Gen 2 idler arms

[PA_JERO]

We all know about the weak link in the Montero front steering is the idler arm, most of us have either bent the kingpin or had the bushings wear out even on stock tires. I noticed recently that the aftermarket available idler arms have recently gotten extremely cheesy, ClayTK recently spent $150 for what he thought was going to be a high end NAPA idler arm. What came was the same thing I got in a Duralast box a few months earlier (These were at one time Moog or 555). It's seriously just a bolt in a stamped steel housing, this is the future guys. At least the Moog and 555 idlers had an actual kingpin, even though they bend easier than stock they typically got you off the trail at the cost of tire wear on your drive home. I don't know how long the kingpin style will be available outside the dealer, considering where the failures are on these style of arms it seems the way to go is to rebuild the old parts while they still exist. Our friends over at Adventure Driven Design came up with a chromoly replacement kingpin and brass bushings to rebuild and upgrade the original idler arms. I ordered mine here http://www.adventuredrivendesign.com/idler1/

It's worth investing into this, or eventually you will be me. Every other trip I make my way to autozone to lifetime warranty my idler arm that gets mangled. I have destroyed many idlers and have been lucky so far, I haven't been left stranded ... yet.

 

[ManfromSnowyRiver]

Sorely needed!

 

[jeep-N-montero]

So in other words, I should grab every one I see at the salvage yards for future spares.

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

So in other words, I should grab every one I see at the salvage yards for future spares.

If you like changing them out that's a solid plan, but how much is your time worth? The chromoly king pin and brass bushings are the way to go, getting those extra housings would be a great idea for the folks that have accidentally ended up with the stamped steel housings and bolt style king pin from the aftermarket.

There's two problems going on with the idler arms:
-stock kingpin is weak and doesn't hold up to big tires and leverage
-aftermarket are weaker and smaller, a lighter duty unit all around
-they all have plastic bushings which get smashed and flattened and then create steering slop

I've got a stamped steel one that I ended up with accidentally (off brand, product image was incorrect) on a test rig right now. I want to see how many trail runs it will survive. It's been through one so far of just general washboards and berms, next it's going into a small rock garden to see how small of an obstacle can kill it.

 

[snare]

I am glad y'all are creating products that directly address items that could use some improvement in terms of longevity.

 

[ManfromSnowyRiver]

This may be the single biggest issue. The problem with just "swapping" is other things get damaged off-road when the idler is bent. You may trash tie roads, bend the front steering rod and so on. I could hardly make it home own time due to this. If instead of carrying a bunch of spares you spend 185.00 and no more spares, no more other bent and broken parts. A bargain for sure.

 

[Toasty]

I gotta find the picture of the bent draglink from the '13 Carnage, that was a nice one. Remember Johns 2 Idler arms within the first 1/2 mile of wentworth in '15? He only had 33's, the original idler arm ate it's bushings then the new one bent driving on flat ground


Good times.

 

['round n' back again]

cheap insurance.
i used XRF this go.
drilled it for a zirk.
see what happens.
body is cast steel likely i drop one of these little beauties in and be done with it.

 

[Toasty]

A bent idler (or shot idler bushings) makes it easy to bend a drag link, which in my opinion is hilarious. I have a picture somewhere of a Montero with it's front tires pointing together looking like you just caught it in a very vulnerable moment.

This one was a good one, Carlos shouted out his window "I can't steer dude!" so I looked under his rig "Of course not, ha ha ha!" luckily I'm pretty skilled with a hammer.

 

[lordtrunks]

catching a bent drag is a lucky break and only caught by someone who knows what is going which is from my experience has always started(the root of evil) from a bent idler. Now if you think i'm not out bashing my truck i'm immune your WRONG! it bends very easy with when you have to push your truck up anything from a rock to a pile of dirt and if you do this while turning its only more of a guarantee that it will bend. Buy the strongest you can get and carry a spare just in case because ******** happens. also once you bend the draglink you WILL WITH OUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT BREAK TIE RODS!

 

[Toasty]

So PA_JERO provided me with a Moog and 555 Idler arm, neither are serviceable! The Moog looks like it will be but when you take the top cap off it's the same as the 555, once the kingpin is installed into the housing a machine mashes the top closed. Tomorrow i'll see if the arm and joint are swappable, not typically a part that goes bad but it would be good to know for some of us that may have damaged the threads on the joint end.

 

[snare]

Were the arm and joint swappable?

 

[Toasty]

Yes, and I may have found something else for you!