Ok guys putting this here cause its more an cosmetic question then a technical question. I have an 88 coupe i am putting a 3800 in. I already have fiero store lowering springs for it for all four corners. Nothing is installed yet. I have read alot of people say that the fiero has an issue with the front riding higher then the rear. If mine sits like that it will annoy the heck out of me. So I am thinking of adding rodneys 1 inch or 1/2 inch drop ball joints. Now my big concern is my drive way. It is a sever hill. I am talking I don't use reverse to get out of my drive way at all. So I come to those that have done there drops. What is the ground clearance of an 88 fiero stock height fiero store springs rodney ball joints and any other combinations out there. I have to order ball joints any ways and planning on puttting this car together in a few weeks so guys help me out. What should I do
The stock ground clearance of an '88 Fiero is anywhere between 5.75" to 6.0"... but that's not going help much because that's the clearance between the front and rear crossmembers to the ground. You're more likely interested in the ramp angle of the car after lowering.
Ramp angle is the maximum slope you can go up before either the front or rear body work touches the ground before the wheels get a chance to start climbing the slope. The ramp angle is different for the front vs the rear, but that doesn't affect the max slope you can drive up one way or the other. Only the lesser of the two angles should be used to calculate how much you can lower your car before your driveway is too steep. The reason there is a different ramp angle on the front and rear is to accommodate towing easier from one end than the other, but that's not the same as going up a hill. The more you lower the car on it's suspension, the less ramp angle you have.
On a stock aeronose Fiero, the front ramp angle is about 13 deg, and the rear ramp angle is about 22 deg.
On a two inch lowered Fiero, the ramp angles are roughly 9 deg front and 20 deg rear.
Edit to add: so what you need to do is measure the angle of your driveway and then decide what's the maximum drop you can do and still retain enough ramp angle clearance on your car. Remember, always use the smallest of the two ramp angles (ie the front one) to determine what the maximum drop is that you can do. It won't matter if you back up or drive forward, up or down your driveway, that doesn't change anything if you're parking with all four wheels on the slope.
[This message has been edited by Bloozberry (edited 03-30-2011).]
It may not help much, but this is a photo of my '88 Formula the day I got it. 151k miles on OEM springs and replacement shocks and struts. Camera is level. Notice the front in relation to the rear.
It did not bother me, as most every Fiero I've seen and driven has this stance.
Remember that with you having an '88 four cylinder model it will not have a rear anti-roll bar, so that will affect stance in relation to other cars when you work the suspension out. Additionally, what Blooz has pointed out above is very much correct and a consideration to take in when thinking about lowering. Obviously when you lower your supension you're only changing it's geometry. With a 1" drop on my '86 GT, I see about a 11 degree angle on the front nose, and on the rear it's right in between 21 and 22 degrees.
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09:38 AM
ccfiero350 Member
Posts: 826 From: Houston, Texas Registered: Feb 2003
I have a similar problem with my driveway, It grinds the lower lip of every car I have except the Checker when turning into it from the street. I made some wood ramps to get over the worst part but they are pita to use.
------------------ yellow 88 GT, not stock white 88 notchie, 4 banger
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10:09 AM
aaronkoch Member
Posts: 1643 From: Spokane, WA Registered: Aug 2003
Hey man, long time no talk, I've got mine on KYB's and fiero store lowering springs, with the same 3800 you're doing. I can measure whatever you need, just let me know.
I'll be putting the bumpers on to get the exhaust built and alignment done this weekend, and then I'm driving! Woohoo!
how do you go about measuring your drive way angle? My other issue is my drive angles off road flatens for a side walk then angles back up. You cant get a flat bed tow truck up my drive its lower bumper actually hits my drive way.
Ask fastmax about angled driveways. Damn near ripped the whole front bumper off. His driveway seems like a very short 45degree. I'm gonna get a hold of you shortly. Just about got all my parts in.
how do you go about measuring your drive way angle?
If you take a medium sized bubble level (say 2 feet or longer for better accuracy) with one end resting on the driveway, and the other end held up so that the bubble is centered, measure how long (L) the level is, and how high (H) the one end is above the driveway surface. Once you have these two measurements, use this formula to figure out the driveway angle:
Angle = INV TAN (H/L)
You'll need a scientific calculator to be able to do the INV TAN function, so if you don't have one, then just post the dimensions H and L and I'll do it for you.
blooze using a 24 inch level thats 2 1/4 in hight. The top of it is on 6 inches of my yardstick when the bubble goes level. I have some pics of the driveway i will post for better evidence of what all angles are involved. I am off work in two weeks and hoping to have all parts sitting here for 10 days of building.
blooze using a 24 inch level thats 2 1/4 in hight. The top of it is on 6 inches of my yardstick when the bubble goes level.
So the bottom of the level is 3-3/4" above the asphalt? If that's so, then the angle of your driveway is 8.9 deg (call it 9 deg). You'll be scraping that chin if you lower it two inches, remember that ride height is exclusive of passenger and cargo weight which would lower the car even more.
This thread might save me a huge headache! Thanks guys. I have a simular problem, my driveway has a huge incline before it levels off and with the stock suspension it was fine. Now that I'm going to be lowering the car I'm not sure it will work in the driveway, I might have to park out back. My answer to the "will the Fiero sag in the back" was to put adjustable ride height lowering coil overs from WCF then just adjust to proper balence. IDK, got a ways to go until I'm at that point. Mine will have a 4.9, so I'm not sure if that is heavier than a 3800 or not. My shocks and springs now are origonal and have never been replace, but need to. Definate sag in the back. Hoping to clean that up.
