My Daily Driver

[codge]

Right hand drive car yeh?
Idler bushes are simple, simple.
You can dismantle the idler without breaking any steering joints. From memory you take it off the chassis and it all comes apart in the space alongside. New bushes, some moly grease and job done.

Pity but we RHD people can't have the Moog idler that's available in USA.

[ian65]

no need to unbolt it from the chassis.... take the split pin out of the castellated nut, undo the nut, take the top washer off and the spindle will push out the bottom of the idler arm housing..... take the old bushes out, push the new ones in, grease the spindle then push it back in and then refit the washer, nut and split pin.... easy 10 minute job.

[daily rotor]

Thanks for the tips guys
im excited i just may actually be able to do it
Got a 300km trip to Canberra coming up early in the new year, and the steering play was most noticeable when cruising just above 100kmh. Barely noticeable at suburban speeds.

[daily rotor]

Mission accomplished. I done it the way Ian65 suggested.
and considered doing it the way Codge said to as i was thinking about painting the part, but didnt want to wait for paint to dry.
Spent a few minutes trying to get the split pin out lol.
After that undid single bolt and a single tap with a rubber mallet and it dropped out.
The old bushes did not look as bad as i thought they would, still both complete.
The Mitsubishi bushes fitted right in and were very snug, so much so that i had to use a G-clamp to make the thread poke thru enough so that the nut could catch the top of the thread of the bolt, if bolt was 5mm longer the G-clamp would not have been necessary.
Overall i think job took me about 25minutes taking it nice and easy and being sure of everything.
As i was quoted $160 for the job, it turns into good savings for me. $160 maybe a 4.77:1 kia diff centre
thanks again everyone for give knowledge and confidence.

[codge]

Good, very pleased that it's gone so well.

Even with new bushes though the steering on these cars still has a mind of it's own. We mostly have learned to drive with constant steering corrections, as in the 'Days of Yaw'.......what a stonking great pun.....the old guys still got it eh?...


For those in the UK who may not know this, the amount of steering wheel free play allowed on the MOT test is considerably more for our steering box cars than for a modern design steering rack car.

[TOOL]

Don't forget the steering box is adjustable too.

You can tighten it up to get better feel.

[spirit r]

Don't forget the steering box is adjustable too.

You can tighten it up to get better feel.

Important point Andy.
More easy to do on LHD Rx 7, cause you can do it alone. Left Hand screw driver, right Hand steering wheel so you can feel the play exactly. Always have a look on the actuate wheel.

Thomas

[codge]

I would suggest a check of all steering joints and tracking to make sure they are all A1 before looking at improvements via steering box adjustment.

[DKWW2000]

Having been down the rocky path of Steering Box Adjustment on several 7s I would only do it once all the other possibilities have been exhausted as it is very much a delicate operation, I would change the fluid first & add some AF 64 or ZX1 first which will take up a little bit of play.

[TOOL]

It's one of the first things I adjust to suit my liking and even more important with wide wheels.

15 minute job and makes a big difference imo.