Steering: 52 Champ idler arm (Rebuild it ?)

[Ted Ball]

Anyone know if the idler arm can be rebuilt on the 52 Champ? Every thing else is still tight after 51 years sitting in a cow pasture since I last drove it in 1961. I chased all the animals out of it, gutted the interior and aired it out, did a little upholstery and paint and threw some sheet metal and brake parts at it and it goes down the road just like it used to. Also rewired the whole thing my way and went to 12 volt with an alternator. Also a new windshield 'cause my sons practiced marksmanship with their new BB guns about 35 years ago. Here's a before and after of it.

[gordr]

On a '52 Champion, the "idler arm" is usually referred to as the "steering bell crank". The shaft upon which it pivots is called the "center pivot", and it can be rebuilt. It contains a pair of Torrington roller bearings, which can be replaced, as long as the bearing surfaces on the shaft aren't too pitted.

First order of business is to inspect it carefully, and determine exactly where the lost motion occurs. With the front wheels on the ground, or maybe up on ramps, have a helper work the steering wheel back and forth repeatedly through the slack region, while you crawl under and watch all the components move.

If you see a lot of vertical motion in the arm of the bellcrank to which the two tie rods attach, look for vertical motion or rocking motion on the large nut in the center of the bearing housing on the bottom of the front frame crossmember. If you see much motion there, other than rotary motion, which you should see, then the shaft and/or bearings are worn out. The grease fitting for that bearing housing is located in a hole in the back face of the front frame crossmember, and it often got neglected, with predictably bad results. But if you don't see slop on the pivot shaft/bearings, it may well be that the pinch bolt which attaches the bell crank to the pivot shaft has worked loose. That can cause a lot of slop. Simply tightening the pinch bolt can work wonders, but if you find it loose, I'd recommend the following: take the pinch bolt right out, remove the grease fitting from the bearing housing, and undo the four bolts holding the bearing housing to the frame crossmember. Drop the bearing housing (and shaft) down and out. Disassemble the unit, clean it, inspect the shaft and bearings, and replace as necessary. Examine the top stub of the shaft where the bell crank clamps on. If it has been worn out of round, or otherwise damaged, the clamp bolt will never hold tight again, as both the shaft and the hole in the bell crank have been compromised. Find a new, or good used pivot assembly and bell crank, and replace them. The same parts, or similar, were used for years.

While you are doing your initial inspection, be alert for slop caused by wear on tie rod ends, or the ends of the drag link, or in the steering box itself.

[Blue 15G]

I can't advise you on your steering question, but just wanted to congratulate you for bringing the '52 back to life after all those years. Looks good. Great job!

Dave Bonn
'54 Champion Starliner

[Roscomacaw]

Ted, that "before" photo brings back memories! The first Stude I ever restored was a '52 Champion 4-dr. It was gray as well! Parts were SO cheap and plentiful then. I was able to buy a whole new grille assy for a hundred or so. As Gord says, the rebuilding of that center-point bellcrank is really pretty easy. It probably wouldn't be worn if the grease zerk were more visible as it would've gotten a bit of grease thru the years.

[52-fan]

Good that you had something to bring back. Around here after 51 years there would be so much rust the job would be very difficult. I guess the car was Rio Green originally?

[Ted Ball]

Gord, thanks for the info. Now I know there is some hope for it, the play is vertical, not much but it can be seen when someone is on the steering wheel. I'll pull it soon and see what I can do. Thanks again.

[Ted Ball]

Dave, thank you, thank you.

[Ted Ball]

Roscomacaw. Ya, back in 61 I didn't even know it had a zerk.

[Ted Ball]

52-fan--It was gray originally, some body painted light green with a barn broom under a yard light a year before I bought it ini 1960 for $25.00. Believe me, a year ago one could crawl in through the trunk floor and out the floorboards or through the firewall and out the engine compartment.

[RadioRoy]

Vertical play is the indication that the bell crank pivot bearings are bad. vertical play is the indication of a common cause of lost motion in Studebaker steering systems. grodr's explanation is spot on and doing the work should solve most of your problems with lost motion in the steering.

Also, many steering boxes of that vintage do not hold grease any more. Someone used to advertise a lubricant with a paste-like consistency that would not leak out of those steering boxes.

Congratulations on getting the old girl back on the road. What are those wheels from? Are they 15"?

[Ted Ball]

RadioRoy--Thanks for the info on the steering box. That reminded me to check it. The front rims are from an older Ford Ranger, fit nice, the rears are off a newer Mopar. They're all 15" but the Mopars are setback too far to fit on the front, they rub on the tie rod ends. Amazingly all four tires from 1961 still took air, made it to my shop, but had bulges on the face and one blew out the sidewall sitting in my shop while I was gutting the interior, dang near had a coronary.