Steering part help

[Armor]

ok I put on my winter rims this weekend and i noticed some play in the steering system. When i press on the tire front an back the part in the pictures below deflects upwards. I think its called the idler arm. Anyway the first is the point where it rotates upwards, the second one im pointing in the direction of the deflection.

do i need to relace that part? or is it something like the tie rods doing it? i dont know what to check.
any help would be great.
thanks

[VileZambonie]

Idler arm and yes you should relpace it.

[Armor]

ah ok, surprisingly when i called partsource(closest place) its only 35$, ill giver a go and see what happens.

thanks
morgan

[topp]

$35 for the part and you SHOULD get an alignment after....

[Armor]

darn i was hoping to avoid that since it was done a year ago, oh well ill do what must be done to get it running 100% again.

[Irish_Alley]

You don’t have to get one replaced mine in my 94 and then put new tires on. and she still drives straight and no abnormal wear on the tires all the idler arm does is a pivot point keeps it all strait. you shouldn’t be able to put it on way off since its still connected to the steering arm. Not saying an alignment is a bad thing just saying you don’t have to

[Armor]

ya ill defiantly
 check it out, i had it aligned when the steering parts were new/not worn, so it was aligned straight, hopeing when the new part is in it wont really change the alignment

thanks
morgan