1988 Pajero 2.5TD Idler Arm Replacing

[Craig Williams]

Conventional methods include using a Tie Rod Puller

Or a Tie Rod Pickle Fork

However I am going to show you how to remove the Pajero's Steering Idler Arm with no special tools at all other than a block of steel 50mm square tubing about 65mm tall (which is photographed in Part 2).
Below is a picture of the joint that needs to be pried apart

This next picture is a close up of how I did it.
1) First remove the LHS front wheel In Australia that is the passenger side. Next
2) Remove the three 14mm nuts and 14mm bolts securing the bracket to the chassis, the two bottom bolts are longer than the top one. Remove all three bolts and nuts. Now
3) Turn the steering fully to the right, to allow access for the bottle jack in step 4).
4) Loosen the 17mm Castle Nut and wind it down flush to the end of the thread. Place a block of steel about 65mm high between the Relay Rod and the underneath of the vehicle frame and use a Trolley Jack to hold the Relay Rod tight against the steel block which is against the frame.
5) Now use the car's bottle jack and apply pressure to the end of the idler thread where you wound the 17mm castle nut down flush. Pump up the jack until the vehicle slightly raises off the ground from the bottle jack. Then
6) Get a BIG HAMMER
7) And bash against the solid part of the idler arm where you want to pop it apart. If you look carefully in the photo you can see a "shiny" spot where I hit the Idler Arm (near where it attaches to the relay Rod). Three large blows should see the idler disconnect from the Relay Arm. That's it.

and a slightly wider shot to show the entire set up.

See Part 2 as I can only post up to five photos at a time

[Craig Williams]

1988 Pajero 2.5TD Idler Arm Replacing Part 2

1988 Pajero 2.5TD Idler Arm Replacing Part 2
Below is a view from the front of the set up in Part 1

And in this view you can see the Steering Relay Arm which is pushed up against the underside of the vehicle frame with a steel tube block wedged in-between.

The new Idler Arm roughly in place

This close up shows the steel block, I have moved it into view so you can get the idea, though it was further back during removal and harder to see.

Finally a picture of the steel tube block which measured 50mm square and 65mm high. This helped me remove the Idler Arm with no special tool needed. I had already removed the bash plates which I should have mentioned at the start of Part 1.
Feel free to message me for more details if necessary.