General Motors Corporation seems to have undersized the bearings for the M-body steering linkage; even the MOOG® stock-replacement idler arms, which are made of better alloys than the ACDelco®/GM original, give out sooner than ideal. Among the rebuild contingencies I'm preplanning for my 1997 M11006 is a set of larger-than-stock idler arms with needle roller bearings at both the frame attach and the relay rod, built consistently with those Pacific Performance Engineering manufactures for severe service on full-size General Motors K1500/2500 applications but with the addition of the frame-pin brackets necessary on the M-body; and a new-design relay rod as well, if the stock relay rod cannot fit the upgrade arms. Are the severe-duty idler arms (and relay rod if necessary) currently available; or can a fully-equipped machine shop craft them, given the dimensions for the whole system and alloy and hardness specifications for the subparts?Railroad-grade idler arms?
-
Bret Schmerker
Topic author - I finally get the smurf thing
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2018 6:02 pm
- Location: Byron, CA, USA
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Been thanked: 3 times
Railroad-grade idler arms?
General Motors Corporation seems to have undersized the bearings for the M-body steering linkage; even the MOOG® stock-replacement idler arms, which are made of better alloys than the ACDelco®/GM original, give out sooner than ideal. Among the rebuild contingencies I'm preplanning for my 1997 M11006 is a set of larger-than-stock idler arms with needle roller bearings at both the frame attach and the relay rod, built consistently with those Pacific Performance Engineering manufactures for severe service on full-size General Motors K1500/2500 applications but with the addition of the frame-pin brackets necessary on the M-body; and a new-design relay rod as well, if the stock relay rod cannot fit the upgrade arms. Are the severe-duty idler arms (and relay rod if necessary) currently available; or can a fully-equipped machine shop craft them, given the dimensions for the whole system and alloy and hardness specifications for the subparts?1997 GMC M11006 (Safari SLE, 2WD, V6-4300/4L60-E/7.625" 3.73:1 open)
Acquired Jul 2018 / In service Sep 2018 - Nov 2022 / down due leaky valve(s) #5 cyl.
Acquired Jul 2018 / In service Sep 2018 - Nov 2022 / down due leaky valve(s) #5 cyl.
-
MountainManJoe
- I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
- Posts: 3101
- Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:55 pm
- Location: The Pacific North Wet
- Has thanked: 44 times
- Been thanked: 24 times
Re: Railroad-grade idler arms?
a machine shop will make you whatever you like. At a cost more than the van is worth.Bret Schmerker wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:00 amcan a fully-equipped machine shop craft them, given the dimensions for the whole system and alloy and hardness specifications for the subparts?
The good thing about idler arms is they are cheap as chips and easy to replace. Just get ones with grease fittings.
-
okie1
- I sleep in my van
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2011 6:05 am
- Location: central Oklahoma
- Been thanked: 3 times
Re: Railroad-grade idler arms?
This, timelessbeing is correct.!timelessbeing wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:49 pma machine shop will make you whatever you like. At a cost more than the van is worth.Bret Schmerker wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:00 amcan a fully-equipped machine shop craft them, given the dimensions for the whole system and alloy and hardness specifications for the subparts?
The good thing about idler arms is they are cheap as chips and easy to replace. Just get ones with grease fittings.
