I have some wear in the joint connecting the idler arm to the center link on my 85 Chevy Caprice. I had the idler arm replaced already about 5 years ago. There is about 1/16 to 1/8 inch of play laterally. Is this dangerous, and necessary to remedy ? The car handles fine. Someone told me the joint might separate if I hit a large pothole.
Thanks,
The someone was correct.
Once slop appears in a 'tie rod' end it can get loose enough to pop out from a hit the wrong way on a tire. The guts are usually just nylon and they can give up fast.
I just came off a highway run once and hit a sharp corner with pot holes and had one wheel decide it wasn't going to respond to the steering wheel anymore. Thankfully I was only going 10 or 15 mph....
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT'sLecher9000 wrote:
Thanks ! Good to know I won't be wasting my $$.
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