Problem after installing new steering idler

[67BJ8]

This problem baffles me! I bought a new steering idler with arm for my 67 3000. I unhooked the ball joints connected to the arm and removed the idler. I installed a new idler and arm
making sure that the new idler and arm were the same size as the old one. I then bolted the ball joints onto the arm and put the wheel back on. Now when the driver's side front wheel
is pointing straight ahead, the passenger side wheel is pointing to the right about 20 degrees! The ball joint that goes to the link to the wheel is bolted to the hole that is closest to the idler and the tie rod is bolted to the hole farthest away which is ( I hope )the right configuration.
Does anyone have a explanation for this mystery?

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

This problem baffles me! I bought a new steering idler with arm for my 67 3000. I unhooked the ball joints connected to the arm and removed the idler. I installed a new idler and arm
making sure that the new idler and arm were the same size as the old one. I then bolted the ball joints onto the arm and put the wheel back on. Now when the driver's side front wheel
is pointing straight ahead, the passenger side wheel is pointing to the right about 20 degrees! The ball joint that goes to the link to the wheel is bolted to the hole that is closest to the idler and the tie rod is bolted to the hole farthest away which is ( I hope )the right configuration.
Does anyone have a explanation for this mystery?

Can you post a picture so we can see what you referring to? We've seem spindles refereed to as Kingpins, etc., etc. Guys who own and drive Healeys are visual types.
Patrick

 

[Andy65]

This has happened to people before. It is something silly and you are going to kick yourself like we all do. Probably have the cross rods reversed in the idler holes. Disconnect the cross rods from the idler, Center the wheels and steering wheel, see which rod lines up. I'm assuming you didn't unscrew the ballends.

 

[BUNDYRUM]

Hello 67BJ8,

Have you looked in the workshop manual to see if there are any pictures there that show what your looking for. Sometimes there are pictures that show one assembly but you can see other assemblies as well.

Best regards,

bundyrum.

 

[67BJ8]

Here is a picture of the way I have hooked the suspension together. I am afraid that the suspension on the passenger side has been hooked up wrong for the last 20 years. I had suspension work done back then.

 

[Johnny]

It's easy to put the arm on the wrong way. This is from an original BJ7 model before restoration.

 

[andybj8]

As Johnny says and his pic shows it looks like you have the side and centre rods attached correctly, the one thing I believe most did not appreciate from your original post is "I bought a new steering idler WITH ARM "

So I would think the new arm is the wrong part (probably a column arm), I would swap it with your old one.

Note the holes are tapered in the arms, one hole from one side and the other from the other side.

cheers Andy

 

[GregW]

If I can steal Johnny's photo (I'm lazy). Both arms on the idler and steering box point outwards. If both were facing the same direction, then you'd have the problem you're describing.

 

[67BJ8]

Greg,

The arms are correctly positioned on my car and are the same as your picture shows. I didn't know that there were different arms available. I have now taken the idler and arm off. The serial numbers match on both arms and idlers. The only difference is that the arm sits about 3/4" lower on the new idler. It would'nt go on any further. I don't know if tht would matter. I have also taken the cross tube off, but I haven't been able to loosen up the lock nuts or the ball joints on it. I am hoping to be able to adjust the ball joints in to make the system work. I must admit that I am seriously thinking about selling this car when I get the alignment correct. I am retired and have a bad knee that prevents me from working on the car without constant pain.
I also have great difficulty getting in and out of it.

 

[andybj8]

Perhaps I didnt explain enough, The arms are different part numbers 1B4475 for the RH and 1B4476 for the LH. Incidentally the parts were always labelled with the lower number being the RH first then the next for the LH. I do remember when I put mine on that the parts numbers are usually hard to make out the difference between the 5 and 6.
The key to getting it right is that the holes in the arms are tapered to match the entry from the the top or bottom from the centre rod or side rod.
Therefore you need to check that with the arm pointing out as on the above photos, the first hole that takes the side rod is tapered from top to bottom (narrowest end of hole that nut goes on), and the hole nearest the end that takes the centre rod ball joint is tapered from bottom (widest) to top (narrowest that nut goes on).
If its the wrong side arm the holes will taper the wrong way and throw out the angle.

But as you describe the arm being to far off the spline, its sound like you just need to get it on the bench and use some force (if the splines match your old one) and force it up the tapered spline. The arm does not go all the way up the spline to the body, but should have a foam dust seal between the body and arm.

Does the new idler have a castle nut and hole drilled in the spline for a locking pin (so you know its the correct distance up?), or is it the new type with a lock nut?

cheers Andy

 

[67BJ8]

Andy,

The new idler does have the castillated nut and is installed with a cotter pin. I was able to get the ball joints and lock nuts from the center rod using some heat. I will try to reinstall everything tomorrow and see if I can get the alignment problem solved. I went to your website. Your restoration work appears to be first class. I did a ground up on my 1967 BJ8 also. Here is a picture of it taken last summer. I will let you know the results of my endeavor. When I had the car jacked up I noticed that the passenger side front wheel could be "wobbled" a bit. I noticed that when the wheel wobbled the shaft inside the idler would go up and down about 1/8". That is how all this started!

Larry

 

[BUNDYRUM]

Hello GregW,

To me there seems to be something about this picture you hijacked (easier way to do it I must admit, nothing wrong with that). It appears there are 2 steering idlers on this chassis and no steering box. Unless that is a strange and very different steering box.

Hello 67BJ8,

Does the BJ8 idler have a square shaped nut protruding from the top plate (held on with 3 bolts)?. This is how you adjust the up/down movement (just about non existent) of the idler.

Best regards,

bundyrum.

 

[GregW]

Yeah I didn't have time to look for a Healey photo of the front with no shroud. So that is a mirror image of Johnny's photo. That were the easiest way to convey both arms pointing outwards.

 

[67BJ8]

Bundyrum,

The top of the idler does have a square bolt on the top. The purpose of it is to allow oil to be put into the idler. It is not for setting end clearance. That is done by changing the thickness of the gasket under the idler cap.

 

[BUNDYRUM]

Hello 67BJ8,

Wow was that ever a brain fade on my part. Upon reading it again I realised that I knew that already so why I said it is beyond me.

So, did you adjust the up/down movement with the gaskets?.

Thanks again and best regards,

bundyrum.

 

[67BJ8]

Yea, I used differant gasket thicknesses to set the end play.