- 1). Park the Fairlane on level pavement and set the parking brake. Raise the front of the Fairlane with a jack and support with jack stands.
- 2). Remove the cotter pin from the castle nut that holds the idler arm on the drag link with needle-nose pliers. Note how the pin is bent. You will bend the new pin the same way. Remove the castle nut with a ratchet and socket.
- 3). Insert the pickle fork tool between the idler arm stud (where you removed the castle nut) and the drag link. Strike the end of the pickle fork with a hammer until the stud pops out of the drag link.
- 4). Remove the two bolts that hold the idler arm to the frame. Remove the idler arm.
- 5). Place the new idler arm against the frame and install the two bolts. Torque the bolts to 50 to 60 ft/lbs with a torque wrench.
- 6). Push the stud on the end of the idler arm into the drag link. Install the castle nut on the end of the stud and torque to 50 ft/lbs. The stud on the idler arm has a hole in it where the cotter pin goes. The hole must line up with the notches in the castle nut. If they do not line up at this time, tighten the castle nut until they do. Install a new cotter pin and bend the ends with the needle-nose pliers in the same way the old pin was bent.
- 7). Raise the Fairlane off of the jack stands and lower to the ground.
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