Chevy & GMC Vans

Make sure that you keep that receipt in a very safe place, then you can go back to Autozone every year to exchange those poor quality idlers, and do the job all over again.

SoCalli V8 wrote:Make sure that you keep that receipt in a very safe place, then you can go back to Autozone every year to exchange those poor quality idlers, and do the job all over again.

I don't buy it. Although every "rebuild" part has potential to fail, I have had great success with "lesser" brand name parts. Autozone is my place of choice, in fact. My complete upper and lower control arm assemble with joints installed for my 1963 Falcon have been perfect for 30,000 miles. $190, made in some asian country.

Keep 'em lubed, you'll be fine.

There is a way to never buy idlers again.

You can remove the old, about 70lbs. of scrap iron.




and replace with:



for about what new Moog idlers will cost.

Sorry guys - I doubt my dog haulin', tractor towin', dump run, beater van is worth all that much more than the price I paid for steering and brake components (pads, rotors, and calipers - great info on these AS and ASV forums on brakes BTW - 3500 4WD calipers are sweet) I installed this holiday weekend! It sure drives a lot nicer now that the front end doesn't rattle when going over bumps and the brakes don't try to shake out my fillings anymore though! Should be even better after getting an alignment tomorrow to true things up again.

MCA

Rebel wrote:There is a way to never buy idlers again.

You can remove the old, about 70lbs. of scrap iron.




and replace with:



for about what new Moog idlers will cost.

As tempting as that is, I know unless I had someone here to help me I could not do it with my present ability/knowledge. Someday maybe, but not yet.

rack & pinion... NICE!

Interested in giving some details?

Man, where have you been? The rack and pinion conversion is probably the best documented mod on this site.

I keep looking at it, and keep reading it, and keep realizing that at this point I won't be able to do it. ](*,)

Check out HERE.

DUH, I never once looked at the "rack" thread. I will now, thanks.

SoCalli V8 wrote:

mca wrote:Doing this job tomorrow. Got all Autozone Lifetime parts - idler arms, drop link, tie rod ends and adjusters. Physically it looks like a pretty simple job, but does anyone have the torque settings to be used on each of the nuts and bolts in doing this job?

Thanks,
MCA

Make sure that you buy everything HD Moog...... everything else that is lower quality, will wear out in less than a year......

Then you will be doing this job over again.... when your new tires scrub out, > again.....

Moog's idler arms are amazing. If you grease them regularly, they'll last 2, 3, or 4 times longer than OEM. On my '94 Astro, I've got around 500,000 km on the left side Moog idler, and over 300,000 km on the right side. I switched to Moog ball joints and few years back, and it's the same deal with them. If you grease them, they last.

Just paid $115.90 for two Lifetime Warranty idler arms at Auto Zone that is about half the price the local jobbers wanted for the Moog arms. I can change them in about 15 minutes. If I need to change them every year no big deal.

Hate to say it, but I did the same thing and bought the AZ ones. I've had the Moogs and they didn't seem to last any longer than the AZ's. I too can swap them every year or 2 if needed.

Any difference in the Moog problem solvers and what was just known as Moog's??.

looks like i'll be doing my idlers again soon i wonder if that rack will fit above my skid plate....

edit: i just went through the thread again it hasn't been done on an AWD yet? really?