The shop manual refers to the shoe dampening spring that fits between the inner shoe and the piston. shop manual does not shoe a lock ring. However the Haynes manual is showing a lock ring where the shoe dampening spring would be according to the shop manual. Was the locking ring meant to replace the spring? I'm assuming the lock ring is what I should be using?
I bought a reman caliper from O'reilly's (and yes they matched Auto Zones price of $56.99) and it came with the dampening spring. Thanks for advice.

Once again, year and engine?

1986 GT V6

The factory manual calls it a “shoe retainer” and it’s suppose to keep the bad up against the caliper. The rear caliper piston wants to rotate when you use the parking brake and to keep it from rotating it has notches in it and the pad has tabs that fit into the notches. To make sure they stay that way the retainer keeps the pad up against the piston.

So does that mean a person uses both the retainer and the dampening spring? looks like the spring is supposed to serve the same purpose?

I looked up the recall on Fiero rear calipers (also on Firebirds and 6000’s). It looks like that the dampening spring and shoe retainer are one and the same. In the text of the recall it calls it by two different names (dampening spring and balance spring) and in the main brake maintenance section it calls it the “shoe retainer”. If it’s a clip that holds the pad to the piston that’s what you need.

thanks firejo, just wasn't sure which one was the original part and which was the "fix". Since the spring came with the caliper I was thinking that was the part meant to be used but wasn't sure.

The thing to watch out for with rear calipers is that the pistons are the “updated” type. If the pads sit flush against the piston you’re golden. With that, go to “The Orgre’s Fiero Cave” and under “body & chassis”, then “brakes” and read the article “rear & parking brakes”. There are procedures you need to follow with regards to proper adjustment of the calipers so that the parking brake works correctly. Also if you don’t already, get into the habit of using the parking brake even if it’s an auto trans. The parking brake keeps the calipers adjusted.

Good luck and welcome to Fiero rear brake Hell.