contrary to popular belief, part companies assign identical parts with identical #s, so if they are correct for more than one application, they cost the same.
maybe Oreilys is correct, but i do not trust catalogs as far as i can throw them. i could site many examples of incorrect parts store and mail order catalog parts, and not just on our cars. even dealer catalogs are not always right.
i'm just asking if someone has actually bought a tierod for a camaro, set it down next to one from a firebird, and verified that they are identical. or at least interchangeable, if not exact, and what the difference is. or if someone has bought one from a company which lists them as the same, and visually and physically verified that it is correct for their car, and if so, what part, what car, what steering (manual or power, and how many turns) and which company.
here's what i know, or think i know:
i put ps from a '69 on my '68, and the difference i could see was the ballstud was in the link, rather than the pitman arm. these were both 6cy firebirds with OEM parts. I had to by a '68 PS arm to match my link.
the front suspension (springs, control arms, knuckles, ball joints, and bushings) is interchangeable from all 67-69 firebirds, camaros, and 68-72 (possibly73) X bodies (nova/ventura/apollo). there are differences in spring rates, steering arm lengths, and where holes are drilled for brake hoses and bumpstops etc.. between models, brakes, and type of steering.
the 6cy firebird has a straight pitman arm, and the 8cy firebird has a curved pitman arm. the power steering and manual steering ragjoints are different. the 67-68 firebird has a ballstud in the pitman arm, the '69 has it in the centerlink.
if anyone has verified info conflicting any of this, or verified additional info, this would be a good thread to put it in. the more info the better.
i guess i'm looking mostly for verification of interchageability between tie-rods and sleeves, between years and models. i believe the replacement idler arm for these cars is a generic length now, and is supposed to work on all of them.
