12three

wondering if anyone knows for sure if all of the front lower control arm variants are actually compatible with a 2wd uplander? parts websites are not 100% clear.
i see a few variants:
notably the 2wd arms seem to have 2 different variants: some have an extra tab and some do not. i have read that the tab is for a sway bar mount and 2wd uplanders do not use the mount nor does it interfere with anything.. is this correct? i assume the tab is a legacy feature from the chevy venture or some other gm product that uses lower arms of the same dimension?

also the awd front lower arm seems to be the same dimensions as the 2wd model... some have tabs, some dont, but the arm appears to be heavier/stronger as it does not have the same cutouts as the 2wd arm... the cutouts appear to be for weight-saving in my opinion... can anyone verify whether an awd arm will be fine on a 2wd uplander? i assume a 2wd arm should NOT be used on an AWD vehicle bc the 2wd arm looks to not be as robust due to the cutout...
either way most part stores say the awd arm does not fit a 2wd van but... they look identical, just a bit more stout.
i suppose it will be a-ok, but just wanted to check if anyone has done it?

12three

i suppose i should also note the reason for asking: some AWD arms are generally cheaper by $5/arm or more

Papa Bear

What year/engine/model are you referring to?

12three

07 uplander 3.9l 2wd ----- some lca's have tabs, some dont have tabs. consensus by part stores and mfgs is that the tabs dont matter on uplanders. these arms also have large cutouts in the arms.

05 uplander 3.5l awd ------ these lca's are much more robust looking and do not have the large cutouts the 2wd lca's have. the shape and profile appears to be the same as the 2wd lca's and the prices are generally lower on awd lca's vs 2wd lca's. however part stores and mfg's do NOT indicate that awd lca's will fit 2wd uplanders...

my question is: has anyone personally matched up 2wd lca's and awd lca's to determine if the awd lca will fit a 2wd uplander?