Idler Arm Replacement found

[dardal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Actually, I have said that before.  The idler arm may not affect the steering 
geometry by much.  I have not ran the calculations yet, but here is how I 
visualize the geometry.  Say, the pitmen arm moves from neutral to the right by 
10 degrees.  THe idler arm will move a bit more because its shorter, say 12 
degrees.  However, what really matters is how much the wheel turns (as opposed 
to how much it is supposed to turn).  Because the idler arm is shorter, for the 
same angular displacement, it would tend to turn the wheel less.  However, the 
shorter idler arm turns more than the stock for a given displacement of the 
pitmen arm (12 as opposed to 10 degrees in the example).  So, there is a good 
chance that the two displacement differences compensate each other.  

I would need to run the numbers to know for sure.  Also, I would need to know 
how much deviation is too much in terms of some effect.  Dick's note of there 
was a reason why the idler arm for Imperials was different has merit.

D^2    

Quoting Kerry Pinkerton <pinkertonk@xxxxxxxxx>:

> Trying to 'see' the geometry in my head (ooohhh that hurts).  Here is my
> two
> cents.  The 'new' idler arm is shorter than designed and shorter than
> the
> steering arm (pitman arm).  The center link which both arms are attached
> to
> is a fixed (but adjustable) length.  Having a shorter idler arm MIGHT
> restrict how much movement the steering is capable of thereby increasing
> the
> turning radius slightly to a 4 acre field from a 3 1/2.. It would also
> cause
> a VERY slight increase in the toe in while turning but it looks to my
> fevered brain to be very slight.  There is a good illustration of the
> steering parts and how they are laid out at:
> http://www.obsoletechassisparts.com/dap/whatpart.htm
> 
> I'm sure the mathmaticians amoung us could figure this out but the
> 'magic
> happens here' button is broken on my caculator and I can't find any
> paper
> and my pencil is broken....
> 
> KerryP
> Patch panels fabricated
> Pinkertonk@xxxxxxxxx
> dte.net/57imperial
> Imperials -- 50 Limo, 57 roadster, 61's, 62, 68 Convert, 73, a 66 300
> and a
> bunch of lesser marques
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dick Benjamin <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, April 28, 2003 11:47 PM
> Subject: Re: IML: Idler Arm Replacement found
> 
> 
> > The alignment shop won't even know it's different unless they check
> the
> > angle of the right wheel when the left wheel is turned away from
> straight
> > ahead.  The shorter idler arm will make the Ackerman angle be wrong in
> a
> > turn, but the car will still track fine straight ahead.   I can't
> estimate
> > the danger, but driving a car this way will have more of a tendency
> to
> > understeer, and to go into a skid on slippery surfaces, because the
> two
> > front wheels will have to slide slightly in a turn.  Maybe this is
> too
> small
> > an effect to notice, but they must have made the Imperial arm longer
> for a
> > reason.
> >
> > Dick Benjamin
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Bar00n" <baroon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Monday, April 28, 2003 12:35 PM
> > Subject: Re: IML: Idler Arm Replacement found
> >
> >
> > > I wonder if an alignment shop would know the difference or if they
> have
> to
> > > do something different to compensate for it.
> > >
> > > Carl
> > > http://www.robdiesel.com
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Jeff Ingraham" <jeff_ingraham@xxxxxxxxx>
> > >
> > >   Just to chime in here...  My brother has had a 68
> > > Chrysler 300 Idler arm on his 67 Imp for about 4 years
> > > with no adverse effects.   The differences in angle
> > > and or length of maybe 1/4 of an inch was about the
> > > only difference between the 2 when you laid them next
> > > to each other.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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