Hello-
WEll it is just about time to get the fiero ount. I have my KYB struts shocks, and ST lowering spring sitting here waiting to go in. I am looking for some tips or tricks and things to watch out for when chaging the front springs. I would much rather tak it in to have done but the places around here want $300-$400. I think that I can do it my self. I am pretty handy and have all the basic tools and then some. I would be buying a spring compressor for this task. Well let me know what you'all know

-rob

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85 GT 4 SPD
Number 53715 of 76371
Best 1/4 15.816 @ 84.72

Accel 8.8mm wires, Accel 300+ Ignition box, Blaster Coil, NGK UR5, K&N, Short Shifter, High flow cat, Monochrome Caracus red.

COMING SOON: KYB shocks and struts, ST lowering springs, Motegi M12 16X7 rims, Poly Dogbone, Ported exhuast manifolds, and YOKO AVS ES100 tires 205/55/16 front and 225/50/16 rear

Coulee Region Fieros member(couleefiero.tripod.com)

Spring compressors are often available for free as a 'loan a tool' from many automotive parts places. Just something to keep in mind if you don't want to buy specialty tools that only get used a couple times.

If everything in the suspension is the original factory installed stuff....mucho penetrating oil and a breaker bar are the minimum requirement. These bolts can be so solidly rusted into place you'd swear they were welded.

Since you'll have it most of the way apart anyway, there is no beter time to replace the bushings with either OEM rubber or poly.

David

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His Fiero: 1984 2M4 Coupe

Her Fiero: 1984 2M4 Convertible

eh all,i got a great tip from some one is old and wise(NEVER STICK UR HAND,WHERE U WOULD NEVER STICK UR D*CK) hope that helps a little

On the front you need to disconnect the ball joints, when doing this only turn the retaining nut a half to one turn ONLY!!! the pressure of the springs will help pop them off when using a seperator tool of some kind, the best one I used was from Rodney Dickman. If you remove this nut completly you run the risk of damaging parts, or personal injury. Also on the front, once you remove the frunt hub and spindal assembly you may need to then remove the lower controll arm to get the spring out, this happened to me, be carefull here as the pressure of the spring will be on the lower contol arm as well, a spring compresure will be a little difficult to use here. To remove the front bolt on the lower control arm I had to remove my sway bar and disconnect the two brackets that held my steering rack so that I may move it a bit to get that front bolt out, once I did that the spring just fell right out.

What type of jack do you plan on using?

I just put on the suspension technique springs on all four corners of my car. Its very easy to do. It probably took about 45 min to 1 hr to take out each front spring. I had to replace both of my upper ball joints and both outer tie rods. Good time to do this as everything is apart. To take out the spring once you have everything apart just take a crow bar and pry out the spring. Just be careful cause the spring will come out with some force. I tied some rope thru the spring and had my dad put some tension on it to prevent the spring from shooting out. This is the way I did it probably other ways also.

I have 3 or 4 floor jacks that I use.

Floor jacks - that's what I hoped you would say! When you get the car up on jackstands, you can compress the spring by jacking on the lower A arm, then after the spindle is off, just lower the jack, and if you did everything correctly, you can take all of the tension off the spring and then just reach in and pull it out. Or maybe it may just fall out. BTW, I think its always good to use a cable or chain to hold the spring in place, just so you don't "launch" it if everything doesn't go as planned.

From what perople are saying it sounds a lot easier than the book makes it out to be. I was pissed when places said $400 (that does include an alinment) but hell if I can pull it off I will have enought to get my rims and tires before the dells. YIPPIE... Now just so I don't kill myself with the springs. I think that I will just buy a compressor because I may be doing the struts in my cavalier also. The other nice thing is that there is hardly any rust on anything on my car. I contacted the previous owners and none of them drove it in the snow and salt. THe first owners didn't even drive it in the rain if they could help it.

if ytour in the mood, and want to duke it out with your car.. I highly recomend the Energy suspension spring isolater set 15.6103R (R means red) and if you really wanna have fun slap in a set of 9.9116R 2" screw in bumpstops. you'll need to use a bench grinder to remove some of the back to fit in the rounded hole and buy some well-jack nuts (threadserts) and they'll slap right in.. Nice touch and well worth the looks (oh and wait).. I can't wait to have my whole suspension back together (being lasy workin on other things) Best of luck and enjoy.
PS the hydro jack is the way to go. slowly pop the ball joint stud right out of the lower arm, and that will give you room to remove the spring, shouldnt need to touch the upper unless replacing. L8

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Who ever said working on Fieros wasn't any fun?? They must not of had a rebody!

WEll, I have finished my 40 page history capstone paper so I am allowed to work on my Fiero agian. (I put the Fiero back in storage because I knew that I would not be able to finish my paper in time if I had the car to play with) I will take pictures and post a write up on our web page as soon as I can! thank you for the tips.