I have '88 front suspension in my '86 SE, and was asked to write about it. Here goes:

Project: retrofit '88 Fiero front suspension to an '86 SE. Cutting, welding, drilling, and tapping required.
The way I did this conversion leaves the possibility of returning to original suspension open.
This is a project for a long weekend. Once you have all the parts from the donor car removed and ready to go you can budget another 20+ hrs.
I used a die grinder with a cut-off wheel for all cutting, although some of it could possibly be done with a sawzall.

Things needed from donor ('88) car:
Front suspension subframe (duh)
Clutch hydraulic line (or trans cooler lines for AT car)
All three brake lines (LF, RF and rear)
Coolant tubes
Lower radiator bracket
Lower steering column (the piece that goes through the floor and connects to the rack)
Rotors
Calipers

Possibly lower heater tube (runs next to gas tank)
This T's into the lower coolant pipe on '88's (& 87's?). but does its own thing and connects on the other side of the water pump on '86 and earlier cars.

Begin, in the recipient car, by removing the plastic bucket that comprises the front compartment. This will make the swap *much* easier. There are a half-dozen or so screws at the front edge of the platic, and six push type fasteners that will have to be pryed out. Afterward, reuse the push fasteners or replace them with bolts and clip-nuts.

Remove front suspension
Remove coolant pipes
Remove all brake lines
Remove clutch/ AT cooler lines
Remove tubular brace aft of front suspension

Cutting and welding:
Begin at the front edge of rear lower control arm pivot bracket and cut straight up ~2 inches. Cut straight forward from the end of this cut. Once you have fitted the suspension and are sure it will fit, fabricate some pieces of angle iron to weld in the hole as a patch to close off the inside of the frame.
The pads to which the tubular brace was attached will need to be cut away, raised ~5/8" and welded back into place
Drilling and tapping:
The four main holes on the '88 X-member do not match the four main mounting holes for the early suspension. You will need to drill holes in the '88 X-member to match the tapped holes in the early body. Measure twice (or five or six times), cut once. Luckily, the holes I drilled were centered fore and aft on the original '88 bolt pattern. Do not bias the new bolt pattern with respect to the old one as it will result in your front wheels being fore or aft of center in the wheel houses.
The forward two mounting holes in the '88 suspension are very close to the aft pair of holes holding the lower radiator bracket. You will need to slot the forward holes the the suspension to match the holes in the body. (This is why you needed the '88 lower radiator bracket)
The rear mounting holes on the '88 suspension are close to the pads used to mount the tubular brace (the pads you cut out, rais 5/8" and re-welded). But not close enough. You will need to drill new holes to match the holes in the pads.
Also, the rear plate of the rear lower control arm mounts on the '88 X-member has strengthening ears welded down. You will need to cut these ears loose, bend them over the opposite direction and re-weld them.
You wil also need to cut off the end of the rear lower control arm pivot bolts flush with the nuts they screw into.

That's the gist of it. Expect to do at least 20 trial fits before you shave enough off the body to make it fit. The underbody is galvanized and primered. Use "Cold Galvanizing Compound" on all metal you lay bare.

In order to make the cooling pipes fit, you will need to bend one of the ears of the original rear lower control arm pivots, and cut a V-notch in the bracket between the ears. You should not have to cut into the frame proper for this, but if you do, be sure to weld in a patch so that water does not get into the frame.

Before install anything, you would be wise to clean out the tapped holes in the body. They are metric (I don't remember what size at the moment). Use grease or anti-seize on all bolts you put back in.

Install '88 brake and clutch lines
Install '88 lower radiator bracket
Install '88 suspension
Install '88 coolant lines
Install plastic bucket in front compartment
Fill coolant system
Bleed brakes
Bleed clutch
Yer done.

Thanks will. Im the one that requested this info. Im putting my baby up around sept. and busting my butt to get everything i want done by next spring. This was (still is) one of the mods i want to perform. Thanks again.

If anyone else has any additional info (or tips/secrets) to post.... TIA

Now it's almost half as good as an 88 fiero is.

It also costs a lot less. I got my '86 for $400 with AT and bad engine, '88 suspension for $100 and end, $250 engine, $50 transmission with a cracked case which I welded. A little elbow grease later, I have an '86 SE V6 5 spd with '88 front suspension, original front sway bar (7/8") on back, 15" wheels from '87 GT, Sunroof, PW, PDL, PM, and Power steering

quote Originally posted by 88formula: Now it's almost half as good as an 88 fiero is.

Hi Will,
Sorry I'm a little late with this but I just got my new computer up and running.

While I could pretty much follow your discription of the process, some things are hard to picture. Since this is a modification that many on this list want to make, have you considered posting a webpage with pictures and diagrams along with detailed descriptions? I know it's a lot of work but I'm sure everyone here would really appreciate it. There are probably many members here who would give you tech advice on making the webpage if you needed it.

Also, I see you got the 88 front suspension for $100 which seems like a very good deal. Did it come off a car that had been hit in the rear or what? Do all 88 Fieros have the improved brakes and suspension or just the GTs and Formulas? You also mentioned that you have power steering. How did you rig that up? Thanks.

Aloha, Mike.

[This message has been edited by MikeE (edited 06-17-2000).]

I want to eventually create a webpage detailing the buildup of my car. In reality, I just need to get off my @$$ and do it.

I was just joking about the power steering. That's why I put the after it.

In reality, there is really no need for power steering. The '88 steering wheel effort is MUCH lower than it was for the early cars.

I got both ends of the suspension from a junk yard that didn't know how rare '88's are.

Will,did you measure the angles on the two suspensions control arm pivot bolts to see how much of a difference there was between the two?
The '88s I've driven have had understeer like my early car,so I figured the change by GM was to justify the bigger brakes,better 5" springs,improve ride quality,and were subtle,but now hearing that you can feel the difference in the steering!?
I'm wondering if it's from the workout turning those wrenches,and lifting that front end around(just kidding)

Will, was the time and energy and money worth the ride difference, over say, Some Eibach lowering springs KYB gas shocks and poly bushings and a upgraded sway bar? That seems like a lot of time and trouble to go through. I have been in a stock 88GT and my 85GT; though the ride is better in the 88, I didn't notice it being that much better that I would go through all the trouble of a suspension swap. Especialy when you have to take into consideration all of the various parameters involved. I was, at one time, considering this same thing. Then some of the Forum members compelled me to just upgrade what I already had. Just wondering if there was that big of a difference.

Late, BAM OUT!

I hate to say this but after seeing all the work involved, I think I will just buy an 88. I am moving to the mainland for grad shcool and I have to sell my remaining Fiero before I go so when I come back I will look for an 88. Since I am planning an engine swap and I prefer the looks of the 2nd generation coupe, I will just look foe a 4 cyl. They are much more common than the V6 and the prices are reasonable here.

I'll just pick up the rear valance for the formula to get the dual exhaust outlets and start looking for a Cadillac 4.9 V8 to swap in.

Bam-Bam... How much of a difference between your old set-up to the modified and upgraded set-up have you noticed? And what all did you upgrade or change? I have to admit that just upgrading does seem a hole lot easier then a retro-fit.

LowCG: I didn't do any precise measurement, vut from looking at it, it is obvious that that control arms are longer and it seems to have more travel. I have been told that the '88 suspension has a smaller scrub radius than the early suspension. Judging by the lighter steering effort, better feedback, and tighter turning radius this is most likely the case.
I have two friends who own '87 GT's. My car is much easier to drive ar 10/10ths than their cars. In my car I have a much better sensation of when the front wheels are losing traction.
The '88 suspension does not give you any more grip than the early suspension, it just makes the car much easier to control at the limits of traction.
The car corners very flat with the 1 1/8 '88 sway bar up front and the 7/8 original front sway bar in back.
Moving it around WAS a workout. The '88 suspension and subframe probably weigh twice what the early suspension and corss member do. This improves weight distribution

BAM-BAM: I have never driven an early car with a tricked out suspension so I have no basis for comparison. Although doing the '88 swap in no way precludes me from installing polyurethane or XL UHMW bushings and good shocks for further improvement.
I will most likely not install lowering springs, however.
How does the ride on lowering springs compare to the stock ride? I would have thought lowering springs would be stiffer than stock. How muc has the handling/roadholding improved?

Lennyb4 and Will, I haven't completed the upgrades yet; still waiting on my KYB struts, ordered today. The upgrades are. Poly bushings front and rear poly endlinks for the sway bar(front only at this time) Eibach lowering springs(fron Fiero Store) and new ball joints and bearings. Also the Baretta front brake upgrade(hopefully). My question was to find out if all the work, energy, and cost was that much better(in your opinion). Like I said, I have ridden in an 88GT and in my stock 85GT, though the ride was better, it didn't seem that all the trouble would be worth it. KYB's, Eibachs and polyurethane bushing will surely tighten ur the ride and handling of the stock pre 88 substantially. At that, it is my opinion, that the performance would be very close to that of the stock 88. No question that if you beef up the 88 suspension you will have a whole new monster to deal with. Just was it worth it all over the upgrade?

Late, BAM OUT!