I admit i only read the first few pages of the diy rear coil overs so i might have missed it but is there a thread for making your own front coil overs .. if its possible?

thanks

Try the "search" function, there's a few threads talking about them

quote Originally posted by DLCLK87GT: Try the "search" function, there's a few threads talking about them

I did i'll look some more with different key words maybe...

quote Originally posted by ttt123: I'm still not finding anything.. anyone do this before?

Here you go. Its been discussed, but there isn't too many DIY's done. Most people say go drop the cash for a Held kit.

http://www.fierosearch.com/...over&Action=DoSearch

quote Originally posted by craigsfiero2007: Here you go. Its been discussed, but there isn't too many DIY's done. Most people say go drop the cash for a Held kit. http://www.fierosearch.com/...over&Action=DoSearch

ya pretty much same thing I'm finding. so buy some basically i just thought it would be kinda fun to make my own but i don't think i want to try it without a reference.

thanks for the link

quote Originally posted by ttt123: ya pretty much same thing I'm finding. so buy some basically i just thought it would be kinda fun to make my own but i don't think i want to try it without a reference. thanks for the link

I think coil overs in the front will probably require some modification of the control arms and that will take away the strength of factory control arms. You could make a set of front coil overs if you had tubular control arms. Here is a link the the Held (former Held) kit. I think many people haven't done it because of the cost and amount of modifications required to make it work properly, when a set of springs with good shocks is adequate for the front.

http://arrautmotorsports.co...pension-information/

I posted this writeup on what I did for 84-87 front control arms build on the replica forum. The instructions include extending the control arms out a bit as well but you just don't do those steps. I made a full custom centre cross member and then made extended upper and lower control arms for my F355 replica. Making control arms is not a hard thing to do as long as you are competent at welding and metal fabricating. Suspension is NOT the place to learn how to work with metal or learn to weld....... Also, sloppy welds are not a good thing. I tacked my suspension pieces up and took them to a welder to get done properly as my life is more important to me than my ego about my welding skills.....

I also provide these void of any explicit or implied warranty. I just wrote out what I did to make mine and help out a fellow builder that was asking how to do it. Use freely but at your own risk.

Good luck if you decide to proceed as it isn't all that hard and just measure three times before tacking...... Sorry for the simple formatting. This site won't let me indent etc.

Cheers
Don

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I recommend you use the oem Fiero cross member and make new wider control arms for the front suspension. With what you are doing with the frame, you can obviously weld so why not make your own widetrack? If you want you can tack it all together and then take to a welder if you are not 100% on your welding. That is what I did way back when I did my front suspension.

The aftermarket widetrack use a 1.5"+ DOM thick walled tube and then a smaller bracing arm to go back to the oem Fiero rear mount. I don't recommend doing a full cross member like I did as that is way too much work for what you get in the end. Trust me.....

These instructions are to replace oem Fiero front control arms with tubular control arms and coilover shocks:

1. Get some poly bushings that will fit in both the front cross member pivot and the rear pivot
   
2. Get the round tube that fits over the poly bushings
   
3. Get ball joint mounting plates that you will use for the outer ball joint location on the new control arms
   
4. Take all your oem Fiero control arms off and lay the lower control arms to start on a flat surface so you can see the angles of the control arm
   
5. Mark the locations of the Fiero control arm pivot mounts.
   
6. Make some mounting tabs that you can secure to your flat surface to locate both mounting locations
   
7. Secure the tabs to the workspace and put a bolt through the oem control arm pivot mounts
   
8. Mark the location of the ball joint on the workspace.
   
9. Make sure you mark both width out and location in relation to the mount points so you have an accurate location of the ball joint.
   
10. Measure the distance up off the workspace to a repeatable reference on the ball joint.
    
11. Measure the angle of the ball joint plate relative to the workspace
    
12. You will need both of these to relocate the new ball joint plate further out
    
13. Maybe also make a jig up that will place the ball joint and plate in the same location/orientation for the ball joint so you can use that in the new, outward location
    
14. Once you have these measurements and the pivot points are securely fixed to the work space, remove the Fiero control arm
    
15. Now measure outward to the control arm width you want
    
16. Place the new ball joint jig and plate/ball joint out over the new location and secure it to the workspace
    
17. Mount your new front and rear poly bushings to the mount locations.
    
18. You now have the three important locations for your front extended control arms.
    
19. Take whatever round tube you are comfortable with and fit between the front mount and the ball joint plate
    
20. Bend the tube to set the proper angles etc. for the ball joint plate
    
21. Once you have the front/main control arm tacked in place, make a rear stabilizer to connect the mount piece to the main control arm tube
    
22. The rear stabilizer on the aftermarket units has an adjustment capability to lengthen or shorten the rod to allow for some fine tuning of the suspension positioning.
    
23. You can also do this if you wish.
    
24. Tack everything together and do the same on the other side.
    
25. Do the same procedure for the upper control arms extending them the exact same amount out as the lowers to maintain the hub mounting geometry
    
26. You now have extended control arms but no shock mounts....
    
27. Coilovers will vary a bit depending on which ones you end up buying to start with
    
28. My shocks were longer than the usual suspects so my upper shock mount ended up being different.
    
29. If you get the shorter shocks, I think the 8" length fits nicely in the Fiero control arm area then you can use the list below
    
30. On the upper Fiero cross member you will see an additional plate that holds the bump stop, upper control arm and mounting tube.
    
31. This next part is important as you need to make sure you set up the upper control arm mounts the same to ensure you end up with the same antidive angles
    
32. Take the upper mount plate off the cross member
    
33. Make up jigs on your work surface that positions the upper control arm mount tube solidly in the jigs.
    
34. This ensures the same anti dive angle etc. on the new plate you are going top build
    
35. Set up a jig to accurately align the five mounting holes on the plate.
    
36. Two in the bottom that connect to the cross member and three that connect to the wheel well on the frame
    
37. Once all these are set up and confirmed as accurate, remove the Fiero mounting plate and build a new plate that places the mounting tube and mounting holes accurately in the new mount plate.
    
38. I used 1/8" flat plate but I have seen 1/8" thick angle iron also used for the upper mounting plates
    
39. Once the plate, control arm tube and mounting holes are done, you now work on the upper shock mount
    
40. I put all control arms on to the cross member and set up everything so it was nice and level and secure to mount the coilovers
    
41. Set the coilover to the centre of the travel using the adjusting screw for the coilover as this will be the final location of the shock when mounted and the car is at your desired ride height.
    
42. This is where you can place your control arms and mount plate on to the Fiero and put your tire on the hub and rest it on the ground and adjust the car height with a floor jack.
    
43. Once you have your ride height set to your satisfaction, secure the lower control arm in the desired location and take the tire off.
    
44. You now have access to the suspension and you can place the coilover in the control arms and measure where you want the coilover to be placed relative to the suspension.
    
45. Tack in a lower control arm tube between the two control arm tubes and tack on the lower shock mounting plates to that cross piece
    
46. Put the shock into the lower control arm shock mounts and place the coilover when you want it at the upper mount location. This part is for making sure you clear all the suspension components
    
47. Tack in your upper coilover mounting plates to the upper control arm mounting plate.
    
48. Next you now add in a plate to mount your sway bar links.
    
49. The plate should be set up pretty much to butt up against the coil over cross tube and the front control arm tube.
    
50. Cycle the suspension to each end of the coilover length to make sure you still have full clearance.
    
51. Take the new suspension parts off the car and finish tacking everything.
    
52. Do the same thing for the other side using the positions and measurements for the side you just finished
    
53. Take your parts to a welder or trust your own welding and finish up the welding of all the parts.
    
    
54. Last item is to put it all together and cycle both sides through full suspension travel to make sure nothing has moved during welding.
    
55. You have as an option to make a bump stop and that can be done wherever you feel is acceptable and doesn't interfere with the travel or tire/rim.
    

What year are you looking for?

There are a few DIY threads for the 88 front coilovers - they are "easier" because the shock is already in the spring.
The 84-87's require relocating the shock to the center and cutting off the upper spring perch on the crossmember along with other fabrication.

i have an 85 gt.

thanks for the input guys.

This thread has some pics of a member doing a DIY 84-87 front coil over swap:
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/A...041015-2-048593.html

For the 88's:
http://realfierotech.com/ph...f=3&t=17671&start=60
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/A...120111-2-091747.html

thanks guru.

on a side note I'm picking up a 3.4l motor with 27k orig. miles on it for $200 Saturday woohoo!!! i can start my build. anyone have an opinion on a turbo for the 3.4l motor. I'd love to do twins but not sure if tuning would be an issue plus that would have to be some pretty small turbos.. i think.

My solution for the early cars was to think a bit out of the box.
The goal was to provide an adjustable height feature as well as use an adjustable shock.
They don't necessarily have to be a single unit.
I built a weight jacking sleeve with a spring to replace the stock spring and then mounted a
QA-! non threaded adj. shock to the stock mounts.
It's been working on my buddy's race car for 5 years now with no issues and great results.
Also did it to my son's previous 86 SE race car.


Bob