Damn this summer has gone by quick. Myself and my fiancée have been planning to head to the north west part of the country since late spring last year... the time has come to get around to preparing the 122 wagon for the trip. I know.. I know... I should have done it months ago.

In any event, we tore into the car today to sort out the stiff steering. Plan was to replace one ball joint (I did the other side a year or so ago), maybe lower A-arm bushings, and the steering box. After getting the car up in the air though, the clunk was quickly diagnosed as poorly adjusted steering box. The A-arm bushings look OK (and I can't turn the pivot bolt anyhow, so I'm not gonna try). the ball joint in question is fine, and is not dry.

Problem it seems with the heavy steering is a tight idler arm bushing. I've removed the center link tie rod and it's clearly tight on the passenger wheel. Is there a way to lubricate that bushing or loosen it up a tad? I've no doubt that's the problem. The bushing has no play and appears to have been replaced not long ago. If I can't loosen it up, would a idler arm assembly from my '65 1800 be a direct bolt up? I hate to part the 1800 out (even if temporarily), but I gotta do something...

As for the trip... headed to the far corner of Washington again for a brief stay (one night) on Guemes Island again. Then we'll be meandering for a week or so down the coast through Oregon. I know there's a bunch of you in that part of the country, and we might be able to meet up with some of you. Drop me an email... forcefield-at-starband-dot-net. We're fixin to get to Washington and stay on the island on the 27th of October. Then yonder south the following day or so.

But the stiff steering has to be dealt with. Everything else is pretty easy and/or in pretty good order.

-Matt







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-Matt I ♥ my ♂