Need help on this too...I was told my problem might be the idler arm but it looks fine - doesn't move when I tug on it...what are the signs of a bad idler arm?

 

Any play in it. It's not always easy to feel with the suspension loaded. Jack the front passenger side tire off the ground and try jerking on the arm in all directions, back and forth/side to side. If it wiggles at all at the elbow then it needs new bushings. If the tie rod end is too loose then the whole idler arm needs replaced.

 

ok - I'll try. This may be one of my problems... but the actual problem is when I hard lock to the left I get a binding sound and a loud metal to metal pop... I was thinking it was the cv axle, but it looks fine. 4x4 is not engaged (have auto hubs)... could this be the idler? Also, the steering feels sloppy on the highway...

 

When you have that tire off the ground, grab the top and bottom and push/pull to see if it has any play too. It sounds kinda like loose wheel bearings maybe to me. In that case you'll need to tear the hub apart and repack and retighten them.

Don't assume it's a ball joint untill you've made absolutely sure it's not the wheel bearings. Which it may also be if the bearings are still tight. But that's rarer than the idler arm bushings or the wheel bearings being the cause. Also check all the mounting bolts on the idler arm and steering gearbox. They can come loose sometimes too and cause sloppy steering.

 

Got it...Thanks - I'm new to this community! Just bought my truck last Saturday!

 

The TC arm is worth it, I went through 3 MOOG's and 4 OEM bushing sets in one summer running BJ spacers and no crank with 33's.

I ended up cutting it all out for that reason and going SAS, should have just got a TC arm.

 

thats not a MOOG arm, seemed like you where indicating it was

 

oh but I think it is.

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sk...n+%26+Steering

and just in case you think it's a generic typo on that site here you go

http://performance.thepartsbin.com/b...1&brandid=4543..

or you can google yourself MOK9424

 

It is not the Moog sold for a 1995 IFS 4runner, http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...2853&ppt=C0203

it is however the unit sold for older IFS trucks, so I take back what I said, it is a MOOG arm but its not the only option for older trucks but it is the OE replacement. OK sloved that issue

 

I just put in a Moog in my stock rig and it appears to be much beefier than the shot stock one I had before and it really tightened up my steering.

 

can those bushings be used with the napa chassis part? http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Ca...(P_RecType%3aA)

Also this is a napa import line, I think it is a sankei 555. http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Ca...(P_RecType%3aA)

 

Moog...they make a couple different ones...HD have been on with great results...

 

Those napa links posted about don't work so I can't say for sure, but I know one of the NAPA idlers has the thinnest shaft out of all of them.

Do not use a moog idler arm on these trucks, especially the one with the shorter shaft.

The part that the SDORI bushings fit is quite laid out on their site. http://www.sdori.com/SDORI_Theory_Of_Operation.html

In short he only idler arm those bushing support is the Autozone fa5040 / McQuay-Norris FA5040. Not sure if you can still get that McQuay unit at Kragen/orrilies anymore though.


I do not know why people keep asking about the brand of idler they should use. The Autozone one is the best for these trucks. IMO it's better then the OEM one. Especially the OEM ones on the older trucks.