I've replaced pretty much EVERYTHING with my '86 gt's suspension front and back. But I'm wondering what type of symptoms you can expect from worn out, bad, needing to be replaced, cradle bushings.

Also, what improvements do you get from switching to metal bushings like what Darrell Morse sells?

Thanks for the input!

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'86 2.8L Bottle-Fed
'86 2.5L turbo put to sleep
Chris_Oslo_Nelson@hotmail.com

If you loosen the nut enough to see space between it and the perch, you should be able to put a wrench on the bolt head and try to turn it. If the wrench has resistance and returns back, it means the inner sleeve is still bonded to the rubber. If no resistance after turning it past quarter turn it means the bond is gone and the sleeve is loose. This is also associated with cracked rubber whatever is protruding past the outer sleeve. This experiment is only valid if the bolt is frozen inside the inner sleeve, which is most likely. If the bolt is removable the chances are the bushing is still good. Remember there is no rotation going on at the front cradle bushing or the rear. Solid bushings are recommended if you plan to do some asphalt pounding. They do eliminate flexing between the cradle and the body. Maybe others have additional opinions.

If they are the original bushings, they need to be replaced. The most common symptom is the feeling that the rear end is sliding back and forth on marbles and the car is real hard to keep straight.

Solid bushings will make all of the weird feelings go away. I HIGHLY recommend them.

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1986 SE 350 V8

the rear will feel real sloppy. like your rear tires have low air pressure.

Pyrthian, is right!

Drive the car strait at about 30 mph (while trying to keep it save), and then steer left and right over and over again (you will feel that the back of the car is FLOATING!)

Take care!
JG

quote Originally posted by Pyrthian: the rear will feel real sloppy. like your rear tires have low air pressure.

Ohh, yeah. One of those 'gotta do' items for basic Fiero preservation! Wish it was as easy as the rear a-arm bushings (I switched to poly)... unless someone can point me to a thread that will inspire me to do this in my driveway. I'd imagine (and I know I am over-simplifying here) you'd first remove the dogbone, back the car up on some low ramps, loosen the rear bolts almost all the way out, take off the top nuts on the struts, block the front wheels, remove the front bolts (yeah, good luck) then jack the Fiero by a 2x6 under the trunk (?) or maybe abuse an engine lift by wrapping a chain around that part (?) and raising the car JUST enough get the fronts below their mounts and drill/clean out the old bushings...take the poly ones out of the freezer, use a clamp to press them into the outboard-motor-lower-foot-lube-wet housings and >easily< lower the car back down (yeh right?) and torque those bolts back on.... I understand the rears are much easier to swap...

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John DuRette
Custom 85 ; 87 Coupe in the driveway. "Kinda makes you nostalgic for a Members Only jacket"

if you plan on keeping the car for a bit, drop the whole cradle. now, you can easily do some basic cheap improvements. get the solid cradle bushings & poly a-arm bushings. take the exhaust manifolds off, and port them - or, if you got the $$$, headers. water pump is easy to do, if its questionable. underdrive pulley. and if your feeling adventurous - a new cam & roller tip rockers.

Poly a-arm bushings - CHECK
new water pump - CHECK
Ported exhaust manifolds - CHECK

thanks for the advice people! I'll definitely be doing metal replacements soon!

Worn out cradle bushings will cause the rear of the car to blip to the left when powershifting... if you don't have a stick, you obviously can't do this test.

quote Originally posted by Will: Worn out cradle bushings will cause the rear of the car to blip to the left when powershifting....

...ah, nice technical term, blip.

Would it then "blip" to the right when you get on the brakes hard?? My car does that. (although I do have 10.75 in. front brakes)

If you run a gear out and then lift off the gas without sinking the clutch, then it should blip right

If you still have rubber bushings, assume they are bad and replace them. Don't worry about testing, replace them. Polyurethane or solid metal. This is one place GM should never have put a bushing. Polyurethane is pretty stiff and should work well for most stock engine/trans setups. Metal would be better if you can afford it or have a bigger engine than stock.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurasic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)