is there a way to remove the cradle without a hoist? cause i dont own one and im strapped for cash at the moment since i bought the new motor and all.....

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I haven't done it, but what about jacking up the rear end as high as you can go, and using a transmission jack to lower the cradle out? Looks like that is what they did on V8 Archie's website. Take a look here

http://www.v8archie.com/v8Archie/home.htm

Actually, reading the text it says they did use a hoist. But I think you could use a tranny jack to do it. You would jack the body up (like they did in the Archie write-up) after you drop the cradle. It would take some coordination, but it might work.

i just got an idea.....im looking for people to tell me what they think and how to improve it.......

i can jack up the cradle area and put jackstands under the body and then lower the cradle......

would that work?

You can remove it without a hoist (we've done it), but getting it back in is difficult.

Are you just removing the cradle, or the whole cradle/engine assembly?

If you jack the car up, load your cradle dolly or supports underneath, and then lower the whole car down on it. You must support the car in this position with jack stands as well. This assumes you have already unbuttoned everthing in preparation to drop the cradle/engine.

Take a couple of 2 X 4s and place them underneath the car across the width, locating them at the jack points on either side. Put your floor jack underneath these boards and lift the entire car off the cradle. You can continue to support the car in this fashion (again with jack stands at the back) until you're ready to reinstall. There's a write-up with pictures here somewhere, but I don't have the link at present.

Without a hoist to support the cradle/engine for reinstall, it gets tricky.

Do you have a local Fiero group near you. Maybe you can contact some members for help.

Good luck.

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Marc in sunny Titusville, FL

• 84 SE son's car, loaded
  
• 85 Coup w/V6 transplant
  
• 85 GT newly on the road
  
• 86 SE/GT conversion just bought - big plans!

I have never used a hoist, only jacks (due to working room). 2 jacks are better but 1 will do in a pinch. I placed a 4x4 under the car in front of the cradle so it would support the weight of the car and not interfere with the cradle. Then used jacks to raise the car until I could remove the wheels. The front wheels were up on ramps. With the wheels removed I placed a home-made dolly under the cradle. The dolly was made out of 2x4's and furniture dolly wheels. Let the jacks down until the cradle is resting on the dolly. After disconnecting all the wires and hoses, you unbolt the cradle and use the jacks to raise the car body. You jack it high enough to pull the engine out of the wheel well, struts and all. Use jackstands under the 4x4 as you raise the car for safety. Then let the whole car rest on the 4x4 and jackstands while the engine is out. A clamp with a block of wood on the front ramps keep the car from moving forward.

Another thing you can do if your using ramps under the front wheels (I did this as it gives you a lot more room under the car when your trying to get the jack under it) is to use ratchet straps to secure the front wheels to the ramps. I used 2 on each wheel in an X fashion. I used a combination of jacking and a hoist when I dropped the cradle on mine, and the front wheels will definitely want to move as the rear of the car starts to get higher. With the front wheels secured to the ramps, the ramps just slid along the floor a little, but there was no chance of the car coming off the ramps. You can see what I'm talking about in the link below, you can see both the wheels secured to the ramps, and the 4x4 across the car just forward of the cradle. I used the 4x4 and jack to initially lift the car to pull the rear wheels, then lower the cradle down onto the dolly, then jack back up to gain clearance at the top of the strut towers where I put my lifting blocks. I used both jack and hoist because I had easy/free access to the hoist and my floor jack does not jack that high.

http://home.comcast.net/~rrisc21/drop.htm


Rich

Wow, this is DANGEROUS behavior.

Do it the right way, and live another day. Please.

2 jacks will work, and it is safe.

The "reinstall" will be the hard part for sure, because its not that easy to set the car back down on top of your cradle. I suggest you have a dolly ready for the cradle to, so you can just lower the car back on it when you go to reinstall it.

ok well i know that it the cradle swings down. the only reason i need to drop the cradle is so i can install my clutch.......so is tehre a way i can just swing the cradle down and install the clutch in it? or does the cradle need to be completely out?

search TD&Q Archive for "rock the cradle"

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 02-29-2008).]

i found one called rock the cradle but it isnt about wut i was looking for...

quote Originally posted by nismokidd12: i found one called rock the cradle but it isnt about wut i was looking for...

the ARCHIVE
http://www.fierosearch.com/...e%22&Action=DoSearch

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 02-29-2008).]

ok thank you. that search helped me. i found exactly what i was talkin bout.

quote Originally posted by nismokidd12: ok thank you. that search helped me. i found exactly what i was talkin bout.

search is your friend.