Idler Arm Help!!
 

I recently purchased a complete rebuild kit for my suspension and steering. Yesterday I started the assembly process. I have 2 ?'s. How do I adjust,or set, the dimensions on my upper control arm shafts, what do I measure from? My book that I have is very unclear on it! Do I center the shaft in the exact center of the arm making it even between the center of the bolt holes to the base of the arm itself? Now for ? 2, My new Idler arm came with the sleeve in it, and it wont fit onto the Idler holder that i bolted to the frame. Am I suppose to cut the sleeve off the Idler holder or take the sleeve out of the Idler arm itself? It looks as though the sleeve on the Idler holder is molded or made to it. If i cut it, it may not be a good Idea, but on the other hand, Id hate to force the sleeve out of the Idler arm. Im afraid of messing up the rubber bushings in it! Any advice Id greatly appreciate it. This nick and cranny stuff is holding me up from driving this year. Its to beautiful outside to let it sit in the garage! Oh I cant stand it! HHHHHHHEEELLLLPPP!!!
Thanks,
Larry of Mason, Ohio
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This link may help answer your first question. Scroll down page to "Suspension" section. Good luck.

http://www.mustangsteve.com/MustangSteveFAQ.html

Sleeve?
 

Doesn't the new idler arm have a sleeve built into it that should go onto the existing fixture bolted to the unibody? That fixture looks kind of like a spindle that the sleeve fits over?

I haven't done this in 5 years or so, but that's how I seem to remember it. If that's correct, I would just use some WD-40 and maybe Vise Grips to rotate the old sleeve until it loosens on the spindle fixture until you can get it off. Sounds like it's just stuck to me. That's assuming that the the new idler arm has the new sleeve built in as I remember.

If all that seems correct, then after you get the old sleeve off just clean off the spindle with a wire brush, solvent, maybe emery paper and slide the new part on and bolt it up. At least, that's how I remeber it when I did mine some time ago.

Rev