Help me with my logic. While discovering rattles I saw suspect parts (bushings) which were the next in line for trouble making. I have decided to renew everything. Which came first ? The chicken or the egg ? I don't want to do the chicken twice, . My sway bar "end links" need replacement, the GT is up on a poor man's lift, jack stands. The brake pads, why not, they can use it. Heh, if they come off why take 'em off again to replace the shocks and rear struts ? Heh, if the shocks/struts come off, why not replace the control arm bushings ? I am looking for/asking for a logical procedural step by step with a "parts needed" list. I think I got it but I am not smarter than the forum. Your advice is golden. I am also looking for recommendations for parts. I have heard Koni struts are great yet reviews are mixed. The 88 front wheel bearings. They are now available ? Are the front and rear sway bar end links the same ? I have not found a parts store which lists rear sway bar end links. The rear strut mounts. All I need are the bushings. Hardly worth $50.00 for each side. Options ?
If the end links are not rusted or otherwise deteriorated, just replace the bushings. My bushings crumbled like rock candy after so many years. Replacements are available. I don't know the part numbers, but they appear to be pretty generic.
Most everyone recommends the Wagner Thermoquiet ceramic brake pads. (I'm not running those on my Fiero, so I can't comment. I have them on my Trailblazer and Silverado, and they're pretty decent.)
If you need front wheel bearings, Rodney will have them on the market in the next few weeks. Well worth the wait, and the cost, whatever it is. To separate the balljoints from the knuckles, get Rodney's balljoint separator tool. Again, well worth the minimal cost. Works so much better than the BFH. Going to replace the balljoints? Again, get Rodney's. His are made in Taiwan, but still much better than the Chinese junk that you'll find elsewhere. I replaced my lowers. They're a b!tch to press out of the control arms. I bought a balljoint remover kit from harbor freight, and had to cut one of the sleeves in half to make it work. Did I mention that it was a b!tch?
I've never done Fiero struts, but mine are on the list. You'll need a set of spring compressors. Mark the position of the strut housing on the knuckle. You might get lucky and they'll go back together in some sort of an alignment. Lots of folks recommend "cam bolts" (or "camber bolts"). They adjust the angle of the strut when turned, helping to facilitate the alignment. I don't have a part number, however.
It's pretty straight forward. Assembly is the reverse of disassembly, etc.
Don't really have an opinion on shocks. Mine still has the originals. They still damp decently and don't leak. Car handles just fine. I'll probably replace them with Monroes.
I didn't mention... Poly will make your car ride rougher. More road noise will be transmitted to the interior. It will handle more precisely.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 11-05-2012).]
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10:19 PM
Nov 6th, 2012
cliffw Member
Posts: 37819 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by revin: Auto Zone have them, at least here they do.
Sway bar end links ? I can only find the front ones, at all the outlets. No listing for the rear. Hmm, the front end links I bought came with bolts, washers, and rubber bushings. The thing is, the bolts are longer than what I have. Which (?) would put less torsion on the sway torsion bar. Hmm, is that a good thing or a bad thing ? What should the correct length be ? Since I can't find the rears, Can I buy another set of fronts and just use the bushings ?
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Originally posted by Raydar: If the end links are not rusted or otherwise deteriorated, just replace the bushings. My bushings crumbled like rock candy after so many years. Replacements are available. I don't know the part numbers, but they appear to be pretty generic.
Ouch ! Seven dollars gets me a set, for both sides in rubber.
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Originally posted by Raydar: I didn't mention... Poly will make your car ride rougher. More road noise will be transmitted to the interior. It will handle more precisely.
I have heard that. Less noise, less vibration, to me is a good thing. As far as handling more precisely, it felt like it was already driving on rails.
I replaced my swaybar end links with upgraded ones with poly bushings from The Fiero Store. After having put KYB shocks on my car with The Fiero Store's 1" lowering springs, I decided I should have spring for the Koni's. Want to buy some KYB's with less than 3k miles? :-)
Oh, and if the handling feels like its on rails, you're not driving hard enough ;-)
------------------ Anthony
'88 Fiero GT 5-spd "barn find" 2012 NASA SpecE30 National Champion www.DriveFasterNow.com
[This message has been edited by Z3SpdDmn (edited 11-06-2012).]
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12:59 PM
cliffw Member
Posts: 37819 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by Z3SpdDmn: Oh, and if the handling feels like its on rails, you're not driving hard enough ;-)
Heh, your right, . I once did a rear spin out, one and a half turns, with a telephone pole on one side of the street and oak trees on the other. On my way to my first Fiero rally. Just four blocks from my home, and about 200 miles from the meeting place. I later got pulled over for speeding. Yeah, about the Konis. I have heard the good about them and was sold. Until I started reading some reviews. I am undecided what I want.
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Originally posted by Z3SpdDmn: Want to buy some KYB's with less than 3k miles? :-)
I will look into it. What I am concerned with right now is the the sway bar end links which were on the GT looks like they have been replaced at one time. I see plastic cores around the rubber bushings (the rear struts also look too new, appearance wise). The bolts/spacers are longer than the provided stock replacements. Did someone tweak the suspension is a good question. How long should the links be ? Should I try to tweak it with longer, maybe shorter bolts/spacers ?
[This message has been edited by cliffw (edited 11-06-2012).]
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01:51 PM
IanT720 Member
Posts: 1703 From: Whitmore Lake, MI Registered: Sep 2010
fiero front end links are longer than what the local autozone will sell you--if you are just replacing the bushings--ok, if you need whole unit-bring the old one with you--also read reviews online and get good parts from reputable dealers--this forum has many suspension rebuilds on it--remember though the 88 is a one year only--things are different
------------------ Pat Jones
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10:47 PM
Nov 7th, 2012
cliffw Member
Posts: 37819 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by 88FieroGT TTops: fiero front end links are longer than what the local autozone will sell you ...
Thanks. I wish I knew the stock end link lengths, as a starting point. I am also curious if any here have tweaked the sway bar with shorter or longer end links.
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08:25 AM
Raydar Member
Posts: 41287 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
Thanks. I wish I knew the stock end link lengths, as a starting point. I am also curious if any here have tweaked the sway bar with shorter or longer end links.
Tweaking the lengths won't really accomplish much of anything. The bar is to resist body roll, one side to the other. Shortening or lengthening both sides will not change that at all. The main thing is for the eyes on the ends of the bar, where the link fastens, to be level - or nearly so - with the car going in a straight line (or sitting still.)
I can measure my end links when I get home, if that will help. I have not altered the length.
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01:06 PM
cliffw Member
Posts: 37819 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Thanks Radar. I won't need measurements at this time though. I will get it back on the road and see how it feels.
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Originally posted by Raydar: The main thing is for the eyes on the ends of the bar, where the link fastens, to be level - or nearly so - with the car going in a straight line (or sitting still.)
Wow, the eyes were very unlevel while up on jack stands. I will be keeping an eye on that when I get it back on the ground.
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09:05 PM
PFF
System Bot
n7vrz Member
Posts: 521 From: Dixon Springs, TN Registered: Dec 2010
Wow, the eyes were very unlevel while up on jack stands. I will be keeping an eye on that when I get it back on the ground.
That's to be expected, since the suspension droops by... what... 6 inches or so?
I probably made it sound like a big deal. It's not that critical. As long as they're sort of level, it should be good. The bushings will allow for a good bit of "discrepancy".
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10:03 PM
jaybeezi Member
Posts: 428 From: Santa Rosa, Ca Registered: Mar 2009
Thanks Radar. I won't need measurements at this time though. I will get it back on the road and see how it feels. Wow, the eyes were very unlevel while up on jack stands. I will be keeping an eye on that when I get it back on the ground.
Yeah with the suspension loaded (on the ground) the sway bar arms should be as parallel to the ground as possible. I haven't seen it done on here, but others (not on a Fiero) have drilled extra holes in the sway bar arms to lower their leverage (basically increasing the bars stiffness). I've also thought about adding a strong clamp on the ends of the arms that can be bolted tight in different positions, to adjust the bars strength.
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10:52 PM
Nov 8th, 2012
Pappy Member
Posts: 842 From: Land of Confusion Registered: Apr 2010
.
. I once did a rear spin out, one and a half turns, with a telephone pole on one side of the street and oak trees on the other. On my way to my first Fiero rally. Just four blocks from my home, and about 200 miles from the meeting place. I later got pulled over for speeding.
