Steering Idler arm

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slkalo
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:31 am
TOA Membership Number: 263
Years Owned: 1967 Toronado deluxe

Steering Idler arm

Postby slkalo » Tue Nov 24, 2020 4:15 pm

Anyone have some advice for removing the 1967 Idler arm? I have lubed the assembly, removed the nut, and cannot drive the bolt out. I am assuming there is not any retaining mechanism, just a worn in tight fit from decades of the bushing turning on the bolt.

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Otto Skorzeny
Posts: 1721
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:41 pm
TOA Membership Number: 0
Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Steering Idler arm

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Tue Nov 24, 2020 4:52 pm

Are you talking about separating the idler arm from the drag (center) link? (called a relay rod in the FSM)

The manual says to remove the entire steering linkage and clamp it in a vise then drive the idler arm joint out of the center link. Do you have Tool J-5504-B? Nobody does.

Let your penetrating oil of choice soak in for a few days. (50/50 mix of acetone / auto trans fluid works best).

Schurkey
Posts: 158
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:28 am
TOA Membership Number: 67

Re: Steering Idler arm

Postby Schurkey » Thu Nov 26, 2020 9:51 am

Is this somehow different from a typical tapered-stud joint?

Penetrating oil will do ZERO good. Those tapered studs are a stretch-fit into the tapered hole; it's air-tight. No liquid is getting in there.

Two choices: Put a picklefork between the joint and the "relay rod", smack it until the wedging action pops the stud free of it's tapered hole. Crude, but effective.
https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-41400-Step ... 306&sr=8-9

Better is to use a forcing-screw tool similar to this:
https://www.amazon.com/ARES-Remover-For ... 03&sr=8-33

When I was pulling my Toro's suspension apart back in '11 or '12, I bought the whole set
https://www.amazon.com/GEARWRENCH-41690 ... 413&sr=8-1

slkalo
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:31 am
TOA Membership Number: 263
Years Owned: 1967 Toronado deluxe

Re: Steering Idler arm

Postby slkalo » Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:36 pm

I had to cut the large bolt that goes through the frame bracket, idler arm, then front cross member. There was no way to get the arm out without sitting on the cross member (luckily engine is out) and slowly sawing through the bolt with a loose hacksaw blade. The nut was easy enough to remove, and the drag link was easy, as that end was shot, but no way was the bolt passing through the center bushing. Cutting the top and bottom, between the arm and bracket was a real blast.


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