Idler Arm Assembly

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doubleload
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2018 12:06 am

Idler Arm Assembly

Post by doubleload »

When I removed the idler arm, there was a washer with flat sided center hole (“special washer “ as it’s named in the manual) that obviously fits on the threaded shaft and above this washer was a 3/16 inch thick second washer 1 3/4 inch in diameter with a 15/16 I.d. hole. My 62 Thunderbird manual doesn’t show this second washer. I’m guessing that this thick washer may go above the idler arm. When I first removed the idler arm retaining nut, the thick washer was stacked directly above the special washer and it had crushed the rubber part of the bushing. Correct assembly may seem obvious to you but the drawing of the idler assembly in the manual is not a drawing of the existing idler assembly found in a 62 model. The former mechanics on this car assembled a number of items incorrectly so I’m accustomed to not putting things back how I found them.
The lower washer acts as a thrust washer, bearing directly on the rubber part of the bushing. Using the rubber as a thrust surface doesn’t seem to be an optimal situation.
What’s the correct assembly?

Following up: Cut about 1/16” from top end of the bushing’s steel inner insert so it wouldn’t be jammed up against the bracket. Enlarged the hole in the thick washer to 1 inch allowing it to slip over the rubber. The 3/16” thick washer now functions as a thrust washer.
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