Can someone please inform me as to what the difference is between the 2 suspension systems? I definatly wanna upgrade the suspension system on my car, but i have 86 stock suspension and apperantly 88 was better, and there are all of these koni and after market suspension kits for the cars, and if i buy say....a koni kit for my 86, will i technically have the same suspension performance as someone who put that SAME koni kit on his 88?

Any information would be a great help, thanks!

The '88 is fundamentally different in the rear, and fairly different in the front. None of the parts interchange except the struts (with modifications), though it's possible to retrofit the '88 rear cradle assembly with complete suspension onto a pre-88, again with modifications. Retrofitting the front is so difficult that most folks would consider it to be easier/cheaper just to buy an '88 to begin with. Big issue with the '88 is finding spare parts; since it was only produced for 26,400 or so cars no manufacturer is really interested in setting up a production run for parts like bushings, bearings, etc.

Thats interesting, so again, would there be a difference in adding koni suspension to an 86 compared to an 88? will they handle the same?

Would it include changing the lower control arm in the rear? If not then you don't gain a lot. The pre 88 has an issue with bump steer due to the control arm configuration. The are a couple different mods you can do to improve bump steer and make it closer to the 88.

You might be interested in reading this.

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/A...100421-2-085953.html

[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 08-24-2011).]

IC, What would i need to buy in order to do the whole 88 conversion? Is there a store that sells this stuff? what would i need to ask for? Shocks? struts? control arms?

Cradle, with all suspension parts that attach to it. That should pretty much cover it.

thanks!

I added a link you might read.

If you do the 88 parts route the 88 stuts mount different then the pre 88's they have to mount a little forward and inward from the pre 88's. Someone made an adaptor to do this. Don't know if they are still available or not. Others have modded their own parts to do it..

You'd have to read up on that.

quote Originally posted by lonewolf452: IC, What would i need to buy in order to do the whole 88 conversion? Is there a store that sells this stuff? what would i need to ask for? Shocks? struts? control arms?

Unless you have a LOT invested in your 86, it would be as cheap, and FAR easier to just sell your 86, and buy an 88. And then you'd have upgraded brakes, too.

Put a rear sway bar on your 86. That will get rid of the massive under-steer and give you neutral cornering. It's a lot cheaper and easier than converting to 88 suspension.
And the questions comes to mind -- What kind of driving do you do? What improvements are you looking for?