How to tell if idler arm bushings are shot?

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

> I've tried tightening the screw on the top of the steering box but that
> doesn't seem to help.  I did some more digging in the archives and saw
> that a number of folks had very similar problems to mine and that it was
> fixed by replacing the idler arm bushings.  So I'm trying to figure out
> if that is the problem I'm having before spending the money on the
> rebuild kit from IAP (and the time tearing it apart and getting the
> replacement bushings reamed or the new shaft welded on).
>
> I had someone jiggle the wheel while I was underneath looking at the
> idler arm and saw very little motion, a few millimeters at most, which
> might have been caused by the wheel getting to the end of the slop but
> I'm not sure.  I jacked up the car and tried pulling the wheels back and
> forth and there was no discernable rock.
>
> So is there a way to tell if it is the idler arm bushings without taking
> it off?  If I do need to take it off is it fairly simple to do?  What
> other things would cause the play?
Well, just about everything.. ;-) 
Seriously, tie rod ends are the most common culprits,  and some of the 
front end bushings.  Usually it's hard to tell just pulling on them,  so 
your testing is better done with the wheels on the ground.  The big 
bushings you have to pry on with large screwdrivers and such to try to 
see movement.

Put your fingers on the junction of the tie rod end (carefully!) and 
have someone gently move the steering wheel back and forth. Make sure 
you aren't going to get a pinched finger!  You can feel play that you 
can't easily see.  More than a very little bit isn't a good thing

You can observe/feel the steering box arm, and see if it seems to have 
play in it's motion as well as with the idler,  though the idler is 
probably best checked by removing the two tie rod ends,  and pulling on 
it's arm to check for play. 
I didn't notice any  movement till I had my front end that far apart, 
and now I can feel just enough play to hem and haw on whether it's 
something I should fix or not...  :-(

Front bushings will give you clunks and so forth while driving..  I 
think a few can affect the steering, the long upper arm castor bushing 
being loose might be one. 
And of course,  the steering box itself can have play,  depending on 
which type you have, they can be easy or difficult to adjust.  There's 
been some good posts in the recent past on this.. and on a few sites I 
don't have handy..  hopefully someone else could chime in..

Hope it helps..

Jon
77 Spider
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided