Steering Idler (Oil filled type) Salvage

Suspension related stuff goes in here.
kmoses
Posts: 366
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:28 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider 2000

Re: Steering Idler (Oil filled type) Salvage

Post by kmoses »

Ebay (Item 400761245230) AVX Shaft Oil Seal TC20x31x7 Rubber Lip 20mm/31mm/7mm metric $4.75.
I think I bored the housing ID 0.010" smaller than the stated seal OD (I wanted a nice tight fit).
baltobernie
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Your car is a: 1973 Spider [sold]
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Steering Idler (Oil filled type) Salvage

Post by baltobernie »

Received new seals; thanks for the p/n. On my housing, the OE seal seems to be held in place by a tiny lip in the casting. It looks like you machined this off, and ended with a straight wall on the seal mating surface. So you are counting on a friction fit of the new seal to keep it in place?
kmoses
Posts: 366
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:28 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider 2000

Re: Steering Idler (Oil filled type) Salvage

Post by kmoses »

Yes, friction alone holds it in. If you think about it, that is what retains the crank seals, cam seals, valve seals, etc. The factory seal was all sealing material with no metal support and was more of a compression packing than a lip seal. So far, mine is not leaking.
baltobernie
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Your car is a: 1973 Spider [sold]
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Steering Idler (Oil filled type) Salvage

Post by baltobernie »

Just got mine back from the machine shop. $60

Image

Image

You can see he had to cut below the "lip". He said he only had to remove about 0.020" from the bore.

I have one of the new ball-bearing dampers on my car now. Personally, I think it's a step backward in design. Furthermore, it has no sealing to keep debris and water out. You can, however, use an oil filler cap gasket nicely for this purpose. I'm thinking about putting the rebuilt OE unit back on the car.
StuartSpencer
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2017 1:05 am
Your car is a: 77 Fiat Spider

Re: Steering Idler (Oil filled type) Salvage

Post by StuartSpencer »

What oil did you refill with?

Thanks.

-Stu
kmoses
Posts: 366
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:28 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider 2000

Re: Steering Idler (Oil filled type) Salvage

Post by kmoses »

I used 90w gear oil in mine.
spate75fiat124
Posts: 49
Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2015 12:55 pm
Your car is a: 1975 Fiat 124 Spider

Re: Steering Idler (Oil filled type) Salvage

Post by spate75fiat124 »

I refilled mine with aircraft hydraulic fluid (red)
StuartSpencer
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2017 1:05 am
Your car is a: 77 Fiat Spider

Re: Steering Idler (Oil filled type) Salvage

Post by StuartSpencer »

Thanks. I have seen both 90W gear oil and ATF suggested. When I took mine apart last night, it smelled more like ATF or PS fluid than 90W gear oil.

-Stu
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