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idler arm moog

pioneer61

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I installed a Moog idler arm to replace the blown out original on my 72 Charger. Torque spec per shop manual is 65 lbft, but if i tighten it anywhere beyond 20 lbft, the arm gets tight in the housing and wont move freely. The Moog design is not like the original (surprise, surprise) in that it doesn't have the metal washers encasing nylon spacers that prevent crushing. Additionally, the provided bolt doesn't have a provision for a cotter pin. My thought is to torque the nut as far as i can but still allowing movement of the arm (about 20 lbft) and use red loctite on the threads. First pic is the installed Moog. Second pic is the original. Anyone here have any thoughts, ideas, or experience with this? thanks

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I'd be looking for another one.

Some aftermarket manufacturers will slightly change the design of a part so it will fit more vehicles. Maybe this is the case with Moog. Maybe it was advertised wrong from where you bought it. Maybe it was boxed wrong. This even happens with today's parts for new vehicles.
 
I just went through the same thing with a Moog idler arm. Found some older nos McQuay-Norris idler arms on Ebay that have the washers like you mention and bought 3 of them. I had heard that even the new Moog's with a "K" prefix are still made in the US, but they are not. All China now unfortunately.
 
much appreciated. just wondering now how to remove the cup without ruining it
 
Dont they have a sleeve inside the rubber bushing along with the washers, so nothing collapses??
 
they do...but it doesn't cover the top of the rubber...so the rubber still compresses
 
Dont they have a sleeve inside the rubber bushing along with the washers, so nothing collapses??
Yes, the metal sleeve doesn't allow collapsing, but it just isn't quite as smooth as the older styles with the big metal washers.
 
problem is the sleeve doesn't extend past the rubber. anything over 20lbft and the rubber starts binding
 
I was able to remove it the other day but found that the part of the cup washer that fits inside the thru bolt shaft is too wide for the Moog part.

Can you post pics of the cup washer and of the new Moog part that shows how far the rubber extends above the sleeve?
 
The Moog only provides the inner sleeve. I ordered a Mevotech idler arm since the stock photo showed a cup washer similar to the original, but i'd at least like to figure this out. More than likely i'm not understanding something.

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pics of the original cup washer next to the Moog arm. Inner diameter of washer is the same as the diameter of the Moog inner sleeve.

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After looking at these pictures I think I would install it just like you have it in the first picture in your original post (post #1). The inner sleeve appears long enough to allow the through bolt to be properly torqued to spec and not crush the ends of the rubber.

And it will get difficult to move, It's the rubber that stretches and twists, not the inner sleeve moving, when steering the car. That said, make sure the steering is centered straight forward before tightening the bolt, centering the rubber bushing in its movement. If it's not, it can introduce a slight steering pull, or reduce the life of the rubber bushing by it being over stretched.

It may not look original but I believe it will perform as good. And I don't believe you will need the cup washers with this Moog arm.
 
I appreciate your help on this. By looking at it, i thought the inner sleeve rotated inside the cup washers, which led me to think it and the rubber was binding as i torqued it down. With all the poor part fitment and quality i've been experiencing in the past few years, i wasn't sure if it was the part or my logic (or lack of).
 
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