idler arm, drag link

[cheavy metal]

anyone have pics or recommendations on where to drill to mount the drag link/idler arm?? on a 66? my donor is a 81 silverado. I'm almost there on the front crossmember swap and I just want to be clear.

[andyh1956]

When I put that '78 front suspension on my bud's '64 frame I installed the center link onto the steering arm, then installed the idler arm into the center link. I used a bottle jack under the center link on the right side to level it. Also gotta check front to back measurement as well from some point of reference. Then made sure the ball end of the idler arm was straight into the hole in the center link & marked the holes. I then used an angle finder to check the angle of the hole marks with the bottom of the frame & compare with the '78 donor & made adjustments & then drilled the holes. Worked great!

[cheavy metal]

so you made it match side to side is what you're saying? I've seen a couple posts before here and it seems the most important is matching and level/even from side to side. sound right?

[andyh1956]

The only thing I matched from one truck to the other was the angle of the holes that held the idler arm to the frame. You are correct that the most important thing is to have the center link level & at 90 degrees to the frame on both sides. I think this measurement can be taken from the cross member forward to the center link.

[cheavy metal]

thanks for the info, I do much appreciate the help. my truck has been sitting for over a decade now and I would like to have it running and driving this summer [2016] this site and folks like you are going to be huge in making that happen. again thanks.

[64shortbox]

cheavy metal,
Don't know if this will help you any but here's a couple of pictures I took this Sunday of my 73 suspension & idler arm in my 64 C-10 My truck aligned & drives fine - hope it helps.

[Johns66]

Originally Posted by 64shortbox

cheavy metal,
Don't know if this will help you any but here's a couple of pictures I took this Sunday of my 73 suspension & idler arm in my 64 C-10 My truck aligned & drives fine - hope it helps.

Hmm, just as double check could you measure the distance from the center of the bottom idler arm bolt hole of the 66, to the center of the bottom bolt on the 73 idler?