Worn steering idler - which way to proceed.

WarrenL

WarrenL

Active Member
GF148 failed its WOF yesterday, apparently due to the LH side rod, but today I've taken a closer look with John the mechanic and the movement is all slop in the bottom of the idler. Comme ci, comme ça, as they say, but the question is the direction to take from here. I've found a few links to reconditioned/exchange/new idlers from the likes of Wins and JRW, but it will all involve expensive shipping from the UK to NZ, etc. Are there kits available from anywhere? Does the box contain just standard parts that can be sourced locally for a rebuild? Am I best to just bite the bullet and place an order for a box? Any advice based on previous experience is very welcome.
 
Bugger, that's a bit more expensive than the side rod. And I think those companies would be wanting an exchange unit too. You can get them reconditioned here. That link I sent you yesterday for Bricon would be useful, they have done a couple for me in the distant past. I think it's a matter of machining out the old and pressing in a new bronze bush, fitting a new oil seal and Bob's your auntie. There must be somewhere in your island that can do a similar job, ask at your local suspension specialist. One point though, I had one rebuilt with a Nolathane bush and it didn't last a week so go for the metal.
 
Scotts Old Auto Rubber in Melbourne sell reconditioned Steering Idler Boxes on an exchange basis. Shipping would be a lot cheaper than the UK I would have thought. I bought one a few years ago and have had no problems.

James.
 
Hi Al, I was going to email you but I was at work and didn't have your address, so you read the news here first! John the mechanic reckoned if it was a standard bush and seal he'd be able to do it for me himself, but we decided it was best to do some homework first before ripping into things.

Scott is always a good option, and I'm a regular customer of his. But often the prices are better from the UK, even with the postage. Things take about 3 days from Melbourne and usually a week or so from the UK, and I'm usually not in that much of a hurry.
 
Update: just discussed the problem with John again after looking at the prices for an exchange unit on the web. Obviously the idler has to come out regardless, so he's going to remove it and take a look. He's reckons he'll be able to sort it out with a new bush and seal for much less than the money I've seen so far, depending on what he sees when he opens it up. So fingers crossed, and in the meantime I've sent a couple of emails out requesting shipping quotes.
 
Sounds like a plan. The biggest challenge is getting the drop arm off the spline, some creative puller work may be required. And make sure you mark the position before it comes off.
 
Thanks Al, I'll diplomatically pass that advice on. If I can get to John's workshop at the right time I'll try and get some photos to put up here to help out anybody else who faces the same problem.

This is all money I was planning to spend on other P6 stuff, but gotta roll with the punches I guess.
 
Maybe need a different WOF tester :LOL: or is the fault as described ? I prefer my wof stations laissez faire attitude. up on the hoist, then down , then write the wof and put it on the window.

Graeme
 
The idler is out and under repair. There was wear in the housing and the shaft (forgive me if I've got the terminology wrong because personally haven't seen its internals - this is all information received over the phone), so both have been machined to fit new self-lubricating bushes with a bit of extra meat on the outside and smaller hole on the inside. The seal was apparently a standard 0.875 x 1.25 imperial oil seal, only a handful of dollars.

The biggest hassle was getting the unit out of the car. It caused John some stress because he was still swearing about it when he called me later in the day. It sounds like the removal and refit will cost more than the rebuild, but on the other hand I think it might be well that I didn't attempt to take it out myself. The air up and down the street would have turned blue and the frustration would have shortened my lifespan.
 
ghce said:
Maybe need a different WOF tester :LOL: or is the fault as described ? I prefer my wof stations laissez faire attitude. up on the hoist, then down , then write the wof and put it on the window.

Graeme
Click to expand...
:LOL: Is he testing your car or his hoist?
Hope you get it sorted Warren.
 
I think that Graeme might be in need of intervention. He suffers from LFDS (Laissez Faire Delusion Syndrome), whereby he believes that it is the WOF sticker itself that makes the car safe, not maintenance, repair and inspection. Diagnosis can be confirmed under carefully controlled conditions by presenting him with a clearly stuffed, and even incomplete car (take my 75 parts wreck, for instance) and putting a new WOF sticker on the windscreen (if it still has one), then carefully gauging his reaction.

As for that idler, it WILL be sorted, JVY! No idler, no drive P6, and I've spent enough time staring at a non-functioning P6 sitting in the garage to not give up just yet.
 
JVY said:
ghce said:
Maybe need a different WOF tester :LOL: or is the fault as described ? I prefer my wof stations laissez faire attitude. up on the hoist, then down , then write the wof and put it on the window.

Graeme
Click to expand...
:LOL: Is he testing your car or his hoist?
Hope you get it sorted Warren.
Click to expand...

I feel quiet certain he is testing the hoist! after his offsider (the boss) broke it on 2 occasions and he seems to be using my car as the testing dolly so far it's seems to have held up to the test so I guess its pass certificates all round.

WarrenL said:
I think that Graeme might be in need of intervention. He suffers from LFDS (Laissez Faire Delusion Syndrome), whereby he believes that it is the WOF sticker itself that makes the car safe, not maintenance, repair and inspection. Diagnosis can be confirmed under carefully controlled conditions by presenting him with a clearly stuffed, and even incomplete car (take my 75 parts wreck, for instance) and putting a new WOF sticker on the windscreen (if it still has one), then carefully gauging his reaction.
Click to expand...

Indeed it is the certificate that infers the sense of well being and general motoring confidence and security even more so when plod decides to have a gander at the brilliant magical whiteness of the fresh new sticker. Far be it for me to disturb the mechanical integrity of the Solihull wonder that is the marvel of the p6.
Clearly Warren you need to trailer the remains of the 75 to my certifying station for a dose of the dubious legality that they can infer to your fine motoring example of a car.

Graeme
 
ghce said:
Maybe need a different WOF tester :LOL: or is the fault as described ? I prefer my wof stations laissez faire attitude. up on the hoist, then down , then write the wof and put it on the window.

Graeme
Click to expand...

I like to think that I purchase an inspection sticker to meet the regulatory requirements! One place that I dealt with sold me 2 stickers, just scanned the registration, paid them sum cash, there was some additional mark up involved and left with a sticker to place on the windscreen. Then go home, carefully remove the old sticker and store in a safe place. In 5 years time the color will go back to the once you took off, and hey the government tells us that recycling is good. Tell that one to the judge! That particular shop no longer does inspections, surprise surprise!

If you live in South Australia where one of my Rovers is kept, then no annual inspections!

James.
 
Annual inspections! We should be so lucky. It's every 6 months here, for vehicles over 6 years of age. However to balance that inconvenience, GF148 switched to small change annual registration upon turning 40.
 
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