bent idler arm
 

what kind of ill effects does a bent idler cause?

how did you bend it Dave?
It could have an affect on the alignment and probably would result in premature tire wear.

Oh, you know how I bent it. Probably on either Kodak Rock or the hill climb on Dickey Bell :) Jessica and I camped at Uwharrie sunday.
So I should change it. Will I need to re-align?

It makes the tires toe in and wear on the ouside edges.

I'd say get a new one and put a Downey brace on it. It's not a question really of if the idler will bend but when.

Frank

Does the Downey brace really work?

Absolutely. I have had one for years. It's considered a "must do" for IFS wheeling. The IFS steering is very strong and well located except for one week link: The idler arm.

The Downey brace will fix it for good.

Frank

Cool. I gonna have to replace the idler arm first. Will a aftermarket arm work with the Gusset? Or does it have to be original Toyota? Because the original arm is long gone.
For those that are interested this is what thw gusset looks like
http://www.downeyoff-road.com/images_parts/MS-4.jpg
Frank's alot :)

I'm not sure about all aftermarket arms. I think I got one from Nappa and it worked. To be honest, I didn't even thing about fitment, maybe I got lucky. You could just order the brace then make sure it fits onto the new arm before you buy it.

Frank