GM-GMC: Pickup front end, chevrolet silverado, safety issue

Question
Hi,
 My 1988 Chevrolet Silverado C-1500 with a 350 gas engine has a strong pull to the right. My neighbor, who is a good amateur mechanic, looked at it and said the idler arm appeared to be badly worn.
 Could this cause it to pull to the side?  Is this a safety issue that should be fixed?  Is it expensive to repair?  Could I do it myself(I'm fairly handy)?
 Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.
Jim  

Answer
Yes, a worn idler arm can cause a pull to one side and, yes, if it is badly worn it is dangerous.

The hardest part of the job is getting the old idler arm disconnected from the rest of the steering gear (the arm itself unbolts from the frame).  They make a fork tool, often called a pickle tool, that you can use to hammer into the idler arm/steering gear connection to break it apart.

Be sure and grease the new idler arm after it is installed.