Front suspension compatibility

[Aquabrit]

Hi guys am after some front suspension advice. I understand that Ford Thunderbird suspension components are directly compatible with the Mark viii. (provided i have got the coil conversion) Am i correct? I ask this because i checked out the O'Reilly website for upper and lower control arms and the price difference between the Thunderbird and Mark viii ones was huge! Now, i know the uppers are different because of the ball stud for the height sensor so i can understand why they are more but what i cant understand is the price difference for the lowers. (65 vs 145!!!) They are both listed as being Moog parts and i cant see a difference in the pictures. Is there a difference? Can i get away with using 96' Ford Thunderbird ones? How do companies like O' Reilly justify such a price difference? Any help appreciated.

Martin.

 

[shiryu0]

no difference in the parts, all my front end is T-Bird parts .........

 

[98LSC32V]

Go ahead and get the T-bird lower control arms they are the exact same. The difference in price is one is for a Lincoln and one is for a Ford... go figure.

 

[Aquabrit]

Thanks guys. I wonder why there is such a huge price difference though if they are virtually the same from the same people? Crazy to me...

 

[Frogman]

I wonder why there is such a huge price difference though if they are virtually the same from the same people? Crazy to me...

Go ahead and get the T-bird lower control arms they are the exact same. The difference in price is one is for a Lincoln and one is for a Ford... go figure.

Where did he lose you?

 

[Aquabrit]

Hi there Frogman! He didnt lose me i was just in shock at the size of the price difference. I appreciate that Lincoln is Ford's premium brand. Still, i know better now...

 

[biglou71]

Sort of like the Corvette tax. Any part that can be used on both a Vette and another chevy will cost 2 times as much for the Vette. Vette owners lovingly call it the Vette TAx.

 

[nk121]

so it looks like we get charged Mark VIII tax :shifty:

 

[whiplash15]

Lower control arms.

Could it be that the T-Bird arms are steel, and the Marks are aluminum? I just read that last noght in Mark VIII facts.

 

[Frogman]

The rears, yes. But the fronts are steel.

 

[Jibit]

any one cross reference the part numbers from ford?