C3 Idler Arm Part#?

[Gregory G.]

In the AIM under UPC 9 steering section the idler arm is not given a part# only shown as an assembly.Looking to find one without grease fitting thru a GM parts dealer.Have they been discontinued?

Greg

[Jack H.]

Re: C3 Idler Arm Part#?

Search the archieves. I believe brother Joe Lucia has commented several times before on the history of the idler arm as a GM part. The gist is it's changed physical construction (visually detectable) at least once and if a service replacement is still available (I believe it is), you can expect it to fit & function as the factory original but take deduction(s) in Flight for CONFIGURATION difference(s).

[Mark #28455]

Re: C3 Idler Arm Part#?

The service replacement that I ordered had a square cross section instead of round and had grease fittings at both ends. The original idler arms NOS are hard to come by and cost a MINT. There is a guy on e bay who is selling a really good repro for about $55 that has the correct round cross section and no grease fittings (it just doesn't have the forging number in the arm - which can only be seen from the bottom anyway).

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Idler Arm Part#?

Mark and Greg-----

The current GM SERVICE replacement idler arm, GM #12509357, is configured as Mark describes----it's a very high quality piece but it's totally unlike the original in configuration. The original arm was GM #3779184 and this piece was used for all 1963 to 1981 Corvettes. It has the forging number "3779185" on the arm section (beware, though, NOT all arms that have this number are the Corvette GM PART #3779184 arm). There are good reproductions of the Corvette arm out there that, as Mark says, lacking only the forging number. Otherwise, they are identical to the originals.

[Gregory G.]

Re: C3 Idler Arm Part#?

I found a used original for $20.00 at a corvette parts dealer prior to your post over the phone.For the price I took a chance and will check to see the forging number if any.I was only looking for the idler arm w/o grease fittings.Now I know more thanks to you guys.What symptoms would appear with a faulty idler arm.Stiff Steering?

Greg

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Idler Arm Part#?

Greg-----

Not stiff steering------LOOSE steering.

[Gregory G.]

Thank you NM* *NM*