I'm ready to drop the Charger from the stands to start installation of the wiring and engine compartment accessories. As I was greasing away, I got to the idler arm on the passenger side and the grease fitting sheared right off in my hand! I discovered that when you make a hard left turn, the grease fitting hits the K frame joint where the idler arm gets fasten, consequently shearing the grease fitting right off.

Repair ideas to address the problem:
1. remove the idler arm, redrill new hole in neutral zone, re-tap threads and mig weld old grease hole shut (stick idler arm in water while welding to avoid damage to poly sleeve components).

2. Cut out/grind small section of gusset plate on K frame that hits grease fitting, remove sheared off grease fitting, install new grease fitting. 


I was planning on getting something significant done this Saturday, but I guess I'll be doing some remedial work on this idler arm. I don't recall or paid attention to the location of the grease fitting on the old original idler arm - have to check that out. Why would they change location??

Any ideas on repair, options 1 or 2 or other? opinions please. Thanks.

[haueter66]

is there enough of a hole to use a very small easy out?

[4402tuff4u]

Yes, I think I can get it out with a small ez out. I'm leaning towards getting the idler arm out and drilling a new hole for a new grease fitting in a spot that it wont hit the K frame. Then I'll seal weld the original location.

[haueter66]

ahh yes Im sorry... I kind of missed that point the first time around... that it needs to be relocated. 

[GreenMachine]

My factory idler arm was sealed, no zerk fitting.

[4402tuff4u]

Worked out pretty good. Got up early mothers day, took the idler arm off, drilled out the broken zerk fitting in the drill press, drilled and tapped the new fitting. Then I got my wife's tupperware filled it with water  , turned on the mig welder and held the idler arm partially submerged leaving the hole above water and zapped the hole shut with the mig welder. Installed the new grease fitting, grinded & filed off the weld plug so it looked as it was never there, "never-seized" the stud for a more quiet ride and installed the arm back on. Greased the fitting and cleaned off the grease residue. Took me 45 minutes from start to finish. Made breakfast for the wife and kids and no one knew I worked on my Charger on mother's day   

This whole thing was bothering me to no end. You know there are things sometime that don't go as planned and they bother you until you make them right! Well this was one of them, even though it was a minor one.