Can't get new PST Idler arm in - I'm stumped

[GearAddict]

Ok, made a classic mistake and threw out my old idler arm before I had the new one in..

New PST arm is about 1/16" taller than the opening on the K-member.

This is even after I tried widening the frame a little with a big f'ng hammer.

Any thought or suggestions appreciated.

The old one was in tight but came out pretty easy with a pry bar... The K-member is still in the car and there is very little to lever against, but this seems way harder than it should be.

 

[MarPar]

maybe send James from PST a pm (he's a vendor here)...

I would like to know myself, cuz pretty soon im going to get all new suspension parts from them

 

[WileE]

Get a piece of pipe the same diameter as the idler shaft. Grease the inside tabs of the kframe where the idler goes in. Hammer slam the pipe into the tabs. Slam it out sideway to get it out. Should open it up enough to fit the new one in.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

At least your bracket wasn't bent up like mine causing the drag link to be up against the oil pan! lol You can pry open the bracket enough to get it in but make sure the rest of the dynamics works after you do!

 

[snakeoil24]

Return the piece and get it from Moog, it fits without having to bang anything to fit. Don't mess around with Steering parts trying to make them fit. Any good Auto store old fashioned can get you this part easily.

 

[GearAddict]

Thanks for the responses guys... I won't go through the gory details but I eventually got it in... bent the upper tab of the bracket up enough to get it in, but still had to use a BFH to gett the bolt holes lined up. figured that since the bottom tab of the bracket was what maintained the plane that the steering linkage must sit on that moving the upper one a little would't destroy the alignment. took me 2 hrs to get it in though.

Snakeoil... I called around and no one had in stock...I got impatient as this project is 4 weeks beyond what I thought it would take.. but I'm sure your advice is sound.

 

[Dennis H]

I now take pics at least of everything before disassembly. Lay a tape measure over it too.

 

[bm02tj]

And you just learned a new lesson "keep old parts till finished "
and it was not painful