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116 Idler arm replacement question

The 116's idler arm needs new bushings - thanks to some gorilla in an alignment shop who overtightened the nut.

It now moans and groans on turns.

I bought the repair kit and have been procrastinating - busy, too cold, now too hot, etc. but am creeping up on doing it.

I'd like to know, FROM THOSE WHO HAVE DONE ONE of these bushing replacements how long I should expect it will take and if there are any "tricks" to do it.

It looks like the new bushings need to be pressed into the bracket tube using a threaded rod or long bolt and lots of lubriplate. Right or wrong?

Thanks for sharing your experience and Happy July 4th!

Tom, maybe soon under the car.

Reply to
T.G. Lambach
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I did my 6.9s about 6 months ago.

the hardest part of the job is removing the old bushings from the tube, that just takes pure ignorance, persistence and allot of brut force.

installing the new bushings is a piece of cake, lube um up, and stick em in, the nut and bolt supplied with the repair kit is sufficient to bring them in home inside the tube as its long enough to do the job. Though not mentioned in the service manual, I also lubed all the friction causing faces of the bushings and arm etc, i.e. the parts that rub against each other. The nut is a locking nut so I see no harm. steers like silk.

I did mine with the engine out so it was considerably easier, the job was done in under an hour. With the engine in place, god only knows.

Reply to
TPr

Thanks very much, mine is a diesel so there's a reasonable amount of space to work. I suspected the removal is the tough part of the job - thus the procrastination.

Tom

Reply to
T.G. Lambach

I gotta do mine too... does the car has to be up in the air? Like both front wheel off the ground?

I will use pneumatic air hammer/chisel to pop the old bushing out..

Reply to
Tiger

Tiger,

I'm hoping to do it without much jacking - I may drive the car on to some low wood blocks as I can easily reach the bottom nut and hope to pull the top bushing out from the top (HA HA) and then, from the top, use a rod to drive out the bottom bushing. The 116 diesel has some room to do this.

It's been moaning and groaning for a few years as I slowly gather courage to undertake the job!

The parts are in hand and the weather is OK so I'm running out of excuses.

Tom

Reply to
T.G. Lambach

Let me know how it goes... mine is just plain loose! as if the bushings are not there... Clunking too...

Reply to
Tiger

With loose bushings it must steer great!

Reply to
T.G. Lambach

Absolutely! Especially when big rig passed ya! It pushes you out of the lane! I am a bit of daredevil...

Reply to
Tiger

Only if you can't get under it.

Reply to
Richard Sexton

Oh! I got a Rhino ramps so I'll simply drive up on it... On the W124, the steering part is behind the control arms... pretty far back.

Reply to
Tiger

I was thiniking that it was possible that the idler arm is under some tension.

Reply to
Tiger

This is for a 123, but It might help.

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Reply to
MMansilla

Thanks for the pictures and the encouragement!

Reply to
T.G. Lambach

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