LUV idler arm bushings

bare 1 · 08-18-2005, 11:37 PM

Don't flame me !! If you think a LUV is a chevy you're smokin dope or you never looked under the hood of one-- or both!! Now with that out of the way I have a 79 4x4 with a shot idler arm bushing and I'm curious if any one knows a good fix. Parts are unavailable. At least through NAPA. Any interchangeability with troopers? My 85 looks different from the luv but I haven't checked it out real close yet. Not to the point of actually twisting wrenches at any rate. I'm hoping to find someone who has actually dealt with this, but any help would be appreciated. And I tried luvtruck.com not much luck there. Thanks Robin

bob large · 08-19-2005, 01:17 AM

If it’s like a trooper/amigo/rodeo don't even try to pull the idler arm off the king pin. Just not worth the trouble. Find a junk yard and pick up one. It shouldn't cost more than 30 or 40 bucks max. And while your at it pick up some tie rods and a center link. You never know when you'll break one.

And yes I tried to pull one once. I spent about 10 h attempting to do so and ended up compressing the splined part of the shaft with my puller. And yes I tried using heat, (torch) lube, and about every other trick of heard of.

lttlbddy · 08-19-2005, 09:44 AM

The part might still be availalble through Isuzu, have you tried St Charles Isuzu? 800-727-8066. I don't know about getting a 20-25 year old part from the junk yard, at least not a part like that that wears out. Better than nothing though.

Bob Large - Isn't the idler just bolted to the frame? 4 bolts and pull the center link and mine fell right off. Am I thinking of the wrong part?

And "bare 1" - The Chevy Luz was my first Isuzu. I had a 1981 4x4. Good little truck.

bob large · 08-21-2005, 02:17 AM

Ya you can just unbolt the whole works, idler arm and king pin assembly.

The idea I was trying to get across was not to try to separate the idler arm, (especially while its still on the rig) from the king pin (what is shown in the above pic). Just to remove the whole works. I.e. what’s in the pic plus the arm itself.

bare 1 · 08-21-2005, 10:05 PM

Thanks for the info guys. I finally got off my lazy butt this Sat. and crawled under my parts rig. Turns out the idler arm assy is in decent shape so I pirated it. We'll see how good after I drive it for awhile. Never thought about the dealer. Duh!

800XL · 09-20-2005, 02:16 PM

One of the most common things to find worn out on a LUV has to be that bushing. I've rebuilt a couple LUV idler arms in my time. I'll have to dig and see what I got for parts the last time. Seems like someone over at luvtruck.com just did it and managed to find the right bushing someplace, but was having trouble finding a seal. I'll see if I can search up that post over there.

As for taking the arm off the shaft, I've never had one stump me yet. I stick a puller on it and build up some tension, then come at the arm from above with a bar (old axle shaft actually) and give it a few raps with a hammer. Between the puller holding some force against it and the jarring blow from a BFH through the bar they usually just pop right loose for me. The only challenge was on the first one finding a puller that would grab hold of the arm in the little bit of space they give you between it and the shaft bracket.

800XL · 09-21-2005, 01:51 AM

The part you want is Beck/Arnley part number 1013863 and you can order one for about $12 from www.rockauto.com or I'm sure your local NAPA can get it from the BA part number. Rockauto lists it for a 2WD only, but the shaft and bracket (which contains the bushing) is the same exact part on both. My 79 4WD has the bracket and shaft off of a 76 2WD right now, and my factory LUV parts book lists the same part from 1972-80 for all trucks 2 or 4 wheel.

08-18-2005, 11:37 PM	#1
bare 1 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Member # 40133 Posts: 28	LUV idler arm bushings Don't flame me !! If you think a LUV is a chevy you're smokin dope or you never looked under the hood of one-- or both!! Now with that out of the way I have a 79 4x4 with a shot idler arm bushing and I'm curious if any one knows a good fix. Parts are unavailable. At least through NAPA. Any interchangeability with troopers? My 85 looks different from the luv but I haven't checked it out real close yet. Not to the point of actually twisting wrenches at any rate. I'm hoping to find someone who has actually dealt with this, but any help would be appreciated. And I tried luvtruck.com not much luck there. Thanks Robin __________________ On The Rock

08-19-2005, 09:44 AM	#3
lttlbddy * The Printer * Join Date: Aug 2001 Member # 6532 Location: Surf City Posts: 1,779	The part might still be availalble through Isuzu, have you tried St Charles Isuzu? 800-727-8066. I don't know about getting a 20-25 year old part from the junk yard, at least not a part like that that wears out. Better than nothing though. Bob Large - Isn't the idler just bolted to the frame? 4 bolts and pull the center link and mine fell right off. Am I thinking of the wrong part? And "bare 1" - The Chevy Luz was my first Isuzu. I had a 1981 4x4. Good little truck. Last edited by lttlbddy; 08-19-2005 at 09:49 AM.

08-21-2005, 10:05 PM	#5
bare 1 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Member # 40133 Posts: 28	Thanks for the info guys. I finally got off my lazy butt this Sat. and crawled under my parts rig. Turns out the idler arm assy is in decent shape so I pirated it. We'll see how good after I drive it for awhile. Never thought about the dealer. Duh! __________________ On The Rock

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09-20-2005, 02:16 PM	#6
800XL Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Member # 21185 Posts: 37	One of the most common things to find worn out on a LUV has to be that bushing. I've rebuilt a couple LUV idler arms in my time. I'll have to dig and see what I got for parts the last time. Seems like someone over at luvtruck.com just did it and managed to find the right bushing someplace, but was having trouble finding a seal. I'll see if I can search up that post over there. As for taking the arm off the shaft, I've never had one stump me yet. I stick a puller on it and build up some tension, then come at the arm from above with a bar (old axle shaft actually) and give it a few raps with a hammer. Between the puller holding some force against it and the jarring blow from a BFH through the bar they usually just pop right loose for me. The only challenge was on the first one finding a puller that would grab hold of the arm in the little bit of space they give you between it and the shaft bracket.

09-21-2005, 01:51 AM	#7
800XL Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Member # 21185 Posts: 37	The part you want is Beck/Arnley part number 1013863 and you can order one for about $12 from www.rockauto.com or I'm sure your local NAPA can get it from the BA part number. Rockauto lists it for a 2WD only, but the shaft and bracket (which contains the bushing) is the same exact part on both. My 79 4WD has the bracket and shaft off of a 76 2WD right now, and my factory LUV parts book lists the same part from 1972-80 for all trucks 2 or 4 wheel.