Low lash idler arm assembly

An idler arm assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• an idler arm including a hub having a cylindrical bore which terminates at a top surface and a bottom surface of said hub;
• an upper bushing and a lower bushing press fit into opposite ends of said cylindrical bore for pivotally supporting said idler arm;
• a support member having a bolt portion received in said upper and lower bushings, said bolt portion including a threaded end portion;
• and
• a nut member threadedly engaged with said threaded end portion of said bolt portion;
• an upper seal assembly and lower seal assembly each having a reinforcement ring and an elastomeric portion, said elastomeric portion having two radially extending sealing portions;
• said upper seal assembly being disposed between said top surface of said hub and a radially extending flange of said upper bushing wherein one of said two sealing portions engages said top surface of said hub and a second of said two sealing portions engages an annular surface of said support member;
• and
• said lower seal assembly being disposed between said bottom surface of said hub and a radially extending flange of said lower bushing wherein one of said two sealing portions engages said bottom surface of said hub and a second of said two sealing portions engages an upper surface of said nut member.

A method of assembling a low lash idler arm comprising the steps of:

• inserting a cylindrical body of an upper bushing through an upper seal assembly;
• inserting a cylindrical body of a lower bushing through a lower seal assembly;
• press fitting the upper bushing into an upper portion of a cylindrical bore of an idler arm hub;
• press fitting the lower bushing into a lower portion of said cylindrical bore of said idler arm hub;
• inserting a bolt portion of a support member into said upper and lower bushings;
• and
• threadedly engaging a nut member on a threaded end portion of said bolt portion until said upper bushing and lower bushing are each located in a respective final position.

An idler arm assembly comprising:

• an idler arm having a first surface, a second surface, and a bore extending between said first and second surfaces;
• a first bushing having a first end retained in said bore and a second end extending outwardly from said first surface;
• a second bushing having a first end retained in said bore and a second end extending outwardly from said second surface;
• a support member including a first portion and a second portion extending from said first portion and having a threaded end portion, said second portion extending through said first and second bushings such that said first portion engages said second end of said first bushing and said threaded end portion extends outwardly from said second end of said second bushing;
• a nut threaded onto said threaded end portion of said second portion and engaging said second end of said second bushing, said nut being threadably tightened to a predetermined position on said threaded end portion such that said idler arm is restrained axially relative to said first portion of said support member while being permitted to pivot about said second portion thereof;
• wherein said first portion of said support member is a bracket portion and said second portion is a bolt portion extending from a surface of said bracket portion, said second end of said first bushing engages said surface of said bracket portion, and wherein said nut has a surface adapted to engage said second end of said second bushing;
• and
• wherein said threaded end portion extends from a shoulder of said bolt portion, said nut being tightened onto said threaded end portion until said surface of said nut engages said shoulder of said bolt, thereby defining said predetermined position.