Just looking for some opinions on what you guys are running out there. I have a 94 runner with B.J. spacers up front and FJ springs in the rear. running 33x12.5x15 BFG's
Also i was told i needed to re-pack my wheel bearings. should i just just replace them instead of re-packing?

 

If you can afford it then go OEM from the dealer. TRDparts4U has great prices. And give discounts to TTORA forum members...


If you can't afford that, I'd go MOOG and nothing else.

 

I beg to differ. The Moog idler arm is garbage. It may be fine for stock rigs with no lift and tires smaller than 33's that see only limited offroad usage. BUT, for a rig with some lift and 33" or larger tires and/or for any REAL offroad trail usage, forget about it. You'll be sorry you wasted your money on it. I've heard WAY too many stories from dissatisfied customers.

This unit no good!


If you want to get an idler arm that going to stay together offroad and have bushings that are serviceable you should get the Autozone FA 5040 (McQuay-Norris FA5040). Then you can buy some bronze bushings/bearings for it from SDORI.


The OEM idler arm is ridiculously expensive and of no higher quality than many other aftermarket brands. Plus you can only get plastic replacement bushings for it and the others like it. Which don't last very long at all offroad, especially on non stock setups.

See this link for price comparisons and specs for OEM and aftermarket idler arms.
http://sdori.com/SDORI_Theory_Of_Operation.html

Trust me on this, I'm actually YT's foremost idler arm expert. I've been around the block with these stupid things SEVERAL many times. I've bent them, snapped them, and destroyed countless plastic bushings for them(35's and 2" torsion bar lift). And I was officially the first member on this board to install bronze bushings to one. Also, if you're going to do any serious wheeling with your setup then you'll need the bronze bushings AND an idler arm brace. Go ahead and try doing without them, and you'll soon see how right I am.


On the wheel bearings...there's no need to replace them if they're not shot. Just repack them, as should be done every 30k miles/36 months(or immediately after the hubs have been submerged)according to the FSM. Replace the hub seals when necessary to keep any contamination out of them and they'll last forever, pretty much.

On the ball joints...I bet they don't need replaced either. The ball joints on Toyota 4WDs are actually SUPER stout(if not indestructable). I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYBODY SAYS(it's the one thing I'll even argue with DeathCougar about to this day)! WHY? BECAUSE I'm running the stock ball joints on my 88 PU with 230k miles on them and they're all still in good enough shape. No play or looseness detectable on any of them. Just keep 'em greased, and they too will last forever...pretty much.

 

scuba: I'll check out TRDparts4U for the ball joints but for the idler arm i think what mudHippy said is what I'm looking for. as for the ball joints i was told by BIG-O the lower ones needed replaced before they could do an alignment, after i did the spacers and fj springs.. so i was thinking since I'm doing the lowers why not the uppers. also my front end is popping allot during turning at low speeds witch i think could be the lowers being worn and wheel bearings needed re-packed...

 

I would do Moog also as for the idler arm you can buy 3 Moog's for the price of a TC Arm.

 

I actually agree with everything the MudHippy has to say on this issue. Not always the case, hehe. I bought the Moog idler, but the Hippy's right - it's a weaker design. The stock arm even unbraced and with plastic bushings is stronger. A braced stock style arm with bronze bushings is the way to go for trail. But you are better off just replacing the bushings on the stock idler than with the Moog if you don't do much trail.

I also have the stock ball joints in my 89, and they are still tight. How, I have no idea. But they are.

If you do need to replace the ball joints, I think the OEM are Sankei (555). And I think that the Beck/Arnley joints are Sankeis - rockauto.com sells them for much less than the dealer. autohausaz.com sells the Sankei joints.

Just repack the wheel bearings. See this post: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116.../#post51204825

 

I agree with mudhippy, look at SDORI and their comparisons as some aftermarket idlers will accept their bushing kit. which when I finally do mine is the way I am going.

FYI when shopping most yota IFS idlers are interchangeable and they vary based on years as far as design. IE diameters etc etc. so maybe shopping for the better idler might take some effort searching for a different years idler arm for your truck. I cannot remember off hand which years were better than others and don't want to look it up. haha.

 

total chaos idler arm, heard its about $400 but worth every penny

 

86-88 idler arms have weaker/smaller diameter shafts(18mm), than the 89-95 models(19.5mm). Told ya I's an expert on this subject...see?

 

thank you mudhippy, I knew that but just didn't want to search for it. alot of people don't know that they can put the 89-95 idler on the older trucks and the aftermarket companies still sell ones for both in both diameters. (not sure why it's kinda stupid is you ask me)

same thing goes for the master cyls brake boosters and calipers.

 

I've gotta moog idler, works great. WAY beefier than my oem one which was braced with a Downey arm brace. Guess we will see. My truck is pretty much stock...

 

I bent (or more like, tweaked) three of those MOOG idlers. Now I'm running some no-name aftermarket one with the bronze bushings and Downey brace and it seems to be holding up well.

 

thanks for all the input.
I'm going to run the McQuary Norris Idler arm with bronze bushings.
Now is the "Frame Brace (limited time offer) $145* ($129 + $16 shipping)" from SDORI, is that the same brace as the one downy makes for the Idler arm???
Also i would like to get some more info on what ball joints to use. so far the the Sankei (555) or Beck/Arnley, and does anyone else know for sure that the Beck/Arnley are the same as Sankei??

 

Back when I had my '92, I broke down and bought the TC idler arm and wished I had done it sooner. I went from needing bushings/alignment every trip to never needing another alignment. WORTH EVERY PENNY, the guy that bought it has no idea how spoiled he is not having to worry about the stock idler arm...

Old:


New:

 

I went to Autozone and the FA 5040 came up as a duralast and they don't know who makes it, but they told me that Kragen/Oreilly Carry's a McQuay-Norris. so i went over to kargen and they don't carry McQuay-Norris any more only Moog and Master Pro after switching over to Oreilly.
so do i have to use a McQuary-Norris with the SDORI Bronze kit? or will any other brand of idler arm work?

 

McQuay-Norris makes the duralast I am almost positive of that

 

how postive???? 80% 70% ???

 

I'd say maybe 75% do some google searching and see what you com e up with.

 

this is what i came up with. looks like the pic from mcquay norris is different then the one from autozone

mcquay norris:




autozone:

 

heres a quot i just found from SDORI
"one could purchase the Duralast (FA5040) arm new, with warranty, and order a set of bushings for it."

so i think I'm 100% go with the duralast being mcquay norris...