Contents:

• Introduction
  • Frequently Asked Questions
• On-line Ordering
• Installation

Introduction:

If there was a "weak link" in the Toyota IFS pickups and 4Runners, that would be the steering system. You can see below that it is a fairly complicated system with lots of moving parts and joints. One of the most highly loaded components in that system is the idler arm and it's operation is described in the paragraph following. Folks often ask if tcranking up torsion bars or installing ball joint spacers or adding this or that sort of lift will cause increased wear and tear on the steering and idler arm. Actually the short answer is not really, but the longer answer is it depends. One likely reason for installing the lift(s) is that you may be considering taller and/or wider wheels and tires. And you may be considering the lift and larger tires in order to either go off-road or to handle more challenging off-road driving. And with the lift and larger tires and harder off-road driving you may end up doing, that will put more wear and tear on the steering. So did the lift cause the steering wear or not?

A typical Toyota 4WD IFS steering system is pictured below. The steering wheel and shaft connect to the steering box (8). The pitman arm (9) connects to the sector shaft (10) on the bottom of the steering box and transfers steering input to the center link or relay rod (6). The relay rod connects to the idler arm (3) on the passenger side. To the ends of the center link are tie rod ends (2 and 4/5) that connect to the steering knuckles on each side of the front axle to turn the wheels. A steering stabilzer (7) attaches between te frame and center link to dampen jolts from the road. Of all these parts, only the idler arm and steering box are rebuildable, but the idler arm seems to take the brunt of the abuse and is the most common part to require repair.

If you are tired of destroying stock plastic idler arm bushings, these bronze bushings are machined to exacting tolerances in order to provide maximum strength and life. They are very hard and durable. As a result, not only can they bear much more load and resist wear, but they also transmit much less shock to the steering wheel making the truck easier to handle on rough roads. We measured numerous idler arms in search of the strongest and most affordable to support. Luckily for you, we found both in some commonly available idler arms:.

• Applications:
  • Toyota 4WD 4Runner Pickup, 1986-1995 models (US model years, for non-US models, this system was used until the early 2000s model years)
• Idler Arm fitment:
  • Left Hand Drive:
    • Beck-Arnley FA5040
    • Duralast FA5040
    • McQuay-Norris FA5040
  • Right Hand Drive:
    • McQuay-Norris FA5040GL

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Why just support those idler arms?
2. Do these bushings work with the OEM/factory Toyota idler arm?
3. What do I do if I bend my idler arm?
4. Do I need a zerk fitting in my idler arm with the bronze bushings?
5. How will my order be shipped and how long will it take to arrive?
6. What options are available for right hand drive (RHD) applications?

Why just support those idler arms?

Good question! There are two main reasons but before getting into them it is important to point out that 1st and 2nd gen idler arms are interchangable. The second gen arms are typically stronger though. Therefore, if you have a 1st gen truck, it make sense to install a 2nd gen arm for the added strength.

First, the most affordable ilder arm is by sheer luck also the best. Initially we assumed that we would want to at the very least produce idler arm bushings for the high-end Napa arm as well as the OEM arm because we assumed they would be the best. After an idler arm spending spree we found some interesting things we'll discuss below.

As you can see, the most affordable arm has the largest shaft diameter, and that larger diameter equates to about 5% increase in stiffness over the OEM part. Another interesting note is that the Napa 1032403 which has a diameter similar to a 2WD OEM arm is also sold for 4WD trucks even though from a strength standpoint, this arm is below spec., in fact it is about 25% weaker than the FA5040 arm.

The second reason to support one arm is cost and the desire to keep it down. The part of the shaft closest to the arm itself wears more than the rest. This means that a bushing that fits snuggly over the lower part of the shaft will not fit at all over the rest of the shaft. Assuming one was to verify that the shaft has a uniform diameter, there is the issue of calibration. My calipers might not measure out like yours. As a result it is difficult to machine the parts to order due to the tight tolerances in this application. To reduce part cost it is necessary to produce many at once and supporting one arm helps us accomplish this goal.

We entertained shipping idler arms in house to do custom bushings but the shipping to and from the customer is about equal the price of a pair of bushings. It costs much more to do one-off jobs so we would have to charge at least 2X the price for the bushings. Between the machine time and shipping, one could purchase the Duralast (FA5040) arm new, with warranty, and order a set of bushings for it.

Given these issues we have decided to support the most affordable yet strongest idler arm.

And one thing to beware of is that sometimes, you'll get an arm marked "FA5040", but be sure to check for a "555" stamped on the idle arm istelf (click here for a picture of the stamping). If so, that is likely a Sankei 555 arm, which is actually a smaller 2WD arm. If you find a "555" stamp, take that arm back and swap it for a genuine FA5040 arm. And you might want to be wary of on-line sellers, like on eBay, as you'll not be able to inspect the arm until it is shipped to you. If it is the incorrect part. you may be stuck with shipping it back for an exchange. Best bet is to pick one up at your local FLAPS where you can open the box at the counter and verify you are getting the genuine article before leaving the store.

So the bushings are built with an inside diameter (ID) of approx. 0.787" (~20mm) and an outside oiameter (OD) of 0.941" (~23.9mm) to fit over the idler arm shaft and inside the idler arm housing.

Do these bushings work with the OEM/factory Toyota idler arm?

As descirbed above, no. This is one of those "rare" cases where the aftermarket parts are actually better than what the factory put on the truck. In idler arms, "bigger is better" and the aftermarket idler arm shafts are a bigger diameter than the OEM part, plain and simple. So if you have a factory arm and the plastic bushings are shot, your two choices are to pick up a replacement plastic bushing kit at the dealer or pick up one of the larger after market idler arms (above).

What do I do if I bend my idler arm?

4Crawler Offroad does not warranty bearings damaged by bent idler arms, however, there is good news here. If you bend an idler shaft and damage the flange of one of the bearings, you can simply remove the bushings reverse them placing the damaged flange bushing on top with flange loads are very small. If you bend another, rotate the bushing 180 degrees. At this point, if you bend another, you will need to purchase a new pair of bushings and hopefully and idler arm brace too. The good news is that hopefully your more expensive idler arm has been covered under warranty by your local autoparts store.

Do I need a zerk fitting in my idler arm with the bronze bushings?

No, the bronze bushings are self lubricating. Grease will not hurt them so there is no need to wipe clean grease off of the housing and/or shaft but there is no need to install a zerk fitting if the idler arm does not have one.

What options are available for right hand drive (RHD) applications?

There are currently 2 options for RHD applications. The first is to locally source an McQuay-Norris FA5040GL idler arm and then install the bronze bushings in that and install that idler arm on your vehicle. The other option is to make a hybrid idler arm, using your existing idler arm bracket (i.e. the part that bolts to the frame) and a LHD McQuay-Norris FA5040 idler arm (using just the internal shaft and arm portion that is identical between LHD and RHD applciations) then install the bronze bushings in your RHD bracket and install the LHD shaft and arm into that. In order for that to work, you need to check that the inner diameter (ID) of the bushing holes in your bracket match the outer diameter (OD) of the bronze bushings, that being 0.952" or 24.2mm. The LHD idler arm and bushings are available as a kit below...

On-line Ordering:

We offer 3 options for your idler arm needs. If you have an existing, compatible idler arm, you can order the bronze bushings below. If you need a new idler arm and want to get one that will work with the bronze bushings, you can order a new FA5040 idler arm below. And if you want the new idler arm with a set of bronze bushings for later upgrade, you can order the full set below.

For shipping times and methods, see below.

The idler arm bushing kit is US$29.00/ea. plus shipping - In Stock:

Idler Arm Bushings + $4.00 for uninsured US First Class Mail	Idler Arm Bushings + $8.00 for insured US Priority Mail	Idler Arm Bushings + $24.00 for uninsured International Priority Mail

New FA5040 Idler Arms: In-stock

If you are in need of a new idler arm that is compatible with the bronze bushings (above), we now stock a limited supply of the FA5040 idler arm for your convenience. These are for Left Hand Drive (LHD) vehicles like in the US, Canada, Europe, etc. Since this arm comes with new plastic bushings, you can run it for a few years until those bushings wear out before needing to upgrade to the bronze bushings. These are the genuine FA5040 idler arms with the large diameter shaft, cost US$55.00 plus shipping:

Idler Arm Plus Bushings (if bushings and idler arm above listed In Stock, then the combination is In-Stock):

If you are in need of a new idler arm that is compatible with the bronze bushings (above), we now stock a limited supply of the FA5040 idler arm for your convenience. Since this arm comes with new plastic bushings, you can run it for a few years until those bushings wear out before needing to upgrade to the bronze bushings that come with the idler arm, or you can change them out to begin with, it is your choice. These are the genuine FA5040 idler arms (left hand drive only) with the large diameter shaft plus the bronze bushings, cost US$80.00 plus shipping:

Shipping times:

• 5-7 days typical for US first class mail deliveries - not insured
• 2-3 days typical for US Priority mail deliveries - insured
• 6-10 days typical for international shipments - not insured

Be sure to supply an address that accepts US Post Office mail deliveries and be sure the address is valid.