OK.....what is the solution for this setup....I have followed other advice and my passenger side shaft is WAY short....I understand the 88 is different than the 84-87 (?) I hear that the 88 requires a specially made passenger shaft.

HELP!?

I will try and help you out as much as I can but here's a site that has a bit of info on the axles and tranny mounts ect.

http://fp.enter.net/~rockcrawl/4T60a.html

The engine cradle has been slotted about 1-1/2" to the passenger side on the rear mount....the pulleys sit within 1/2" of the battery tray on the front also...The drivers side trans side pan sits around 3/8" from the cradle. I am pretty sure the engine is in the right place...but...(?)

RockCrawls site addresses axles on the early cradles only, it appears.

[This message has been edited by Cplensdorf (edited 06-15-2004).]

Just went into the garage and looked at my setup for your side your having problems on, It seems they gave you the wrong axle because there supose to be this long.

I even still had the bar code on it and my barcode reads p 191628430 from advance auto parts.

Your vehicle is a pre-88, right?

quote Originally posted by Cplensdorf: I just went to AutoZone's site and looked up both pre-88 and 88 half shafts and they are the same spec....so, I must have gotten the wrong one ...I hope I can still exchange it as it has been about two months....exaclty what one do I need (car year/model/spec) for the passenger side?

It's a pre 88, I got the passenger side for a 87 pointiac 6000 with a 4speed auto with light duty breaks.

OK...went and exchanged the 8437 for the 8430 and it is too long...the suspension bottoms when the shaft is horizontal....looks like it needs to be 1" shorter...so...

The 8471 fits ok on the drivers side - this is the 90 Pontiac 6000/4T60/Light Duty Brakes left axle

The 8437 is too short by about 2.5" - this is the left axle from a manual Fiero

The 8430 is too long by about an inch (guess) - this is the 87 Pontiac 6000/4T60/Light Right side

What the hell is going on here? Can I just get one shaft shortened?

I went through the same issues.
I finally took one of the snap rings off the cv joint to allow the axle to fit, but not properly.
I pulled it out two weeks ago, and took it to the local trans/axle shop.
He found a stock axle that fits. Tomorrow, I will ask him the application and pass it on.
I need to pick one up anyway for my wifes 3.4 dohc swap. With the 4T60E, it should be the same axle.

Gene

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87 Notchie 4.9
87 SE 3.4TDC swap in progress
87 Notchie Pontiac 428 longitudinal coming soon

quote Originally posted by scrabblegod: I went through the same issues. I finally took one of the snap rings off the cv joint to allow the axle to fit, but not properly. I pulled it out two weeks ago, and took it to the local trans/axle shop. He found a stock axle that fits. Tomorrow, I will ask him the application and pass it on. I need to pick one up anyway for my wifes 3.4 dohc swap. With the 4T60E, it should be the same axle. Gene

Thank God that someone else is having the same issues!!! I have been thru 2 rebuilds of my stock 86 left side axle (which is supposed to be part#8437...not!!) I took mine to get replaced because the inner cv boot was bad and leaking grease. I went to AutoZone and got #8437 and brought it home...too short??? Went back and got my core and laid side by side...sure enuff. Took my core back and took it to get rebuilt, came back home put it in and went in fine but seemed slightly shorter...humm...went for a quick drive and POP, axle pulled apart from the inner cv. I'm stumped...motor mounts tight, cradle bushings good, torque strut in place, etc. Let me know what you find to work Gene. Dazed, Tired and Confused. Weird thing is that I was driving and everything was okay before I had the axle rebuilt.

[This message has been edited by XRacer Pro (edited 06-15-2004).]

I had this problem and broke the axle, tranny and mounts because the axle was too short. I ended up using the Olds mini van 3.8 4T60e axle (recommended by Ed Parks). You have to take the hub side CV off and put the Fiero one on. THERE IS A CATCH!!! The Fiero axle you are using must be original GM w/ manual trans. If not it will not fit the olds axle.
Before I moved to England I contacted several reman companies and even had one interested in making axles 1/2 longer and contacted Ed Parks about it. I dont know what happend but maybe someone should call him and find out.

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'02 Subaru WRX, 5MT, Loaded, "free mods", Green induction, Vishnu silicone hoses & ECM, Gutted up-pipe, Halman ES MBC @ 15.5psi, JDM STi guage cluster, EGT/02 fix.
'88 Fiero Formula 5-speed, Loaded, Sunroof, YELLOW! EBC Green stuff pads, Poly everything, Bridgestone Potenza RE930's, K&N, Sprint headers, Cat elim, T/B coolant elim, Dickman UGSK w/ comp short throw shifter, KYB's and the list continues.....
'87 Fiero GT 4.9/4T60e w/3.33 final drive, ZEX nitrous 65hp shot, 88 cradle w/ 325# coil overs, Poly everything, Upgraded sway bars, KYB's, 16X7 M11's, 11.25 "Zettner" front brakes, Complete MSD ignition w/ 6AL box, Custom 2.5" Flowmaster exhaust, Grand Sport Corvette paint, Carbon fiber interior trim, '98 T/A CD w/ ETR, Reverse Indiglo guages, Pillar mounted AutoMeter O2, Hella H4 conversion.
Follow its built up here:
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/027460.html
Sadly... SOLD.

Which axle off of the Olds Silhouette? Right or Left? What year? Trans? Etc?

I spoke with an axle shop today and they said that GM made several length shafts and that the one that I have (8430) is 18.25"...He sais that the next size down is the 16-7/8" length....He said this would work great, but he wanted $75 just for the shaft or $125 to rebuild the one I have with the shaft in it....
Anybody have access to shaft specs to find out the applications for this shaft?

I am having an Drive Axle shop in town rebuild my original GM axle and swap the shaft with the appropriate length from a nother core. I took it about an hour ago and showed him how the axle sat when it was all the way in an level (the rollers were right near the edge of cv boot just about to pop out!) He said that the rollers should be about half way into the housing when the axle is level. My guess is that the orginal GM axle would have worked just fine but when the other shop rebuilt it they used a shorter shaft cause the shaft WAS different when it came back. Anyway, I should know if the new shop can find a suitable shaft and put it back together with the extra 1"-1.5" length. If he can do it, I'll get specs and measurements of everything.

From an old thread of mine, hope this helps:

Well, I got my car back together and gave everything a once over. I checked every nut and bolt that would have been touched by the tranny shop when they removed the trans. I picked up a 94 3.8L Oldsmobile mini van axle and went to remove the hub side CV and add the CV from my new fiero axle. Well turns out not all reman compaines use ACTUAL fiero axles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I had to make a trip to the j-yard and find an original manual trans fiero axle to pull the hub side CV joint. The manual trans one is 1.080 and the auto is .935. Found a CV and swapped it to the new Olds piece. Now I have to tell you, it did not appear to be ANY longer but the boots arent stretched out like they where with the fiero axle. Ed Parks assured me this is what he uses and we measured where my engine is setting compaired to his. Mine was within 1/8 of an inch. So I said ok, I'll give it a try. Once eveything was buttoned up I drove the car VERY slowly around the block. I noticed that my car seems to want to rev up a bit and is slow to idle back down now. I can rev it up and watch the ISC take about 3 steps before it sets @ the 600rpm idle. Never did that b4 the trans broke. (ideas?)
Anyway, I pulled into my driveway and said what the hell, if its gonna break, lets get it over with. So I put it into 1st and stomped it to the floor. Instantly the back wheels were spinning and the car jumped forward. I actually looked in the rear view thinking I had just be hit from behind! WOW!!!! The 3.33 gears really woke this thing up!

Did it break? Hell no! It seems that she is A OK. Tomorrow I am going to take it to the end of the street and make the exact same U turn where it broke before and see what happens. Wish me luck!

Well, only thing left is to take it back to the exhaust shop and have my tips installed and a trip to get it aligined.

Now, BIG thanks goes out to Ed Parks, Rockcrawl, Garth, Lyle @ Mr Transmission and Bobby Starcher for helping me get this thing back together. WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

This thread seems to agree:
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/046145.html

That is to say, for an '88 cradle, the '94 3800 minivan axles with Fiero outers.

Any seconds? I'm ready to assemble my 4.9 conversion, and I've got to say that the axle confusion is unreal.

David Breeze

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Pantera Rebody Kits

I finally found my receipt.
The axle used is an 8434. Now that I have the number, I can call and ask him for an application as he could not remember which axle he gave me.

Gene

quote Originally posted by opm2000: This thread seems to agree: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/046145.html That is to say, for an '88 cradle, the '94 3800 minivan axles with Fiero outers. Any seconds? I'm ready to assemble my 4.9 conversion, and I've got to say that the axle confusion is unreal. David Breeze

Correct for 88 cradle. Dont be confused because my 87GT 4.9 was an 87... I swapped to an 88 cradle during the 4.9 conversion.

GREAT!!!! I have got it...

Here is the prescription for (me at least) the 88 and 4.9 with 4T60E passenger side:

Part numbers 9572 and 8430.

Swap outer CV's....

New clamps and BAM!

It only took me three tries to get this setup right....thanks to all of you who assisted the thought process...and to Ed and others that kinda told me exactly what to do, indirectly...it is actually a simple thing once you do it.