Idler steering Assembly Problem [BJ8]

[67BJ8]

My idler assembly "clicks" when I turn the steering wheel to the right. I can move the passenger side wheel about 3/4" right to left easily with the car jacked up. I checked the ball joints and they are OK. However, when the "clicking" sound happens the shaft on the idler assembly moves up and down about 1/16". I think that the play in the wheel is caused by the idler. What do I do to correct this problem? The handling of the car is sloppy.

 

[Randy Forbes]

The idler can be rebuilt; there are two (2) bushes on the shaft, and the endfloat (what you have too much of) is set with shims under the cap.

Good chance that the seal has failed and any lubrication in the unit is long gone too, contributing to excess component wear.

Read up on routine maintenance, and the frequency of same, and your car will bring you so much more pleasure, and fewer repair bills.

 

[Keoke]

HI 67BJ8

Vertical play in the steering idler is removed using selected gasket thickness between the top and the main housing.You can make your own or buy several of those sold by our parts vendors. Originally it was a peel type gasket and you simply peeled off layers until you had the correct fit. That gasket to my knowledge is no longer available. Fwiw--Keoke

 

[mikespain]

Check carefully to see if there is sideways movement aswell as the bushes tend to wear aswell especially if the oil has leaked

 

[anthony7777]

keoke, what no tool list?.. :smirk:.., small 2-3 pronged wheel puller, pickle fork, and perhaps a mediam size lump hammer to deliver judicious blows to the exterior surface of the "barrel" body of the assembly. also one will find the white foam seal looks rediculous but do install cuz it does help keep dirt and "schmuttkiss" out.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

The last foam seals I got from Moss were blue, only slightly less ridiculous looking (believe the originals were gray).

 

[67BJ8]

A couple of questions:

1. I looked at manuals and the Moss catalog. I can't see any reference to shims or gaskets used at the top of the idler to set the end play.

2. I got the cotter pin out OK, but the nut is another story.
It takes a 1 1/8th inch socket. I put PT Blaster on it and could not break it loose with a long breaker bar. I don't own a torch so I am going to take the car to a garage to see if they can break it loose.

 

[tahoe healey]

Many applications of PB blaster and try to tighten direction first then loosen. You may need to do it over several days.