1st off if my steering wheel is shaking while I drive (not the loose torx bits shaking) is it safe to assume it is the tie rods?

What all do we have? Are they front, rear, upper, lower, inner, or outer? Which usually go bad?

As for the steering wheel shaking, 1st thing I'd have checked or done is have your wheels balanced. While your at it, don't just do them up front; have all 4 tires
done. Before having an alignment done, a decent shop should check for any play for loose tie-rods, ball-joints. While the fiero is an older car (if budget pernits) changing
20 years bushing can make a difference. Also, have the front sway-bar bushings and end-links checked for wear, cracking, etc...

Hope this helps,

fierogt28

All was fine until today. Balancing is good, just had my falkens replaced.

Try rotatating the tires from the front to the rear first.

Jim

quote Originally posted by goatnipples2002: 1st off if my steering wheel is shaking while I drive (not the loose torx bits shaking) is it safe to assume it is the tie rods? What all do we have? Are they front, rear, upper, lower, inner, or outer? Which usually go bad?

Goat Nipples,

I had the exact same thing in my Volkswagen Bus. When I would drive down the road, the steering wheel would be "ok" at really slow speeds, or when turning, but when I was trying to go in a straight line, the steering wheel would start to violently shake back and forth by about 15-20 degrees.

It turned out to be the tie rods. I replaced the inner and outter tie rods and it immediately solved the problem. However, in addition to that, you also have a failed steering damper. It's a shock absorber that's supposed to limit the amount of vibrational feedback to the steering wheel. I think the Fiero Store sells it for $59. The Fiero Store also sells the Tie Rods in a "package" for the front. They are having a sale on the 28th for 15% off. That's when I'm going to order a bunch of stuff.

The tie rods are the only thing on your Fiero that would cause this symptom. Because... basically... one (or both) of your wheels are violently flapping back and forth slightly (left to right) while you're trying to drive because there is so much play in the wheel.

------------------
Todd,
2006 Pontiac Solstice
2004 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible (Wife's Car)
2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX
1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6 (3.2) 5-Speed
1984 Porsche 944 5-Speed
1981 Pontiac TransAm (Olds 455BB)
1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter

Thanks. That helps.

check for loose lug nuts... Had that compounded by loose strut bolts after a supposed wheel alignment at an area chain store

[This message has been edited by Matt85GT (edited 01-24-2008).]

Okay we have.....

Front-
upper/lower ball joints?
inner/outer tie rod ends?
rack & pinion?
steering stabilizer?

Rear-
upper/lower ball joints?
inner/outer tie rod ends?

I am just trying to figure out what all I need to buy. All the parts are 22 years old might as well do it all while I have the $ and the motor out for an l67 swap.

quote Originally posted by goatnipples2002: Okay we have..... Front- upper/lower ball joints? inner/outer tie rod ends? rack & pinion? steering stabilizer? Rear- upper/lower ball joints? inner/outer tie rod ends? I am just trying to figure out what all I need to buy. All the parts are 22 years old might as well do it all while I have the $ and the motor out for an l67 swap.

There are only lower ball joints (plus the inner and outer tie rods) on the rear. There are no upper ball joints in the rear. The strut is the upper ball joint in a sense.

------------------
Rodney Dickman

Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page:
www.rodneydickman.com
Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories
7604 Treeview Drive
Caledonia, WI 53108
Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575

quote Originally posted by goatnipples2002: Okay we have..... Front- upper/lower ball joints? inner/outer tie rod ends? rack & pinion? steering stabilizer? Rear- upper/lower ball joints? inner/outer tie rod ends? I am just trying to figure out what all I need to buy. All the parts are 22 years old might as well do it all while I have the $ and the motor out for an l67 swap.

I don't think you need to replace your rack & pinion steering rack. They typically don't go bad...

------------------
Todd,
2006 Pontiac Solstice
2004 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible (Wife's Car)
2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX
1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6 (3.2) 5-Speed
1984 Porsche 944 5-Speed
1981 Pontiac TransAm (Olds 455BB)
1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter

If this happenend "suddenly" , and you just had tires replaced and balanced, I would check for loose lugnuts and missing wheel weights. Usually, if you have a worn component(s) in the suspension, and new tires are installed, the new tire will mask the suspension wear problem, rather than make it worse.

Check the lugnuts!

But, if you've got the $ and you're swapping in an L67, go for the rebuild on the suspension. Fiero Store has a "handling package" that includes Eibach springs, F & R sway bars and KYB shocks. Renew the balljoints, ends and links, install new bushings and you've pretty well got a new car!
If you replace bushings, think hard about stock vs. urethane. Ogre likes stock bushings and poly sway bar hardware, I put poly everywhere. All poly increases harshness considerably.

Good luck and check your lugnuts!

If it just started when you had your Falkens replaced, maybe it might have something to do with the tires or tire balance? Tire guys are not always perfect, nobody ever is, and even their machines aren't perfect.

Unless you just like throwing money at the problem it might be worthwhile to rule out the tires first.

JazzMan