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[alexandjen]

Ordered and should get them by the weekend.
Weather permitting I will be changing them on Sat and wondered if anyone has any hints or tips they care to share. I have read/printed the guides from the Maint sect, just wondered if there's anything to add.
Thanks  

[Craig_R]

I need to do my steering idler also the new one is sitting in its box as the weather has been rubbish

From what i have read the quickest and best way to get it off is to shock it off with two hammers hitting it at the same time from either side

Craig

[Jay w]

get a lot of WD40 or plusgas on the nuts beforehand  

[VX1]

Or if the idler arm is really stuck on you will need to apply heat to it to get it off, bearing in mind NOT to melt the rubber boot on the ball joints, like I did and had to replace the centre tie rod (steering rack).

Paul

[alexandjen]

Thanks for the tips guys  

[TheBoy]

Or if the idler arm is really stuck on you will need to apply heat to it to get it off, bearing in mind NOT to melt the rubber boot on the ball joints, like I did and had to replace the centre tie rod (steering rack).

Paul

I have never had to heat one off  

[alexandjen]

Or if the idler arm is really stuck on you will need to apply heat to it to get it off, bearing in mind NOT to melt the rubber boot on the ball joints, like I did and had to replace the centre tie rod (steering rack).

Paul

I have never had to heat one off  

Which technique do you use TB?

[Craig_R]

He wacks them with hammers   or is that Mark

[Marks DTM Calib]

Thats me....

The idlers are generaly easy enough to get off the chassis mount but, can be hard to remove from the link rod ball joint.

To remove them off this I turn them so they are in line with the link rod, apply some (not massive/stoke!) pressure with a wedge of some sort and then using two hammers, simultaneously hit both sides of the idler where the ball jpoint passes through.

Works every time!

[VX1]

Thats me....

The idlers are generaly easy enough to get off the chassis mount but, can be hard to remove from the link rod ball joint.

To remove them off this I turn them so they are in line with the link rod, apply some (not massive/stoke!) pressure with a wedge of some sort and then using two hammers, simultaneously hit both sides of the idler where the ball jpoint passes through.

Works every time!

Thats what I tried TB but it didn't work it was stuck on solid, thats why in the end had to heat it up (idler arm) just to get it to expand to be able to work it loose (with a few whacks with a 2lb club hammer) then it came off.

[alexandjen]

Thats me....

The idlers are generaly easy enough to get off the chassis mount but, can be hard to remove from the link rod ball joint.

To remove them off this I turn them so they are in line with the link rod, apply some (not massive/stoke!) pressure with a wedge of some sort and then using two hammers, simultaneously hit both sides of the idler where the ball jpoint passes through.
Works every time!

Well I tried this method today and no amount of simultaneous hammer whacking was gonna shift it, I ended up reverting to the method in the main guide and levered down on the link arm while hitting upwards, only took a few hits and it popped off. I noticed that there is a similar part on the drivers side with a 32mm bolt on the underside, does this need changing like the idler to stop tramlining/wandering?
Next cam the droplinks, well what a rather job that was. I thought it was gonna be easy
Both nuts on the drivers side would not budge even with heat   I ended up grinding the nuts off after visiting my local VX dealer for 4 new ones.
The passenger side was a little easier with the top nut actually coming undone although very tight and the bottom one again had to be ground off. What didn't help is the lack of room between the top nut and the inner wing   I could only get a spanner on it, no chance of getting a rachet and socket to it.
Well at least it is a good job done, wishbones next later in the year, oh and cambelt as well  

[TheBoy]

I use 2 screw type splitter for one of the balljoints, and a fork for other.  Fork types may damage ball joint though....

[Markjay]

Got two new wishbones waiting for nicer weather...  :-/