I just bought a new idler arm. It came with a new grease fitting, a cotter pin, a rubber boot, and a nut, in a separate plastic bag. I am trying to thread the grease fitting into the hole in the bottom of the new joint, and it appears that there is no screw thread in the hole. Am I supposed to just make my own thread in the hole by turning the fitting into the hole with a wrench ???
Iy may be painfully obvious what to do here,
but I don't want to just assume something and screw up my brand new idler arm.

Also, the boot it came with is not big enough to slide down over the attaching piece and onto the top of the joint unless I stretch it. Am I supposed to do that? Or is the boot for some other part?

Again, painfully obvious perhaps, but...

Thanks



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88 GTA 5.7 TPI Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

Yes, you have to press on the fitting and screw it in, the fitting cuts the threads.

Sometimes its easier to use the old boot, they fit pretty tight.



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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"

 

Engineboy,

By press on, do you mean with my finger, or a vice ? I can get it started by finger pressure. Can I then just put a wrench on it? And won't the metal shavings from the threading get into the joint ?

Thanks



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88 GTA 5.7 TPI Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

Just finger pressure....dont worry about the small amount of metal. (it is really minor.

------------------
ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"

 

Engineboy,

Thanks. I got the fitting in. Didn't make it flush, just tightened it up til it was snug. Put a lot of lube into the joint. The joint is still pretty stiff. It takes some force to move it. Is that normal ?
Thanks
GTA88

 

GTA tighten it until it bottoms out on the flat surface. you dont' want that coming out. it's normal to have that much resistance.