Mercury E9AZ-3355-A Arm And Bracket Assembly

Only the 1982-1987 Continental and 1984-1992 Mark VII models have different steering linkings because these components connect steering gear to front wheels - Pitman arm, idler arm, center link, and two adjustable tie-rods. Start by making the wheels face forward and locking the steering wheel. Then, lift one side of the car and move the tire back and forth to see if you can spot any movement in the wheel. When there's movement in the steering, look for loose clamp connections. While the car is up on jackstands with the front end supported, move the car left to right to find if the idler arm is shaky by pushing the center link linkage from the end. Check for frozen joints and damaged components. Start by loosening the wheel nuts, then lift the vehicle and take out the wheel to work on the tie-rod. Unscrew the castle nut on the ballstud, pry apart the tie-rod end from the steering knuckle, and mark the end of the outer tube where it threads for correct alignment. Apply lubricant to the new tie-rod after you take out the inner end piece and put it back in place. Screw the tie-rod end onto the steering knuckle and fasten the nut. Make sure to put a cotter pin in place before tightening. Screw the ballstud end of the tie-rod into the center link, then tighten the nut. Raising the car, you loosen the nut, and remove the idler arm from the center link. Put the new idler arm piece into place and tighten down the bolts. When accessing the center link, lift up the car, disconnect the tie-rods, and take away the center link from the idler arm and Pitman arm. Installation is the reverse of removal. To install or remove the Pitman arm, first lift your vehicle, then remove the castle nut and detach the center link from the Pitman arm. Take down your notes on where to align; remove the nut and washer, and unscrew the Pitman arm with a pulling tool. Carefully examine the ballstud and seals, then put everything back in place while rotating ballstud until it matches old positions. Lastly, tighten the nut.