I'm considering upgrading the front control arms on my 1988 Sport Coupe.

I haven't had any reservations about placing jack-stands on the OEM control arms, or even jacking on the control arm itself.

I'm a little worried about how it might play out if I install aftermarket control arms. In a perfect world, I will be the only person who ever jacks my car. But, life's experiences tell me that at some point someone else will be jacking my car, and I really don't want their unfamiliarity, or indifference, to cost me a new set of control arms when they place a jack incorrectly against the control arm.

Anybody have any experience or thoughts on this?

For that matter, I'm not super-stoked to go aftermarket on the control arms in the first place. I don't race my car, or have any desire to cahnge the "stance" of the car. I just like to drive it to lunch and such. If a ready source existed to get replacement OEM control arms with new ball joints and bushings already installed, I'd be strongly inclined to "keep it original" and just swap in a new set of OEM arms.

 

There is really no place on a factory replacement factory control arm that would be physically damaged by jacking on it.

What's wrong with just replacing the bushings and balljoint on the stock arms? Any competent shop can do it

 

Thanks for the reply, but what I'm really trying to find out is information on the experiences of others who have installed the aftermarket arms.

The "competent" shops in my area are all so swamped with jobs on new-model cars, that they don't want to touch my ugly old Camaro, and they've told me so in so many words. And I get it that when you start digging into one of these old cars to do one thing, you find three more things that may be cause for real concern. What is a competent mechanic to tell the customer when that happens, and what is the usual reaction of the customer? I get the feeling that the good shops around here have all seen their share of crusty old Camaros, and owners with thin wallets. I don't blame them for not wanting cars like mine in their shop. I'm tempted to go into a rant about the scourge of IN-competent shops in my area - we could talk all day about that - but I don't want to hijack my own thread.

The existing control arms look REAL CRUSTY, so I'm not real keen on investing overhauling in the existing arms. Even a competent mechanic is likely to encounter issues trying to refurb the existing arms. I wish there was a source for OEM replacement arms with bushings and ball joints already installed, like there is for so many other vehicles (like first gen camaros and such).

I'm not on a tight budget for this job, as much as I want to be sure it gets done right, and in such a way that I've not painted myself into a corner with a "performance" part that makes the car even less ordinary-mechanic-friendly than it already is.

I'm fairly competent myself, and I'd like to do the work myself to be sure its done right, and to have the chance to observe first-hand any other issues that may appear while the job is in progress.

 

sort of on your topic, im tempted to weld a plate to the center hole section where the shock would be on most older GMs as the small cup on my jack just slips through it.

plenty of rust conversion paints to make em look nice.

 

Whoa... check this out.

I've been googling 1988 Camaro Control arm for several days as time has allowed, and all I find is stuff that isn't at all right, or is some nasty used part on fleabay.

Could this finally be it?... Is this truly an OEM replacement for my car?

https://www.amazon.com/Auto-Extra-Me...rolet%3Acamaro

 

Sorry, my previous post was supposed to so there is no place on a factory style aftermarket control arm that would be damaged more than cosmetically by jacking up on it

As for the amazon link, look interesting, and quite cheap, is that listed for a 3rd Gen year car?

 

That Part Number Shows For A 1980-1981 Camaro.

 

I think you are correct.

I played around with the Amazon site, and it also showed a completely different control arm that definitely won't fit a third gen, but Amazon was saying it fit my 1988.

 

This is another reason mechanics on the clock don't want to work on your car. The four bolts that mount the arms to the frame are likely rusted solid to the bushing sleeves. May not be all four bolts, but it only takes one rusted bolt to double or even triple the time it takes for R&R (BTDT).

RBob.

 

Yep.

When the time comes, I plan to install new bolts/fasteners at every opportunity.

I'm hell on (cutoff) wheels.

 

RBob.