Confusion on second gen Firebird vs Camaro tie rod ends and center links

[Skip Fix]

I am finding conflicting information on what fits what (and why). I was always under the inmpression the main difference was the centerlink was lower on the Firebirds to clear to oil pan/balancer-but being under my 81 doing a total rebuild it is way away form it and my 79 Camaros looks about the same spacing in relation to the crossmember.

Maybe our Proforged guys can chime in.

MOOG has for my 79 Camaro and my 81 TA the same centerlink DS829. They take different inner tie rod ends the Firebirds being slightly shorter and the 81 Firebird orignal and new replacement have an additional cant on the end, similar bend up like the Camaros. Pictures over on the PY board.

http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/showthread.php?t=755846


MOOG lists a different DS883 center link for the 78 Firebird.

So went to storage space today and looked at Camaro and 78 TA.
More questons than answers looking at them . The Camaro center link has a big curve from the tie rod end to the ilder ar and ilder arm is much shorter than the straight pitman arm. The 81 TA is supposed to share the centerlink with the 79 Camaro per MOOG but the replacement and the orignal one on the 81 are straight no curve like the Camaros.
The 78 TA does not have the extra canted tie rod ends like the 81-pretty sure I never replaced them, a bend like the Camaro's but straight no cant. Also the center link looks straight and pretty close to the 81's center link. It does have a drop Pitman arm like the 81. Camaro center link in relation to the crossmember looks pretty darned close to the Firebirds- and I thought that was supposed to be the main difference to give oil pan balancer clearance.

Since I am planning a Pontiac motor swap into the Camaro some things may be an issue if it is motor clearance. Being underneath the 81 a lot lately I really can not see a reason for the extra cant on the inner tie rod ends.

Any one else have any thoughts/data?

[Skip Fix]

Under the 81 for quite a while eyeballing the center links(and spredding the lower A arm pockets so the Global arms will fit-Camaro's had collpased some also with the stock bushings).
The DS 829 looks like it has a curve like the Camaro one as it goes to the idler. Also idler and Pitman arm(dropped) are the exact same length 6" I believe it was. I'll have to compare the center link to the Camaros and measure it's pitman/idler.

Also going to get a DS883 and see if it is the correct for the 81 TA since that is what is listed for the 78.

[Skip Fix]

So further examination gives more questions.

The 81 TA definitiely takes the same 883 center link as the 78 and the Proforged 106-10067 is correct for it. The difference in the centerlinks is mainly due to the diffeence in pitman arms. The Camaro has a 7 1.8" staight one so the center link goes up to it and curves back to the shorter 6" idler arm. Firebirds have a 6" slightly dropped Pitman. Not sure why the difference as both look low enough to miss any engine parts.

Teh 81 inner tie rod ends have a bend up and a bend forward. The 78 TA only a bend up like a Camaro's.

[David Pozzi]

Are they both power steering equipped?

[Skip Fix]

Both TAs and the Camaro were all P/S cars. Camaro I swapped on the S-10 "4 bolt cover" manual box since it's plans are the 1/4 mile now when the 500" Pontiac gets swapped in.

[Skip Fix]

David tie rod ends maybe different for bump steer?

I would also think the Firebird's 6" idler and 6" pitman would steer in more symetrical arcs both sides(driver's/passengers) vs a 7 1/8" pitman and a 6" idler even with some curve in the centerlink to the shorter idler.