[Teeth]

BLUF: Is there any conceivable difference between a Metro front LCA and a Swift GT LCA for any Mk2/3 car?

Because I see the Moog catalog actually lists only one part number for Metros and Swifts 89-94 on the RH side, but has a separate part number for the LH side that ONLY fits 89-94 Swifts, NOT Metros and now I’m really confused. I hate buying stuff that doesn’t fit!

In the rockauto catalog, it also shows the Moog parts as having different “maximum extended lengths”, but the value they give for the part that fits Metros AND Swifts (LH side, moog RK620305) matches the correct measurement from bolt center to center of ball joint, and the value provided for the “Swift only” RH LCA (moog RK622717) matches the correct overall measurement of the arm along the long axis I am pretty sure they should all be dimensionally identical! Moog lists what I believe should be an identical part for the Metro only on the LH side (RK620306).

What’s up! Anybody else notice this? I also notice that other vendors have the same part number for both sides, Metro or Swift same, just as you’d expect.

Back story: I decided to finally go and get some new lower control arms, partly to rule out ball joints as the cause of an actual problem, and partly because they are original and have nearly 200k on them .

I cannot feel any perceptible “click” when disconnected from the knuckle to indicate play, and the wheels stay put when pushed and pulled along the vertical axis with the wheel in the air…but they wiggle very easily. If it turns out there’s no change at all in the alignment issue (which I’m not going to go into in detail in this post! Yet!) then I’ll just hoard the OEM ones until whichever new ones I end up with wear out, but I’d like to get a matched set that fits correctly.

FWIW, if anybody needs them, here are the OEM Suzuki parts #s for the LCA’s–I see there is a difference between mk2/3, which I assume is because they changed to a beefier front sway bar on the mk3 cars–though I am not really sure why that would require a change.

LH
45200-60820-000
45200-60822-000
45202-60B01-000
45202-60E00-000 91-94
45202-60E01-000 91-94

RH
45200-60810-000
45200-60812-000
45201-60B01-000
45201-60E00-000 91-94
45201-60E01-000 91-94

[GT4LIFE]

I did see the listing differences and I’m really not sure if there is any difference. There should not be a difference between a MK2 and MK3 lower control arm. The knuckle and the two bolt rod the control arm goes on are the same.

I am looking for new control arms myself. I did read a good write up on staying away from the cheap Dorman lower control arms. The article favored Beck Arnold ones but did not mention really any other manufactures.

I don’t see a part difference listed on megazip for 89 to 90 vs a 91 to 94. When there is a difference I have seen it listed.

[Teeth]

Thanks for sharing what you know–I asked a Moog dealer what was up and they kicked me to Moog’s customer service, which was pretty hilarious.

In the end it was clear that I could either buy the Metro part number, because I know it is identical, nobody else is going to pull something off the shelf to verify anything, and it’s inexplicably cheaper, or I could buy the Swift part number and send it back if there’s a problem. In the end I went back to Rock Auto and noticed that the Beck Arnley parts have all the correct Suzuki part numbers for both sides and don’t even appear in the Metro catalog! I do trust the Moog “problem solver” parts when available, but these weren’t those anyway and therefore just as likely to be crap as anything else.

So whether or not Beck/Arnley is great, at least they got their catalog research right. Now I’m waiting for the parts to arrive from Rock Auto so I can be pissed that they pulled something else random off the shelf because they ran out of the “wholesaler closeout” parts and now I have mismatched parts, lol. We shall see, I suppose.

[suzukitom]

I’ll have to check.. I think the steel sleeves in the control arm bushing design changed.. early ones had thin sleeves with fine teeth at the ends, that bit into the washer.. while newer ones (MK3) had thicker sleeves with smooth flat face ends facing the washer. below is early design also used by Moog RK620305 and 306.


smooth version below for Swifts

[GT4LIFE]

I ordered up a set of Moog front lower control arms (RK622717 left, & RK620305 right) from Rockauto. When they arrived they are not identical parts. At first I thought that it was just Moog’s updating to the part, but the rear bushing and ball joint are not in identical spots. There not off much and it requires a close inspection, but enough to throw off an alignment. There are other differences on the part also. I checked for the Moog ones else where and every Moog vendor is selling the same part number with the same image. I believe one of the two is actually the right fit (I believe it is the lower right that is correct). You can tell if you look super close at the images between the left and right these differences. The image they use is the part you will get. Even though they don’t match Rockauto charged me for a return fee, (less than $2) but still not happy about that. Really not happy that like other parts when vendors get it wrong there is no way to correct it. It is the same with the exhaust valves for the g13b dohc engine they are not the right part. All the vendor list the wrong part, and when you call the individual vendor they just say will that is the one listed (if you can even get a hold of someone).

Teeth did you order up a set yet? Who did you go with?

[suzukitom]

no wonder yours don’t match. Correct left right Moog part numbers listed for 94 Metro/Swift shown below.


MOOG RK620305 {#91173224} Complete Arm w/ Ball Joint Info One of our most popular parts
Front Right Lower

MOOG RK620306 {#91173225} Complete Arm w/ Ball Joint Info
Front Left Lower

[GT4LIFE]

How can I order the Moog lower left one MOOG RK620306 {#91173225} . Is there a site where can order just from the part number? Every vender list RK622717 as the lower left one for Moog.

Edit: I found Moog RK620306 at Advanced Auto for $100. If I match 92 Suzuki Swift it says it is the wrong part.

Edit: I found Moog RK620306 through Carid.com for $36.42 + $15 shipping and it does still match the part to Suzuki Swift.

As above the Metro listed part is correct for the RK620306 for the front left lower control arm. Moog has the wrong part listing for 89 to 94 Suzuki Swifts, and most of the vendors followed and have the wrong part number listed. Solution order it with the RK620306 part # or look it up for the Geo Metro.

RK622717 is not the correct part for front left lower control arm, and does not have the correct alignment position for ball joint and rear bushing. There are other differences also.