So I am about to buy the Eibach Lowering Springs for my 87 Fiero... And I was wondering If I will have to change anything due to it bieng lower? Like having to change the shocks and struts. Please If anybody knows I would like to find out as soon as possible. I want to get them on my car soon. And Is it hard to install them? Is their a site that shows a step by step procedure on how to do this?

Thanx



As you can see my fiero desperately needs to be lowered :P Too much wheel well

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I would advise getting the Moog adjustable ball joints for the upper front. This makes alignment a lot easier to do.
Moog also sells cam bolts for the rear struts if you are changing the struts. Another helpful alignment part.
You will need to get a full 4-wheel alignment after the car is lowered.
While everything is apart, check the condition of the ball joints and tie rods. Replace as needed.

Using the stock struts you are going to notice that the rear springs won't really compress when assembled. This is normal when using the stock Fiero struts.
Do a search on the front bump stops. You may need to cut them down a bit.
If you are using the stock rubber bushings on the front, You can gain full movement of the front lower control arm by loosening the control arm bushing bolts.
Remember to torque them back with weight on the susupension after you are done.

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Helpful, Thank you

What was said above. Also check all bushings. Struts wouldn't be a bad idea. Yours are probably 20 yrs old unless someone replaced them (obviously). When I did mine I pulled the spring off and when I compressed the strut it didn't come back up. It was really easy and the strut was loose. An alignment will definitely be needed I am afraid to drive my car I need one really bad. Front shocks as well.

Ryan

Oreif summed it up nicely. Chances are, everything in the suspension 20 years old, with the possible exception of the front shocks. I've found that previous owners are more likely to replace these vs. any other suspension component, probably because you don't have to have an alignment afterwards.

When I installed my springs, I replaced the ball joints, shocks, struts, tie rods, and control arm bushings. Also replaced the cradle bushings with Morse aluminum bushings. Figured since I was tearing things apart, I might as well replace everything at once instead of doing it piecemeal and having it realigned every time.

So I have come to decide that I will buy KYB struts and Shocks, along with the Eibach lowering springs. Now I assume that KYB will be good enough for the needs of the car being lowered and I understand that in previous threads KYB wasn't spoken about nicely. Point is I know their not the best shocks and struts but Im pretty sure they are better than the 20 year old ones I have on now. Koni is indeed very nice and having 4 different setting of suspension stiffness is nifty, but they cost a lot and It's not like I'm racing with my fiero anyways :P But if there are things I need to know about KYB (Like if Longevity is bad) and if you believe I should reconsider my decision please feel free to inform me. As of now thats the plan. And when I get these additions to my fiero I will be sure to get my car realigned by professionals. Thank you every body for your advice and I made sure to give you good feedback

Thanx,

Thomas O.

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I've read some good feedback about the KYB's and would recommend them myself. I put the cheap hydraulic KYBs (non-gas) shocks on the front of my formula and love them. Very smooth and an improvement over the old stock ones that were worn out . I have the Koni's on my other car and they are probably the best, but way too much money.

[This message has been edited by PaulJK (edited 11-21-2007).]

I just got my car done with WCF 1.5inch and KYB and all i can say is amazing the front gap is perfect and the rear is just slightly higher it wives the car a good stance and the handling is 1000 times better. I have a 86 with 3800SC.

the kyb's are fine, bit if a hard ride tho. My only concern with thme and lowering is bottoming out the shock. on my 88, the lowering springs sagged after about a year, went from 2.5 finger to 1 on the front, and I thought I was riding the bumbstops. the 88 is easier to address in that situation, just take it off.
It got so bad with driveway pans I put a rubber base under them, unfortunately I went too far and am back to stock. while doing that I noticed the shocks are very compressed, but didn;t measure it. when I redo the rubber I am going to check that the stock shock has enough travel in a lowered condition.
I might even suggest you get Rodney Dickmans lowering balljoints for the fronts instead, that way you can keep the springs shocks and bumstop stock and get the lowering you want. just be aware you may need to change out your sway bar link bolt for a slightly shorter one, there was a problem some had with it interferring on hard turns.

I'm going to highjack and add a question to this. I have already replaced all the stuff you have recommended BIGG_SEXXY to change. If I were to now put in lowering springs, would I have to change all that stuff again because of size specifications? Or would everything I've replaced still work with the lower springs? I ain't gonna change all that stuff again anytime soon. Thanks.

Jim