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[Webby the Bear]

Goooood evening guys. Hope ur all well. I need a steering idler. My one has got some play (yet more things to do 😬😬😬)

Anyhow I ring up Bedfraud Battery and they have two different sizes  new to me. I’m sure there was only one option before 🤔

Anyhow they’re both special order and I don’t know which one is correct. So I’m going to order it online. Any links for recommendations? I put this one on not so long back and I think it was a lemforder. But as it wasn’t that long ago I’d rather try a different longer lasting one…. Unless they’re all short lifetimes 🤦‍♂️😂😂😂

[cam.in.head]

others will havesome good suggestions as to whats good and bad but all i can add is just make sure the actual bush is whats worn.ive seen some where they tighten up but havnt actually nipped up. ie the inner is the wrong length.albeit a small anount.
best bet if you can is find a gm arm for omega or carlton or senator ,monza,royale .and just use the pressed in bush. it should be ok for years then !

[dave the builder]

Omega A ,Carlton, senny have 2 sizes , 110mm and 120mm
Omega B are all 110 mm IIRC

[Doctor Gollum]

Omega A ,Carlton, senny have 2 sizes , 110mm and 120mm
Omega B are all 110 mm IIRC

Yup

The longer one was to give greater leverage to cars without power steering. Omega B all had power steering as standard iirc

[Enceladus]

Omega A ,Carlton, senny have 2 sizes , 110mm and 120mm
Omega B are all 110 mm IIRC

Yup

The longer one was to give greater leverage to cars without power steering. Omega B all had power steering as standard iirc

Nothing to do with power steering. The longer 121mm arm is for extended wheelbase vehicles.

You could re-bush your existing arm if it's genuine GM and/or ZF arm. Lemförder 11602 03 is the bush.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

A couple of years ago I removed the bush from a genuine 12mm arm I bought on ebay and pressed it into a 110mm arm.
Just need to get around to fitting it to the car now.

[TheBoy]

Just need to get around to fitting it to the car now.

Thats what happens when you buy an old sports car, and also own French shite

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Your not wrong. 

[Webby the Bear]

Thanks for input men much appreciated. 😃😃😃👍👍👍

[Webby the Bear]

Sorry boys not bumping but do u know what sized nuts 🤭 secure the idler to the chassis and to the centre track rod? I don’t have a home toolkit so would be ideal to just take home the right size stuff? TIA 🥰🥰🥰

[Doctor Gollum]

Originals are either 16 or 18mm (the latter rings a bell), aftermarket could be anything from 16-19 mm

[Webby the Bear]

Legend. Cheers dg 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[Doctor Gollum]

Take a 21 mm socket as well, just in case the idler arm to shaft nut is larger

[Enceladus]

Take a 21 mm socket as well, just in case the idler arm to shaft nut is larger

21mm? Did you mean 19mm?
You'll also need a pair of ball-pein type hammers. Hit the ball joint at two opposite points simultaneously to (shock) separate the idler end from the steering. Best done from underneath and with some downward force applied at the same time, wedge in something like a chisel or big screwdriver. So a three handed job in an area with room for one.

Presumably you should be able to use a joint splitter, but I don't think a standard off the shelf splitter will work. It's something more exotic. Perhaps a special tool or maybe just a fork chisel type tool. I can't remember. Somebody must know?

[LC0112G]

Sorry boys not bumping but do u know what sized nuts 🤭 secure the idler to the chassis and to the centre track rod? I don’t have a home toolkit so would be ideal to just take home the right size stuff? TIA 🥰🥰🥰

You don't have to unbolt the arm from the chassis leg. Just undo the nut on the bottom of the arm and the idler will slide off.

Take a 21 mm socket as well, just in case the idler arm to shaft nut is larger

Presumably you should be able to use a joint splitter, but I don't think a standard off the shelf splitter will work. It's something more exotic. Perhaps a special tool or maybe just a fork chisel type tool. I can't remember. Somebody must know?

Trouble with that is you'll end up wrecking the rubber ball joint cover on the centre tie rod and end up having to replace that as well. I've not found a splitter tool that's thin enough to get in there without damaging the cover. As said above just belt the b'jesus smartly tap the two sides with some heavy hammers. It'll pop off, eventually.

[Doctor Gollum]

Take a 21 mm socket as well, just in case the idler arm to shaft nut is larger

21mm? Did you mean 19mm?
You'll also need a pair of ball-pein type hammers. Hit the ball joint at two opposite points simultaneously to (shock) separate the idler end from the steering. Best done from underneath and with some downward force applied at the same time, wedge in something like a chisel or big screwdriver. So a three handed job in an area with room for one.

Presumably you should be able to use a joint splitter, but I don't think a standard off the shelf splitter will work. It's something more exotic. Perhaps a special tool or maybe just a fork chisel type tool. I can't remember. Somebody must know?

Nope, I meant 21...19 was covered in my previous list.

It probably won't be required, but it's better to have it just in case than find out you need it. Most of the Omega suspension from the factory only requires 16/18 mm but I know from experience that aftermarket stuff varies considerably, and as Steve only has one arm, have the extra socket/spanner might just save him a trip

Also it's been about ten years since the last one I changed.

[Doctor Gollum]

To Malcolms point, under the circumstances, it might be easier for Steve to remove the bracket and pop the idler off with it held in a vice... 

[LC0112G]

To Malcolms point, under the circumstances, it might be easier for Steve to remove the bracket and pop the idler off with it held in a vice... 

But then you've got to separate the other end of the centre steering link from the arm on the power steering box. Or take the power steering box off.

[Doctor Gollum]

To Malcolms point, under the circumstances, it might be easier for Steve to remove the bracket and pop the idler off with it held in a vice... 

But then you've got to separate the other end of the centre steering link from the arm on the power steering box. Or take the power steering box off.

See the post previous to my reply to yours

[Webby the Bear]

Afternoon men. I hope ur all well. Got this replaced this morning. Took about three minutes 😂 I undid nut securing it to the shaft. The idler then slid down off said shaft. I then held centre track rod firmly with my, err, stump lol (you folk can simply use ur second hand 😂😂😂) and gave the idler a wallop where the BJ goes through it. Came straight off.

Note though it was super easy cos everything had been copper jizzed on last time I did it 😃

[Doctor Gollum]

Three minute BJ?  Is that good or bad

Glad you didn't have any issues with it 

[Webby the Bear]

Three minute BJ?  Is that good or bad

Glad you didn't have any issues with it 

😂😂😂 do it four times in three minutes 😂😂😂😂😂

[TheBoy]

Impressive Webby, I've spent 30 mins before trying to separate it from the centre tie rod.

For others, I found 2 4lb club hammers the best way, knocking from opposite sides simultaneously, sometimes with a wedge between the tie rod and the idler to add pressure.

No standard off-the-shelf splitter fits.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Puts me to shame. I had a half hearted attempt at changing mine a few months ago but gave up half way through to to a case of CBA.
I really struggle to find much motivation to work on cars recently. If its a permanent affliction I will need to think about clearing out the fleet and buying one sensible piece of white goods. 

[TheBoy]

Puts me to shame. I had a half hearted attempt at changing mine a few months ago but gave up half way through to to a case of CBA.
I really struggle to find much motivation to work on cars recently. If its a permanent affliction I will need to think about clearing out the fleet and buying one sensible piece of white goods. 

I sympathise. Its taken me 8 months to change a shagged headlight on the battlebus...

...which reminds me, I really need to have another look for headlights for the BBP, although the chinky takeaway containers and sikaflex is holding up well.

[Webby the Bear]

Don’t get me wrong I very much have CBA moments especially on this car. I sort one thing and then it’s something else. And this cycle just repeats 😢 my Mrs has 18 plate Hyundai. She swaps it for new one next year and only thing she’s had in 2 1/2 years was a slow puncture. Makes u wonder doesn’t it 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[countrywoman]

But why would you want a piece of boring plastic crap?

[Webby the Bear]

But why would you want a piece of boring plastic crap?

That’s a very good point. I went to the IOW recently and saw zero omegas. Therefore love it or hate it it’s now rare which I think is cool. On he same trip I saw two Morris minors, one Lamborghini and three astons 😂

[Doctor Gollum]

I bet none of them were silver

[Webby the Bear]

😂 no they weren’t!

[Doctor Gollum]