Idler arm alignment?

[player1up]

So from my other post regarding steering strangeness, I've found that my center link isn't level and is causing some ahem "steering issues".
The idler is too far up ( away from the ground )
Did I get the wrong idler? I'm pretty sure it was the correct part but after cruising the forums looking at idler arms, who knows... ( I do know that it is the curved one for a 73+

What can be done?

 

[RustyDusty]

Sounds like to me you have the wrong idler arm. Does it swing the same radius as the pitman arm? That's a sure fire way to know you have the wrong one if it doesn't.

 

[70aarcuda]

i have seen two different idler arms for 73 A body...the one that is curved...and there is one that is straight...

on my 73 Duster 340...the headers TTI would not fit with the curved one...i have to order a straight one from Moog...

 

[BigStrok3]

I had the straight one originally on my car and tried the curved one and it wouldnt clear the headers. I ended up getting a NOS straight idler arm off ebay.

 

[70aarcuda]

i got one of each out in the shed if you want a picture....

 

[player1up]

i got one of each out in the shed if you want a picture....

A pic would be great. I'm going to spend some quality time up under the car this weekend and I'm probably going to pick up an idler arm that is different than the one in the car, after looking at it, it might be the straight one...apparently I've given some bad info...sorry guys, poor memory sucks...I'll get my facts straight and post them up.

I will say that I was comparing the original steering box with the one in the car and it looks like the pitman arm doesn't go as far up as the one on the old box. Like there is more space between the arm and the body of the box. I'll have to bust out the calipers to get an exact number but I'll try to get that and a pic of the old box at lunch.

Thanks for all the help guys

 

[1wild&crazyguy]

If it's not somethin simple like the idler arm choice, then it's the old common bump steer issue with the idler being to high/low, basically not in line/level with the pitman/center link.

what you do is open/oval the hole up on the frame [to and fro] where the idler bolt slips through, then you stick a hardened washer on top and bottom and then snug the idler bolt a lil.
Tap the idler into place or in line with the pitman arm and then tack the washers to the frame.

tale apart and then bead the washers up good to the frame and thats how you can cure bump steer from a mis aligned idler arm.

hope I explained that right.