1991 Front Lower Contol Arms

[jglawnyc]

Does anyone out there know if the 1991 Reatta and 1991 Riviera front lower control arms interchange and can be used in each model?  Thanks!

[dship]

I believe the whole front suspensions are identical.  Rear is a different story.

[Barney Eaton]

1986 - 1991 front lower arm is the same on Riviera and Reatta  the right and left are different.

1986 -  1990 (my parts book only goes to 1990) Cadillac Seville and Eldorado are also the same part numbers

[jglawnyc]

Hi Mr. Eaton, I appreciate your response.  My mechanic told me my 91 coupe needed a new set of front lower control arms, left and right, so although the left and right may differ, I understand your response to be that a Riviera's left and right front lower control arms will be the same as a Reatta's left and right?  Am I understanding this correctly?  If so, I will go ahead and get my parts.  Found a really good price.

[Barney Eaton]

I don't know how to say it differently........The Riviera, Eldorado, Seville, Toronado, and Reatta lower arms are the same up to and including 1991.

I would ask the mechanic why you need new arms?  If the bushing are bad those can be replace......don't often hear someone needing those arms unless the car has been wrecked.

[jglawnyc]

Thanks so much!  I just wanted to be clear, and yes I don't understand it either but the mechanic has been rock solid and very reliable for years with my cars, so while I will question him further and get back about it, I trust what he says. I didn't have the car for its first 125,000 miles, but the seller did say it had a small front-end'er though other than my passenger headlight door opening about 1/2 inch less high than the driver's side, you cant tell.   My steering wheel isn't super-tight and  I've had a  squeaky left front suspension for a long time, until the car gets very warmed up, when it quiets down.  Much more quiet in the summer, but in the winter its annoying.   Recently had new struts with strut mounts all around and front cradle bushings. When I got new tires a few months ago, while doing the alignment the mechanic said he couldn't get it perfect because of these lower front control arms.  So here we are.  Keep putting $ into the car, but trying to pace it.  I'm sure you understand loving these Reattas.  By the way Mr. Eaton, I'm the guy that used zip-ties to fix my headlight door motor cover....its still working great, but I will replace it in the next year as per my last email exchange with you.  Thanks again!

[KDirk]

I've seen part of the threaded rod captive inside the bushing get so rusty it was weakened to a point of being unsafe. This would be more commonly found on rust belt cars and if yours spent any time there, perhaps that is the issue. In areas of the country where bad winters and road salt aren't an issue,  this less likely to occur.

 

Outside of that, a wreck or a bad encounter with a curb at speed are about the only things that would damage a lower control arm to an extent requiring replacement.

[NCReatta]

I've sold dozens of control arms because of rust issues. Not an issue down here. Plenty of rust free arms.