How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? - Moparts Forums

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How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? #971029 04/11/11 01:05 AM 04/11/11 01:05 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,507 N.E. OHIO, USA A12 OP Too Many Posts
A12 OP Too Many Posts Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,507 N.E. OHIO, USA	Got a Moog (O.E. look) idler arm for my '69 GTX and there is a .010" (ten thousands) less difference on the big end that goes in the K-frame clevis to what I think is the original idler arm. A new bolt, washer and crimp nut are provided with the new Moog idler arm and with an impact I can draw the K-frame clevis together until the idler arm almost locks or gets very hard to move. Now I thought the idler arm pivots around the center bushing and should be "pinched" between the K-frame clevis and that no matter how tight you make the bolt the idler arm should still move fairly freely. Should, or does I should ask, the idler arm pivot around the center bushing? There's a grease zerk on the big end so I thought that's how it works? Don't understand why if I tighten the bolt for the idler arm it gets so hard to move? I think I could tighten the bolt to the point of freezing it One other note or observation; right when I get the bolt tight enough that the .010" up and down clearance is out and I know the K-frame clevis has touched the ends of the idler arm center bushing; at that point I can move the idler arm back and forth like there's play in, (this will sound stupid), like the play in gear to gear? Then I tighten the bolt a little more and the (gear?) play is gone then the idler arm is very hard to move??? Thanks for any help. MikeR

Re: How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? [Re: A12] #971030 04/11/11 04:26 AM 04/11/11 04:26 AM
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 8,850 Central Coast, Calif. S Snoopy master
Snoopy master S Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 8,850 Central Coast, Calif.	From the 70 Factory Service Manual. 6579348-IdlerArmInstallation.jpg (538 downloads)

Re: How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? [Re: Snoopy] #971031 04/11/11 04:30 AM 04/11/11 04:30 AM
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 8,850 Central Coast, Calif. S Snoopy master
Snoopy master S Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 8,850 Central Coast, Calif.	Moog Instructions 6579349-IDLERINST1.jpg (549 downloads)

Re: How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? [Re: Snoopy] #971032 04/11/11 04:31 AM 04/11/11 04:31 AM
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 8,850 Central Coast, Calif. S Snoopy master
Snoopy master S Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 8,850 Central Coast, Calif.	2 6579351-IDLERINST.jpg (393 downloads)

Re: How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? [Re: Snoopy] #971033 04/11/11 02:43 PM 04/11/11 02:43 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,507 N.E. OHIO, USA A12 OP Too Many Posts
A12 OP Too Many Posts Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,507 N.E. OHIO, USA	Thanks Snoopy! There was only one washer (shim) and it was .015" thick and more like a washer for the crimp nut end. Maybe I was shorted the shims and if they were .005" thick that would have been perfect. I'd bet that I have just about 60 lbs/ft torque on the bolt right, just wish I had two .005" shims. Snoop thanks again great info MikeR

Re: How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? [Re: A12] #971034 08/05/11 11:05 AM 08/05/11 11:05 AM
Joined: Aug 2004 Posts: 8,526 Tenn. jrwoodjoe master
jrwoodjoe master Joined: Aug 2004 Posts: 8,526 Tenn.	I'm running into the same problem right now. Doing my 70 Challenger, the Moog kit came with one washer and the fit seems to be too tight to use it. So, Should I just use the foam washers only and then tighten to spec? A12, did you get thinner shims? Joe 65 Barracuda 70 Challenger

Re: How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? [Re: jrwoodjoe] #971035 08/11/11 04:54 PM 08/11/11 04:54 PM
Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 582 PA B BTTG mopar
BTTG mopar B Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 582 PA	anybody know the answer? i just got a spicer pro for my 69 b-body and there were no shims.....if I torque to 65 ft lbs the idler doesn't move.

Re: How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? [Re: BTTG] #971036 08/12/11 11:29 PM 08/12/11 11:29 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,507 N.E. OHIO, USA A12 OP Too Many Posts
A12 OP Too Many Posts Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,507 N.E. OHIO, USA	Quote: anybody know the answer? i just got a spicer pro for my 69 b-body and there were no shims.....if I torque to 65 ft lbs the idler doesn't move. Well I went to the hardware store (Ace Hardware) and found some what I think are listed as "shim washers" and made my own washers. I then torque the bolt/nut to the 65 lb/ft torque and of course it got really tight so I backed the nut off until I could (hard) force the idler arm to move fully left to right. I left it pretty tight thinking that I had power steering and it should not feel that bad. I told myself if the steering (wheel) didn't return to center after a turn that I would back off the nut a little more to loosen it but so far I haven't had to do anything. Go to the hardware store and find washers or shims to put on each end to take up the distance between the idler arm center sleeve and the subframe mount. The washer center hole should be large enough for the bolt to go through but not large enough for the idler arm sleeve to go through......just like in the illustration that was posted above by Snoopy Hope this helps and thought I'd say it here and sorry for not replying to your pm. MikeR

Re: How tight should the idler arm bolt be to the K-frame? [Re: A12] #971037 08/13/11 05:56 AM 08/13/11 05:56 AM
Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 582 PA B BTTG mopar
BTTG mopar B Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 582 PA	Thanks a bunch...appreciate it!

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