ok. so in the process of replacing the bushings in my idler arm today i managed (no idea how) to flatten some of the threads over shown here in the picture. My question is wtf do i do now? do i have to buy a whole new idler arm? or maybe somehow cutting new threads or something? any ideas are greatly appreciated. thanks.

here's the pic:

 

That could happen from smashing the end of it with a hammer. Probly did it when you were taking it apart.

You might try re-cutting the threads with a die. Someone with more experience than me needs to comment.

Also to prevent that from happening in the future you can thread a nut onto the studs loosley. Then smack the nut with the hammer to break it loose. That should protect the threads from gettin beat.

 

It looks pretty bad. I would go to the junkyard and rob one from a junker.

Next time, buy a tierod puller. They are like $25 and make removing these things a peice of cake. I learned by doing the same damn thing with a stuck tierod end..

 

i believe i am going to try and get the threads recut. if not i will probably get a replacement idler arm from napa seeing as how there are no yota yards around where i live. :/ i was following the idler arm rebuild guide that you made Jay (which was great btw) and didnt realize that i had stripped the damn threads on the idler arm until i had all the bushings replaced, the idler arm back together and on the truck, and was trying to replace the castle nut. :/

does anyone have any experience with this product or similar?
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...Idler+Arm+Assy
it seems like a crazy good price and from the pictures seems to be decent quality.

 

Use a die on in, it should be ok. Those threads on the end don't do the holding anyway. Use oil when running the die into it, and back off a half turn for every full turn forward.

 

When I rebuilt mine a year ago,, I just removed the idler arm from the frame, and dissassambled the bushings on the vehicle without removing it from the relay rod. Well to late now. I am going to agree with mt goat on this one.

 

That's what I do as well. I tried, but could free the idler stud from the relay rod. Ended up cutting it off when I replaced it.

 

ok just to throw it out there....
does anyone happen to know the size and thread pitch of the bolt i am talking about?

 

so it turns out that i dont have a die big enough to fit the idler arm. :[ so i am going to take the arm to an auto repair shop to see if they have something to suit my needs. wish me luck!

 

There are tools called thread files I think is what they are called and they work great for stuff like this. I've fixed lots of threads on cv axles this way.

 

thanks boosted! i think i am going to order a thread file right now. do you think the thread pitch for the file is .75mm? hopefully?

 

you could also try cleaning up the threads by hand with a small triangular file - I've had good luck with that in the past (in adition to the thread file)