ConcoursMustang Forums
Restoring - General discussions that span across many different groups of years and models => Suspension => Topic started by: rockhouse66 on January 31, 2010, 06:52:48 PM
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Here is a picture of the idler arm I removed from my 9/65 built San Jose manual steering car;
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/rockhouse66/DSC03979.jpg)
Clearly, this has a blue paint marking. The MPC says that PS cars had blue marked idler arms and MS cars had brown marked idler arms. So....is this the wrong idler arm for my MS car? How do they differ? Or is the MPC wrong about the paint markings?
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First I would have to state that we have found things (as we have in the assembly manuals) in the MPC that are different from what was done at the factories
The MPS (as you wrote) shows the C5ZZ-3352-A idler arm as being marked with a brown mark and the C5ZZ-3352 -B with a blue. Earlier versions of the MPC (ones I have) do not list any color codes
Guess this is what you found - the picture was listed as C5ZZ-3352 -B the PS unit
(http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f49/firetrainer/Paint%20Marks/C5ZZ-3352-B-1.jpg)
But also have C5ZZ-3352 -B boxes as these marked with a yellow (also have a PS 6 cyl idler arm marked with yellow like later cars)
(http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f49/firetrainer/Paint%20Marks/C5ZZ-3352-BIdler.jpg)
Will look through more of the files and documentation while others comment and share
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In trying to figure this out, I see in the NPD catalog that the same arm is listed for MS or PS, with the only difference being the upper bushing which is designed to self center. I take this to mean that both the arms and the upper bushing are dimensionally identical (unlike later idler arm upper bushings which are dimensionally different between MS and PS).
So - no difference in the arm itself and only an internal design difference in the upper bushing? I could put a brown paint daub on my blue paint daub idler arm and call it a MS arm? There is a C2 number cast into the arm itself if that means anything?
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Based on my observations, there is a definite difference between p/s and m/s idler arms with the p/s idler arms being thicker in areas than the m/s version.
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One thing to keep in mind is that later (circ '67) the standard color daub for PS was yellow while manual went with green. Since Jeff's NOS idlers show both it could have resulted from updated procedure for markings. I have also seen them without any daubs. Duplicate what you know is true and forget the rest. You have perfect proof as to what was originally on your car and as far as I am concerned your car should always get the benefit of any doubt!
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One thing to keep in mind is that later (circ '67) the standard color daub for PS was yellow while manual went with green. ...........
Think you will find that the green is often found on the mount - not on the arm itself and indicated to the worker what side of the car it was to be attached to not as an identifier. Have plenty of examples of manual and PS idler arms with the green (often two green stripes between the mounting points
Just what I've seen
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I think that a good Idler Arm (http://www.car-stuff.com/idlerarm.htm) would be the key here. I hope that things will be clear by know as you can search into deeper for all the things you may have for your car. Thanks for this one.