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So I'm thinking now of buying new instead of going through the process of... -getting old A-arms, -getting rust off of them, -removing old bushings and BJ's, -pressing new ones in.
Problem is, I am having a hard time finding new, stock LCA's. Not really looking to buy performance stuff. I have checked Rockauto, and the usual parts places. CarID is no help. Amazon has some shady Mevotech part that has been discussed on this forum before, and may or may not be a decent fit.
Why aren't these easier parts to find, especially given that these A-arms are universal for so many different types of vehicles?
Ones from an El Camino will not work on a camaro. You need ones from a 82-92 f body. Have been told ones from an S10 will work also. But to answer your question yes look for rust and any damage.
Ones from an El Camino will not work on a camaro. You need ones from a 82-92 f body. Have been told ones from an S10 will work also. But to answer your question yes look for rust and any damage.
I thought there were a ton of cars with the same A-arms? I had read about the S10 parts, and it seems they may not be the same. Different turn stops on them or something?
I thought there were a ton of cars with the same A-arms? I had read about the S10 parts, and it seems they may not be the same. Different turn stops on them or something?
No the F body is it's own beast. The El Camino is a G body. There are lots of models that are G body and they all share parts but not with our cars. Edit to this. The steering stops look to be the only difference between the F,G body and S10 arms.
Last edited by Fullmonte77; 01-20-2021 at 10:37 AM.
The control arms for our cars fit SOMETHING that's extremely common, that existed before 1982, and that has shock absorbers, not struts. They are DEFINITELY recycled from some other chassis. I would be VERY surprised if it wasn't A/G bodies.
Check the Petersen's (or however it's spelled) that the junkyards use for looking up compatibility.
Steering stops are a minor variation. If that's all that differs, I'd run em.
The stock arms are pretty durable, something really stupid/extreme/dukes of hazard has to be done to mess them up driving. The place where they're normally damaged is when they're serviced- the ball joint pockets can get wallowed out (pretty much a deal breaker, some circle track types might tack weld the ball joints in place) and the sheet metal around the bushings gets distorted pressing bushings in and out, you should use a spacer between the 2 sheet metal sides to keep from crushing/bending things (can be straightened if not bad). Otherwise, unless they're completely rotted out or something obvious they should be fine.
After some more research looks like the steering stops are the only difference in the arms. those can be modified. My bad!!
The control arm bushings differ.
Googling isn't research.
The stops can be modified, yes. The F-body arms can work in the other chassis with work. GM 1LE bushings with higher durometer were available. And the other GM chassis with similar arms had Moog Hi-Dur bushings available at one time.
The bushing difference is a year model thing; not specific to our cars. There were at least 2 round sizes that I know of plus an oval size. Not sure if they actually came on these cars from the factory in all those variations. Doesn't matter; use whatever ones fit whatever arms you have.
Whenever I've wanted em for my car, the buzzard had a pair sitting there, on the shelf waiting, already pulled, complete with nice impressions of where the shocks were bolted to em; like $35 the pair. even when there wasn't, and hadn't been for MONTHS, a 3rd gen on their lot.
Wouldn't surprise me if the same arms fit A, G, F, & maybe even B bodies; as well as S trucks and Astro vans. You can put any bushing into any arm as long as the OD matches, doesn't make the arm different. No matter what "1LE" parts there might have been, that you can't buy anymore anyway. Same for the stops; wizz-wheel em off, drill a little hole, put in a bolt with 2 nuts, have ADJUSTABLE ones no less. not hardly the kind of thing to get all worked up over "won't work, gotta have only ones that came off of this kind of car".
I bought brand new loaded control arms for a 2000 S10 2WD from Rockauto last year when I did my air ride setup because they don't have complete ones for F-bodies anymore. Only difference is the steering stop. Everything else is identical. The lower G-body control arms will work as well since the whole front suspension was used on the S10.
isn't this like the greatest find of the 21st century (not sure it needs to be caveated to with 'date')?
Had I known I could get some 'new' loaded front lower control arms at a reasonable price I wouldn't have bothered torching and battling with replacing bushes, balljoints etc. from my old arms.
lol, I'd nominate this as sticky material
Originally Posted by chrias
I bought brand new loaded control arms for a 2000 S10 2WD from Rockauto last year when I did my air ride setup because they don't have complete ones for F-bodies anymore. Only difference is the steering stop. Everything else is identical. The lower G-body control arms will work as well since the whole front suspension was used on the S10.
Ill have some off a 90 Formula in a month or so not rusted 73k Texas Formula i got another set off same and rebuilt them that will go back on below is what I started with and after cleaning, new bushings and ball joints and POR them what I'll be installing on my car but you can see what 30 years of Texas suspension parts are like otherwise will scrap them if rock autos are in $85 range each it beats what i went through R&R the bushins and joints
01-19-2021, 10:50 PM
not hardly the kind of thing to get all worked up over "won't work, gotta have only ones that came off of this kind of car". 
