idler arms 79 B100
From : paul k
Q: the idler arms on the van are making it hard to steer. pretty stiff. these are permanently lubricated so they say. can i drill and tap for 4 grease fittings and expect that to work new ones would cost about $200.00 for the parts alone from a supplier on the web but i havent gotten a price from weaver yet or any other parts house. i can still steer the van ok and its not dangerous but i want to catch this before i put too much load on the steering box. thanks. paul in wi. .
Replies:
From : sqdancerlynn
usually they get loose. you should be able to find them for $50-60 each. if you van has a lot of miles it probably also needs a new drag link. stock steering box will last a long time after about 60k miles they start to get loose .
From : paul k
usually they get loose. you should be able to find them for $50-60 each. if you van has a lot of miles it probably also needs a new drag link. stock steering box will last a long time after about 60k miles they start to get loose thanks for the info lynn. i figured as much that theyd get loose. the van has about 300k miles on it so i guess its time to replace them. in fact theyre on order right now and thetre going in on monday. i had to do this quickley as i need the truck for work. the steering box i adjusted last year and it fine. very little play. bud c has helped me with this van several times when the warped manifold was driving me nuts. it had a very slight leak. i replaced it and the old slant 6 has been running great. thanks to all on this great board. where else can you go for the quality of advice you get here. paul in wi. hi bud. the van is a zoomin. so far.............. .
From : budd cochran mrd150 preciscom spam net
hey paul!!! i wondered how ya was doing. glad to hear the leaning tower of power is doing well for you. are you sure your problem is in the idler arms if you got the adjustment wrong on the steering box itll feel just like too tight idler arms. iirc thats a saginaw gm box. drop the link loose from the pitman arm and try moving the steering wheels off the ground of course by hand if it moves pretty easily then the problem is in the steering unit. you may want to do some checking as there may be a variable ratio unit available you can interchange you old unit for like you can do on the pickups. i did that on my d-150 and it made a big improvement especially when parallel parking. also check your frame rail around the gearbox for cracking as it cause the van to wander a heck of a lot and / or cause binding. -- budd cochran usually they get loose. you should be able to find them for $50-60 each. if you van has a lot of miles it probably also needs a new drag link. stock steering box will last a long time after about 60k miles they start to get loose thanks for the info lynn. i figured as much that theyd get loose. the van has about 300k miles on it so i guess its time to replace them. in fact theyre on order right now and thetre going in on monday. i had to do this quickley as i need the truck for work. the steering box i adjusted last year and it fine. very little play. bud c has helped me with this van several times when the warped manifold was driving me nuts. it had a very slight leak. i replaced it and the old slant 6 has been running great. thanks to all on this great board. where else can you go for the quality of advice you get here. paul in wi. hi bud. the van is a zoomin. so far.............. *** free account sponsored by secureix.com *** *** encrypt your internet usage with a free vpn account from http//www.secureix.com *** .
From : sqdancerlynn
make sure you used the facory cone washers on that exhaust manifold. they are designed for heat expansion other wise the manifold may crack .
From : tbone
thank you for the help but we got that fixed quite some time back and with the proper washers. btw its the level of torque applied to the nuts that allow for heat expansion not the washer design. lol are you sure about that -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving .
From : budd cochran mrd150 preciscom spam net
thank you for the help but we got that fixed quite some time back and with the proper washers. btw its the level of torque applied to the nuts that allow for heat expansion not the washer design. -- budd cochran john 316-17 ephesians 28-9 our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. it is wholly inadequate for the government of any other. john adams make sure you used the facory cone washers on that exhaust manifold. they are designed for heat expansion other wise the manifold may crack *** free account sponsored by secureix.com *** *** encrypt your internet usage with a free vpn account from http//www.secureix.com *** .
From : budd cochran mrd150 preciscom spam net
it bothers me to see you going from thread to thread to try and start an argument tom. but im glad to say you failed again. -- budd cochran john 316-17 ephesians 28-9 our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. it is wholly inadequate for the government of any other. john adams thank you for the help but we got that fixed quite some time back and with the proper washers. btw its the level of torque applied to the nuts that allow for heat expansion not the washer design. lol are you sure about that -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving *** free account sponsored by secureix.com *** *** encrypt your internet usage with a free vpn account from http//www.secureix.com *** .
From : tbone
it is not an argument or even an attempt to start one. dodge used those washers for a reason do you know what it is -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving it bothers me to see you going from thread to thread to try and start an argument tom. but im glad to say you failed again. -- budd cochran john 316-17 ephesians 28-9 our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. it is wholly inadequate for the government of any other. john adams thank you for the help but we got that fixed quite some time back and with the proper washers. btw its the level of torque applied to the nuts that allow for heat expansion not the washer design. lol are you sure about that -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving *** free account sponsored by secureix.com *** *** encrypt your internet usage with a free vpn account from http//www.secureix.com *** .
From : paul k
hey paul!!! i wondered how ya was doing. glad to hear the leaning tower of power is doing well for you. are you sure your problem is in the idler arms if you got the adjustment wrong on the steering box itll feel just like too tight idler arms. iirc thats a saginaw gm box. drop the link loose from the pitman arm and try moving the steering wheels off the ground of course by hand if it moves pretty easily then the problem is in the steering unit. you may want to do some checking as there may be a variable ratio unit available you can interchange you old unit for like you can do on the pickups. i did that on my d-150 and it made a big improvement especially when parallel parking. also check your frame rail around the gearbox for cracking as it cause the van to wander a heck of a lot and / or cause binding. -- budd cochran hi budd. were doing just great and the old beast is still plying the corn country county roads. but the steering was getting a little stiff as of last fall. i do all the work on the van but im not set up for the bigger items. ive never done front end work so i took it to a local guy. we disconnected the box from the steering gear and found that the idler arms are what is causing the problem. the box is fine. ill check the frame at the box for cracking. good tip. ill keep as eye on that one. so i never did drive the van out to arizona. i was going to stop by and buy us a pizza but things got too busy for me. i also dont think i trust that the van would be as dependable anymore. its still a great work truck but if i get 2 or 4 more years out of it ill consider myself ahead of the game. i still owe you that pizza. thanks paul. .
From : budd cochran mrd150 preciscom spam net
hey paul!!! i wondered how ya was doing. glad to hear the leaning tower of power is doing well for you. are you sure your problem is in the idler arms if you got the adjustment wrong on the steering box itll feel just like too tight idler arms. iirc thats a saginaw gm box. drop the link loose from the pitman arm and try moving the steering wheels off the ground of course by hand if it moves pretty easily then the problem is in the steering unit. you may want to do some checking as there may be a variable ratio unit available you can interchange you old unit for like you can do on the pickups. i did that on my d-150 and it made a big improvement especially when parallel parking. also check your frame rail around the gearbox for cracking as it cause the van to wander a heck of a lot and / or cause binding. -- budd cochran hi budd. were doing just great and the old beast is still plying the corn country county roads. but the steering was getting a little stiff as of last fall. i do all the work on the van but im not set up for the bigger items. ive never done front end work so i took it to a local guy. we disconnected the box from the steering gear and found that the idler arms are what is causing the problem. the box is fine. ok good. i had a friend that adjusted his steering box and got it a bit tight. three front end shops said he needed a complete rebuild but said the box was fine. ill check the frame at the box for cracking. good tip. ill keep as eye on that one. the trucks were notorious for this problem but the vans put the battery right above the steering components and spilled acid can get onto everything so its still a good thing to check. so i never did drive the van out to arizona. i was going to stop by and buy us a pizza but things got too busy for me. i also dont think i trust that the van would be as dependable anymore. its still a great work truck but if i get 2 or 4 more years out of it ill consider myself ahead of the game. i still owe you that pizza. thanks paul. lol 30 years ago i was told to not drive a 65 dart from indiana to colorado. it took 16 quarts of oil thru the /6 and a bunch of ridicule because it was super ugly to get there but it made it and i drove that engine for another 20 years. the dart on the other hand had suffered too much at the hands of indiana road salt and an upper control arm rusted in two. them old mopars will amaze ya at times. budd *** free account sponsored by secureix.com *** *** encrypt your internet usage with a free vpn account from http//www.secureix.com *** . 222 315363 442759a1$0$19435$6d36acad@titian.nntpserver.com budd cochran wrote budd cochran wrote now rach rebuild isnt a bad word. the 318 in my old d-150 i had is still going strong with nearly 400k miles on it and has had only one rebuild. my eldest drives it now and stomps quite a few butts with a two barrel engine. the pic was taken just outside my place and the big guy did the flames. *** free account sponsored by secureix.com *** *** encrypt your internet usage with a free vpn account from http//www.secureix.com *** budd your truck is absolutely gorgeous. i see you have two gas tanks in it too -- is it a 3/4 ton its a d-150 2 wheel drive half ton with 3/4 ton springs from the factory . . chevy called their version a heavy half ton. the truck originally belonged to the dept. of the interior bureau of land management in central colorado. the dual tanks were to give enough range for use in the colorado mountains . . .and still make it home for supper. its bryons truck now and i drive a 95 lebaron gtc convertible. otoh it depends if its your dail
From : paul k
the trucks were notorious for this problem but the vans put the battery right above the steering components and spilled acid can get onto everything so its still a good thing to check. no acid leaking up front. pretty clean. lol 30 years ago i was told to not drive a 65 dart from indiana to colorado. it took 16 quarts of oil thru the /6 and a bunch of ridicule because it was super ugly to get there but it made it and i drove that engine for another 20 years. the dart on the other hand had suffered too much at the hands of indiana road salt and an upper control arm rusted in two. id love to drive that old bucket out there and on down to ut ar and and up mt. and back here. nose to the grindstone here. everything is going into a piece of ground right now. busy busy bloody nuckles. hope to buy a place in the sticks next year. 16 quarts of oil thats about 75 miles per quart isnt it maybe somebody forgot about putting in the pan gasket. hopefully the salt will leave it alone for a few more years. i spray on 2 coats of boiled linseed oil every two years. seems to help. that plus a half gallon of fiberglass and no bondo. brush on the flat black on the lower 12 inches and the tank is back on the road. i think ill be checking back into this group. paul in wi. .