I slept, now spend money on me:-)

[Toploader]

So my '86 Tudor MGM slept on the mean streets of NYC most of this past winter.....and today I actually started her and drove to my buds shop for a LOF............while on the lift discovered that the idler arm is starting to go, exhibiting more play than it should have:-(

Which leads me to ask, you knew I would I know you did..........how much labor is involved and what is a "decent" cost to "effectuate" this repair?

Even the cost of detailing the exterior is crazy here...........average cost was $115.00.......and remember, outside only.

[gadget73]

Idler arm is 2 bolts and a castle nut. Not that big of a deal to replace. If someone asked me for more than 200 for that, I'd have a fit. The most expensive one listed on Rockauto, a Motorcraft, is $56. A Moog is $47. You can get a TRW on closeout for $9. If the bushing doesn't come off clean, you have to fight the steel bit off the center link, but thats not a massive problem.

[sly]

Should take a shop about 10 minutes with part in hand. 20 tops.

[cheaneyt]

Did mine myself took twenty some odd mins . Not bad at all . If you can do it yourself and save labor $

Sent while thinking of new mods for my 96 TC, using Tapatalk.

[Toploader]

Thanks gents!!!

[88Vic]

If yours slept, mine is hibernating, haven't driven the Lincoln in years. It begs to be driven, just gets worse sitting there.

It's not even a true classic or "fun" to drive but I hate that it sits. It confirms that I don't understand trailer queens, how you can have a nice car and just let it sit. Cars are meant to be driven, it's not a painting/picture that's meant to just be looked at. Think how horses feel when people leave them in a stable or small field and never take them out for a ride.

Sorry, end rant.

[Toploader]

I am in total agreement!!

If yours slept, mine is hibernating, haven't driven the Lincoln in years. It begs to be driven, just gets worse sitting there.

It's not even a true classic or "fun" to drive but I hate that it sits. It confirms that I don't understand trailer queens, how you can have a nice car and just let it sit. Cars are meant to be driven, it's not a painting/picture that's meant to just be looked at. Think how horses feel when people leave them in a stable or small field and never take them out for a ride.

Sorry, end rant.

[jaywish]

It should be real easy if you have the tool to pop the arm off.

[GM_Guy]

It took two of us, more than 20 minutes to break the idler arm free of the steering link on my '89. That bastard did not want to break free without judicious use of two BFH's and a pickle fork. I was very glad I did not try to get it done in the driveway. Sometimes my gut feeling is right.

Alex.

[IPreferDIY]

I used a Pitman arm puller for mine. (The puller was useless for the Pitman arm, but it was the right size for this.) The steel bit wouldn't come off the shaft, and the puller was the only way to tear the rubber off. Getting the steel bit off was easy after that.

[gadget73]

I don't envy you people that live in rotland. Its bad enough here, but not like some of you guys have it. I don't recall mine being any special effort at all to change.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

They can be a hit or miss, like anything else in the steering linkage - sometimes the taper fit lets go with a single good smack from a properly-sizes smacking device, sometimes you gotta give it such an epic beatdown that you start wondering if you're not maybe shock-damaging any other joints there may be.

That said, there is such a thing as a tie-rod-end puller, I was sold on it when I saw it making a pretty fast work out of popping off the steering linkages of a pretty dang nasty looking plow truck. It's very similar to a pitman arm puller, but smaller in size, and works in the exact same way. I believe it can be rented from parts stores, may wanna look into that...

[Toploader]

Gadget fast question........went to the MooG web site, they claim the car has to be on the ground with the springs fully loaded to be able to pull on the idler to determine if it has play or not.....I checked while the car was on the lift.....am I incorrect??..Just do not want to purchase and install a part the car actually does not need

Idler arm is 2 bolts and a castle nut. Not that big of a deal to replace. If someone asked me for more than 200 for that, I'd have a fit. The most expensive one listed on Rockauto, a Motorcraft, is $56. A Moog is $47. You can get a TRW on closeout for $9. If the bushing doesn't come off clean, you have to fight the steel bit off the center link, but thats not a massive problem.

[Toploader]

Inspection - Idler Arm.pdf

[His Royal Ghostliness]

You can jack the car up by the engine crossmember, put a pair of jackstands under the lower control arms as close to the tires as possible, then drop the car down on the stands - not quite the same as car on the ground sitting on the tires, but darn near close.