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Anybody recognize this strange 56 Dodge idler arm bushing? Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [50 messages per page]	View previous thread :: View next thread
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56D500boy

Posted 2017-07-27 4:09 PM (#544968)
Subject: Anybody recognize this strange 56 Dodge idler arm bushing?

Expert 5K+

Posts: 9898
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Location: Lower Mainland BC

After months of sitting on parts, I finally committed to getting my 56 Dodge into the shop for new inner and outer tie rods and new idler arm and bushings.

I got the parts mostly from a local guy with 100,000 NOS parts except the idler arm was off eBay (ouch). I lined up all the parts and labeled them by number according to the parts diagram. All there. *Should* be no issues. 2hrs after I dropped off the car, I get a phone call from the shop. "Dave, there's an issue with the idler arm. You need to come in and help us decide what to do".

So I do that. The actual idler arm is correct (the new one is the same as the old one) but the bushings are completely different and involve thin ball bearings. Not what I expected.

Any insights into what I have and how to deal with it will be appreciated. At this point, because I don't have new bushings that look like the old ones, they are swapping the idler arm and re-using the bushings and bearings on this round. Next round will involve new bushings *IF* I can figure out what they are.

The parts that I brought were all painted semi-gloss black (except the shorter bushings) and labeled with green masking tape and a sharpy.

See attached photos:

Edited by 56D500boy 2017-07-27 4:15 PM

(56DodgeIdlerArmAndBushingsDiagram.jpg)

(Another1611209.jpg)

(Strange56DodgeIdlerArmBushingsAndBearings_small.jpg)

(Strange56DodgeIdlerArmBushing_small.jpg)

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56DodgeIdlerArmAndBushingsDiagram.jpg (118KB - 164 downloads)
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Another1611209.jpg (127KB - 152 downloads)
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Strange56DodgeIdlerArmBushingsAndBearings_small.jpg (176KB - 155 downloads)
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Strange56DodgeIdlerArmBushing_small.jpg (74KB - 154 downloads)

60 dart

Posted 2017-07-27 4:26 PM (#544969 - in reply to #544968)
Subject: Re: Anybody recognize this strange 56 Dodge idler arm bushing?

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Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA

if the old arm has no slop , cleane it up and reuse it . the new one , if everything fits as new use it . the new one , if it is size correct is probably
just manufactured differently as a reproduction . if the shoe fits , wear it ---------------------------------------------later

56D500boy

Posted 2017-07-27 4:46 PM (#544971 - in reply to #544968)
Subject: RE: Anybody recognize this strange 56 Dodge idler arm bushing?

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Posts: 9898
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Location: Lower Mainland BC

Can't get ahold of my NOS Parts guy. However, I think I've figured it out: what they have there is a previously "repaired" idler arm with two idler arm repair kits. I did a search on eBay and found this:

(IdlerArmRepairKitOnEbay_big.jpg)

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IdlerArmRepairKitOnEbay_big.jpg (79KB - 160 downloads)

GaryS

Posted 2017-07-27 4:54 PM (#544973 - in reply to #544968)
Subject: Re: Anybody recognize this strange 56 Dodge idler arm bushing?

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Posts: 1207
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Location: Ponder, TX

You were fortunate to find a good replacement arm. The Chinese manufactured one that came with the front end rebuild kit I bought from Kanter recently was bent at the wrong angle, so I ended up re-using the sixty year old OEM part.

56D500boy

Posted 2017-07-27 5:05 PM (#544975 - in reply to #544973)
Subject: Re: Anybody recognize this strange 56 Dodge idler arm bushing?

Expert 5K+

Posts: 9898
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Location: Lower Mainland BC

GaryS - 2017-07-27 4:54 PM You were fortunate to find a good replacement arm. The Chinese manufactured one that came with the front end rebuild kit I bought from Kanter recently was bent at the wrong angle, so I ended up re-using the sixty year old OEM part.

The idler arm I bought was NOS made in the U Ess of A. It's the bushings that threw me.

DepsilonD

Posted 2017-07-28 1:21 PM (#545033 - in reply to #544968)
Subject: Re: Anybody recognize this strange 56 Dodge idler arm bushing?

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Posts: 792
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Location: Buena Park, CA

Intall it and you will love it! I actually try to track down as many of the idler arm repair kits (I have seen Moog idlers with bearings) as I can to run on my '56's. I can one-hand-steer my non-powersteering '56 Dodge. I will see if I can find a picture of my current setup.

56D500boy

Posted 2017-07-28 2:24 PM (#545041 - in reply to #545033)
Subject: Re: Anybody recognize this strange 56 Dodge idler arm bushing?

Expert 5K+

Posts: 9898
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Location: Lower Mainland BC

DepsilonD - 2017-07-28 1:21 PM Intall it and you will love it! I actually try to track down as many of the idler arm repair kits (I have seen Moog idlers with bearings) as I can to run on my '56's. I can one-hand-steer my non-powersteering '56 Dodge. I will see if I can find a picture of my current setup.

Thanks for the reply (Dave and everyone else).

Eventually I got a hold of my NOS parts guy late yesterday. (I had sent him the same photos as I posted). (This was after I found and bought to aftermarket kits on eBay.) He was a Chryco mechanic for 40 years and he didn't have anything good to say about those kits in the sense that he never installed one (or two), always official Chryco/Mopar parts. He said, if you want some (kits), I can have them for cheap. (I didn't tell him that I had bought some already).

The "best" thing he did say was he conceded that some aftermarket parts engineers/designers did come up with some good solutions. I suggested that they solutions might have been too expensive for the factory to jump on and use (which might be the case with the kit, etc on my car).

I will get a kit or two from him (and maybe even install them. LOL)

*IF* you get a chance to post a photo, please do. I would like to see how your's is set up. The mechanic that worked on my car yesterday did "something" to make it tighter but he wasn't sharing his trick. He says it is all nice and tight and with the new alignment drives real nice. (I haven't picked up the car yet - had to go down to Point Roberts WA to pick up some eBay purchases).

/Dave F

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