I'm considering using a set of 83 up control arms on my '82 Camaro (from a '92 Z-28).
I know that, when ordering bushings, there are different part numbers for the 82-83 and 83 up versions.

Does anyone know specifically what the difference is and, even more importantly for my purpose, are the 83 up control arms backwards compatible with the '82 front cross member?

I have heard (not from a reliable source) that the length of the narrow bushing is different. That makes me a little concerned that the mounting points for the control arm may also be different.

Thanks,

 

the difference is the size of the bushing... the later arms have larger diameter bushings... I learned the hard way when I ordered the wrong ones for my 92... I would think the arms are compatible, you just have to have the right bushings for the right arms....

 

Are you sure that is the only difference?

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...s-created.html

JamesC

 

The control arms themselves are NOT ONLY the same for all of these cars in terms of fitment, BUT ALSO, the same as for some OTHER car lines. Not sure which, but whatever it is, it's COMMON. I'd suspect S trucks, A/G bodies, etc. since there's a place to mount a shock absorber in the ones in our cars, even though we don't have front shocks. They are so common that every time I've ever wanted a pair, they've had dozens of em sitting on the shelf already pulled and waiting at the junkyard; I just walk up, ask for em, and they whoop em out right then and there, no waiting. Even when they don't have any F bodies on the lot that are missing theirs.

As mentioned, the bushing size was changed in some year (AFAIK in ALL vehicles that used these CAs), and there's a steering stop riveted onto some of them to limit the steering in some applications. Other than those things, AFAIK they all interchange.

 

That is just the info I was looking for.
I searched around for about 30 minutes and came up empty handed.
James, Sofa, thanks.
Now I just need to load up my "new" control arms and put them in.

I'm also looking forward to a direct comparison of the Del-A-Lum bushings and my old Herb Adams steel bushings. I'm a curious how much play the Del-A-Lum's will introduce (if any).

 

the lower arms are the "metric" 78-88 G body parts, which i think are also backwards compatible to 71-81 F bodies, 73-77 A bodies, and (i think) 77-96 B bodies. they were also used in every 2 wheel drive S series truck ever built. same with the rear lower control arms.

 

So in other words, GM used that same part on everything possible for more than 20 years?
I can believe that.