500 (Classic) Steering Idler

[twoandaquarter]

Hi All,
I'm new to this forum so I hope this is ok to post.
I have a niggle on my 1969 500L. I've put on a new steering idler, I bought the idler body with bushes and bolt and used the old arm, torqued it to 40 lb/ft as in the manual but now when I turn the steering the idler creaks very loudly and the only way to stop it is to loosen the bolt which introduces excessive play.
Am I missing something or is the new idler at fault? Any suggestions welcome, I've run out of ideas :bang:
Thanks in advance
Kev

 

[the hobbler]

Are you aware that you only torque the idlernut up AFTER the toe-in (tracking) has been adjusted and with the steering in the STRAIGHT AHEAD position? Have you tried giving the bushes a squirt of something like WD40?

 

[twoandaquarter]

Yes and yes. It's like the bushes are turning in the housing but I can't see them moving. Are the steel inserts meant to turn in the bushes instead

 

[fiat500]

Yes and yes. It's like the bushes are turning in the housing but I can't see them moving. Are the steel inserts meant to turn in the bushes instead

The metal outers of the bushes should be a tight fit in the aluminium housing. The arm should be tightly gripped to the inner tube of the bush. As Tom the hobbler says, this should be done with the steering straight ahead.

Then when you turn the wheel the rubber has to rotate and take the strain; this might be your creaking. The deformed rubber then obviously "wants" to get back to equilibrium and that helps with self-centring and a smooth return after cornering.

 

[twoandaquarter]

Thank you all for the replies, Yes I torqued it in the straight ahead position so I can only assume that the inner tubes are moving in the bushes therefore causing the creak rather that the bushes flexing when the steering is turned

 

[fiat500]

Thank you all for the replies, Yes I torqued it in the straight ahead position so I can only assume that the inner tubes are moving in the bushes therefore causing the creak rather that the bushes flexing when the steering is turned

Did the inners have a serrated edge to them?

 

[twoandaquarter]

yes, the inner edges are serrated to grip the arm