I researched a ton and all the pitman idler arm posts I found informative where pretty old.

I have a stock system, I don’t really wheel in my 4x4. More of a hunting rig.

My idler and pitman arm bushings I’m sure are 25 yrs old and are looking pretty dried out and in need of replacement.

I was thinking of going with the beck sanaki 555 or proforge idler and pitman.

I saw the old post spoke highly of an Autozone piece that may have been discontinued.
Has any one had any RECENT success with replacing these parts with anything other the TC idler.

I have decided against poly bushings for the upper and lower control arms because well they squeak. I will use poly for sway bar bushings and rear leafs and so on.

Ball joints, I’ll stick with the factory stuff. I don’t think that’s changed.

 

The pitman arm and the idler arm are two different pieces. The pitman arm attaches to the steering gear housing. The steering gear housing has needle bearings and an oil seal, but nothing that I would call a bushing. While technically servicable, it looks pretty daunting to me.

The idler arm has two identical bushings.
Here's the Autozone part: https://www.autozone.com/suspension-...802756_71938_0
Here's the OEM part: https://parts.lakelandtoyota.com/p/T...038619005.html
(The OEM part is quite a bit cheaper, but when you add in postage it might be more.)

I replaced the bushing in my idler arm long ago, so I don't claim any recent experience.

 

I did the idler bushing replacement also. Incredibly easy and dirt cheap.
I get engine paint and sometimes Lexol from Autozone. I don't hold their automotive parts in very high regard. And despite perception, they're way over-priced.

 

Yes I’m sorry I just re read my post. What I meant was I saw where people were replacing a Autozone idler arm internals with brass pieces. Regardless it appears that has since been continued and Autozone is selling garbage for the pitman arm replacement.

I was looking for a “modern” replacement from the parts store or internet (rockauto) that people are having success with. Same with the idler arm.

ball joints and tie rods look like they are gonna run 624.00 from Toyota parts online.

after 200k on the truck it’s prob about time.

 

Check with 4crawler.com He has the brass bushings and complete idler arms with the bushings already installed.
Worked well for me so far.

 

I found McGeorge Toyota to offer the best USA internet prices, and they process fairly quickly.
I’ve used Carmarka out of Dubai a few times. Great prices, but sometimes shipping is too much. It just varies.
A few weeks ago I ordered a window run from Japan through Amayama. Roughly half the price of the best US internet price with shipping factored in. Despite this, sometimes McGeorge has better prices than the importers, so I always compare.
If you use a importer as long as your order is under $750 you don’t have to declare through Customs.
Every now and then I search Amazon using the toyota part number. Once, I found a third party seller dumping a OEM upper balljoint for $29.00. It’s pretty hit and miss, but a score when it happens.

BTW, Toyota USA just hated the overseas Toyota distributers out of the Middle East because they could undersell so drastically but there wasn’t much they could do. And Toyota TMC(Japan) didn’t care.

 

i've purchased and installed two pro-forged idler arms, one in each of my '87s. price was $70 each via amazon. the pro-forged idler arm is robust, and has a grease fitting (oem did not) for adding grease to the internal bushings. happy with the installation (everything fit correctly) and how they've worked so far. i replaced the arms because the joint end failed, not the bushings.

i also recently replaced an outer tie rod end. purchased from rock auto, and it was pro-forged as well.

 

Switching gears here ... what about control arm bushings ? Anyone have any negative experience w them. Was looking at the beck replacements. As stated my sway bar link and bushing I’ll go poly. But the control arms I’ll prob only have out the one time.

 

As much as I prefer OEM, I couldn’t justify the price. But I hate poly. So I went with Nishino. They looked identical to the OEM I pressed out, and are made in Japan. The bummer? The ones I removed looked stellar. Who woulda thunk? The lower control arm were just coated in old oil from leaks, so I figured they had been compromised. Nope.

 

Went to mcgeorge Toyota website and the total for inners tie rods / outer tie rods / ball joints came to 588. So it was cheaper than parts deal.

I appreciate the feedback on the bushings.

 

What jumps out to you guys

 

 

Toyota replaced a center link I believe about 1000 miles ago on a recall. Made issues of brakes and steering fluid (which I corrected since) but nothing about steering other than the center link.

 

Just inspect the ball-joints for play and lubricate if OK. I only replaced my uppers because they have play.
On our trucks with torsion bar, the upper ball-joints support most of the weight of the truck. The bottom pretty much just holds things in position. In fact, the old bottoms on mine still look better than my new OEM uppers that are already "sweating" grease.
Our ball-joints are under compression. If they have wear they would have play but are not likely to fall apart. They are so much UNLIKE the ball-joints on first generation with coil-springs where the lower ball-joints are under tension; Forces are pulling them apart. That's why they could just pull apart without warning.
Visuals woud help.