Idler arms

[ScoobyDoo82]

I was told the idler arms on my van need to be replaced. AutoZone says $50 each, is this about right? Also about how much would labor be if I had someone do them?

[Rebel]

That's about right but you may want to think aboug Moog idlers. They'll last much longer. Think, if I remember,,they're around 70.00 each.
No big deal to do them yourself but if a mechanic did them down here, would be around $50.00 for the labor.

[ScoobyDoo82]

Omg thank you for that news. My brother in law said that the place he got new tires for it said they will do it for $500. I was like WTF? Then I looked at Autozone, they were $50 and I was like WTF? $400 in labor? My uncle can do them for me, I'm 15 with not that much knowledge of this kind of stuff but I'll look into those moog idlers.

[GEJ]

That's about right but you may want to think aboug Moog idlers. They'll last much longer. Think, if I remember,,they're around 70.00 each.
No big deal to do them yourself but if a mechanic did them down here, would be around $50.00 for the labor.

Rebel I remember a thread that said Moog is owned by Federal Mogal who also sells their brand of idler arms at NAPA in two levels of pricing.Kind of confusing which brand name is better. I do know most guys here use Moog.If you good folks could post to that subject it would be good info for the author of this thread and interesting to me as well.

[Someone]

I dont know if it is the same in the US but we buy Moog in canada because it is lifetime (as long as you own the van) warranty... and they are usually beefier than stock

[Rebel]

Now, that's 50 bucks labor down here in Alabama. I'm sure it would be more in Mi.

[Rebel]

Rebel I remember a thread that said Moog is owned by Federal Mogal who also sells their brand of idler arms at NAPA in two levels of pricing.Kind of confusing which brand name is better. I do know most guys here use Moog.If you good folks could post to that subject it would be good info for the author of this thread and interesting to me as well.

Yea Gary,,think you're correct. I know a few weeks ago when I went in Advanced Auto to pick up the Plymouth tie-rods for the Mustang rack, I asked for Moog and he handed me Federal and said they were the same.

[Smiliesafari]

Scooby, now would be a good time to learn about your van. The idler job is a piece of cake. I'm sure your uncle would be glad to supervise.

[Rebel]

Skips right,,get him to show you how and you'll be hooked and ready for more.

[ihatemybike]

Spend the money on Moogs if you plan on keeping the van long term. Well worth it.
RockAuto.com
Moog #K6258T - Left idler arm - $70.79
Moog #K6259T - Right idler arm - $70.79

Summit $88.69
Jegs $89.99
Advance Auto $115.99

Seriously not a bad job for a beginner. 2 bolts and one crown nut per side. Hardest part is separating the joint, but a loaner pickle fork from AutoZone makes it a easy. Honestly don't think anyone should pay someone else to install them, if you have the time.

[ScoobyDoo82]

Well my uncle said if I buy the parts, he will do it for free, which he also said hes gonna do the first one and have me watch and i'll do the other one myself with him showing me as I go. I think I will go for the moog arms because I do plan on keeping this van I already love it too much

[potskie]

That's about right but you may want to think aboug Moog idlers. They'll last much longer. Think, if I remember,,they're around 70.00 each.
No big deal to do them yourself but if a mechanic did them down here, would be around $50.00 for the labor.

Rebel I remember a thread that said Moog is owned by Federal Mogal who also sells their brand of idler arms at NAPA in two levels of pricing.Kind of confusing which brand name is better. I do know most guys here use Moog.If you good folks could post to that subject it would be good info for the author of this thread and interesting to me as well.

Sounds about right. Same as the Delco OEM ones are now Spicer parts. The high end Spicer parts. I swear by em! I was actually going to buy some MOOG idlers a couple years back. But my uncle ( the guy who manages a parts store) gave me crap for it. According to him up until the last 2 and a half years or so the OEM and Delco chassis parts had been crap from china but Delco worked out a deal with spicer locally. So Spicer makes the stuff around here now. he went on to explain it took him 6 months of convincing his customers.... All the local mechanics to give the *new* delco stuff a try as all most of them wanted was moog. After a few of em tried out the Delco chassis stuff again he can't keep it on the shelves and no one hardly buys the MOOG stuff here any more.
From personal experience using the updated spicer parts I can say they do last... The idlers on my 93 have been on there since I bought those about 2 years and 120,000 KMS ago and the front end is still decently tight. They are showing their age with slop but nothing like the ones that were on there before did. IIRC I only got 50K out of the previous ones.

If I ever get the geometry on the idler / pitman supports I'm working on figured then it won't matter which brand you use

[Jinmajay]

I posted this link earlier. It gives good info on MOOG.
http://www.federal-mogul.com/en/Afterma ... talogs.htm

[phr1$k37]

Ditto - great time to learn!
Moog is the way to go. I have to do mine soon (been saying that for years now -_-).

[meetthespeakers]

Had it been $50 for installation I would have done it months ago, but they quoted me a total of $650 to do it on my 98AWD. So I ended up buying them from Advanced Auto, just waiting for my friend to help me out in his garage, not really feeling doing it in 25 degree weather outside...and he just wanted me to pay him in beer. Will you notice a difference after install? Steering response?