I put a 5" RCD lift on my truck several months ago, and since then I've gone through 3 idler arms. Nothing else seems to be loose, but the idler arms are only lasting 2 to 3 months. When they go bad the from end shimmies all over the place when I hit bumps in the road or brake hard.

Any ideas before I go through another one?

2002 f150 4x4

 

Bump

I'd like some input before I replace the damn thing again...

 

Pardon the ignorance but an idler arm? Only part I know of that has "idler" in it is the idler pulley. If it is the pulley then something on the front of the motor is wrong. I am not sure the idler pulley is what you mean, but it all that I know of and it should not effect the actual front suspension unless the power steering pump gives a driving vibration from the belt via the idler. I think I am way off so it is basically a free bump for a fellow Floridian. Sorry. :/

 

Yetti, the idler arm is basically a support for the steering center link. It is attached to the frame on the passenger side, and runs parallel to the pitman arm. I think the 2wds have rack and pinion steering, so they don't have one. If you have a 4wd, get under and look at the passenger side frame. You'll see it.

 

our model years have a recirculating ball steering. little different from rack and pinion. the 04-08 trucks have a true rack and pinion so they will not have the idler arm.

what kind of condition are your tie rods in? how have you isolated the problem to the idler arm?

have you gone back and tightened everything up dealing with the lift kit? i believe they are supposed to get a 100 mile service and periodic checking from then on. a lot of the bolts work their way loose after the lift is initially installed.

 

I have tightened everything a couple of times since the lift. My tie rods aren't in the greatest shape, but they're not terrible. They're next on my list.

I can jack one tire off the ground and shake it side to side. There is a lot of play, and the idler arm is where the play is coming from. I can see it move up and down.

 

Ok, sorry for my retardedness but I guess I didn't see it was a pre-'04, lol. Well at least I got people to explain it a bit more. Thanks.

 

checked your ball joints lately?

 

Ball joints were all replaced with the lift in March.

 

you know, now that i think about it my truck is developing the same symptoms as yours as far as the shimmy and squirrely brakes goes. i've had the 4" rancho lift on for a little over a year now.

i was just under the truck today tightening everything up. wasn't even thinking about this when i was under there. guess i'll look into it more tomorrow if i find the time. i'll let you know what i find.

also, is there any slop in your steering or is it still tight? i would expect the idler arm going bad would add a little slop to the steering.

 

That is definitely your tie rods. You would be suprised how much those things(tie rods) hold together. Being lose or just flat out bad puts way too much stress on idler arm hence them going out all the time. They work together, but not too well by themselves.

Maybe you should see if they make a steering stabilizer for your truck. That would help if I am wrong about your tie rod ends. I know that when my driver side went bad on me, my truck would not drive straight without the steering wheel being really ****ed to the left.

 

Thanks for the advice. I think I will replace the tie rods next. As far as the steering stabilizer, I believe a few companies make them, but they all say not to use it with tires bigger than 33s. I have 35s now and my next tires will be 37s or 38s. Not sure if I should do it.

 

Not with bigger than 33's. Oh. You should try rancho, or fabtech. IMO I would not run anything bigger than 35's without a steering stabilizer. Although if your truck is high enough that every one can see under there than the two stabilizer set-up looks much better IMO and is not that much more. Also, one other thing that comes to mind... How is your alignment? Getting new tie rod ends and an alignment might clear it up for you. But im not saying you need an alignment, but if it is off then your steering wheel would not be straight while you are going straight.

 

not exactly.

alignment doesnt have as much to do with the steering wheel, as is does with the position of the tires between the frame toe in, toe out, camber caster and total alignment front to rear.

For instance my steering wheel is turned competely sideways, truck drives straight and i dont have to hold it there. Alignment is within a 16th of a inch which is as close as i can get. 70mph down the interstate no problems.

now i do agree that the tie-rods are causing the problem, no reason for the idler arm to go out that much. I had 36's on for 7 months or more and never had any problems like that. and i offroad my truck often and hard.

Hows your steering box? Ive blown 2 PS pumps with my new setup

 

See I did not know that about the alignment. At the time when my tie rod went out and I got it fixed, the guy at mission auto told me that my steering wheel was off due to the bad tie rod end and my alignment. I did not know any better so I fixed it and went from there. My steering wheel now is perfectly straight while I am going straight, so I was basically restating what I was told.