G.T. Fieros

Greater Toronto Fieros
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:21 pm 
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The rear springs are ST', Suspension Technique's.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 9:28 am 
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Well I got my ramps built, but couldn't use them cause the starter was capput! Jacked up and on stands now. Got the starter out last week, took it apart and cleaned it up last weekend. All the contacts and bushings seemed fine, though those copper contact bits are about half-worn. Put it back in and cranked it over a few times with no issues, and no odd noises.
When at the Wheels on Danforth show it did have a slight noise to it while starting after parking at Adam's place.

Fingers crossed.

Sat/Sun I'm going to install the camber bolts and see if I can get the rears raked in a bit. I'm also planning on checking the front, and possibly compressing the springs and chopping a coil off. Still baffles me that after installing Rodney's 1" lowering balljoint, that I'm the same height that I started at.. ?? Will first try loosening the c/a bolts and tightening them while under load - even though I'm Poly - worth a try before I start cutting things... really don't like access to the front springs.

I've got a 86 grey interior to install thanks to I-FAR-I, as well as painting my driver mirror and installing/connecting the power mirrors.
I'm not holding my breath, but maybe even work on the front splitter/spoiler a bit. Needs a bit of fiberglass/putty to smooth out the center gap/hole, then mount it up.

I really should've done more work last weekend.. but ambition is lacking these days for some reason. Hoping the weather holds for tomorrow.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 10:09 am 
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I just had a thought. I've never had the front springs apart, but are there some sort of reliefs for the end of the spring to sit in the control arm or upper perch? Or is the last coil shaved flat?

I'm just wondering if it's possible that the coil isn't installed with the proper alignment. If there's a relief and the end of the coil is in the wrong spot it could explain the height difference. I only flashed back to re-assembling my struts (initially I had the top hat rotated wrong) and wondered how the front went together.

Just a thought...

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 9:52 pm 
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Good thought. I'll be re-checking things - though pretty sure I got them in their grooves proper, and if not the trip to Indy should've settled things.... bump bump bump bump
The LCA's do have reliefs to hold the spring in place, and the upper spring mounts area also directional.
The upper mounts were a pain to install, used some poly looob to to help them get up in the perch. I'm really hoping I can solve it without having to remove the springs, cause that's a royal pain.

Installed the rear camber bolts tonight, guess I've gotta get another alignment - Green&Ross this time. But not until I settle the front. Was hoping to avoid paying for another alignment this year...but if my toe is also affected then I don't want to mess with it. Camber off I can deal with, toe, don't really want to.

Hoping the rain holds off so I can get a bunch done in the morning.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 10:38 pm 
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If you were able to leave the top bolt tight and swap the bottom bolt without the strut moving you should be ok for alignment. If the strut moved with respect to the hub the alignment will be off. If the rear camber was adjusted the toe would have been adjusted as well.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 9:21 pm 
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Well I did some measuring, and guessing. Rear wheels look better as far as camber goes.
Toe seems about right too - but if someone could take a broom handle across the rear tire and take a picture of where it shows in relation to the rocker panels that'd be awesome.
Right now I've got the broom handle going even to the rocker panels.. hoping they're pointing straight.

Front suspension all looks proper, tight and in place. From the middle of the hub to the inside of the fender at the top is 17" (IIRC) - my tire radius is 12" - so there's 5" in between the wheel and the fender.
I compressed the driver spring a bit, and chopped a coil off the bottom. Well.. that was all fine and dandy until the spring slipped out of the perch and wedged itself between the lowerball joint nut and the hub assembly. Took me 2 nights to compress it and pry it outta there... so much for my 'nice' gold paint job on the spring. Oh.. and with all this, I managed to get the spring to come out and land on the boot of the lower balljoint.. cutting it a bit... just my luck.

Ran out of light to fully put it back together on the driver side. Next up is tightening those bolts back (took alot more apart than I wanted to), and cutting a coil on the passenger side.
Now that I know NOT what to do... lets see if the spring wants to agree with my thoughts.

I hate working on things and relying on the weather network...and daylight. Stupid daylight savings, now I'm restricted to 8pm rather than 9... grrr soon it'll be 5 though, so I'll take the 8... and warmth


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 11:15 pm 
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get a buddy and take a measuring tape and measure the tires center to center on front and back of the tread. This will give you an idea if the tires are straight or not. Then play with 1/4 turns on the toe link rods till the wheels are the same distance apart on front side and rear.

So what you do is lay on the ground, measure the front of the rear tires from the center to center of the tread and then do the same on the rear side of the tire. ;)


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:11 am 
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Well I think I've mastered the art of self-alignment with a broom handle and measuring tape. :)

To update things a bit... after I over torqued the front spindle nuts(yea yea yea), decided to drive it as it was, snapped the spindle and took a CAA trip home... I've gone and parked it for the winter.
Thanks to Rob for the spindles and the bearings I already had, it was a fairly quick and painless change.

While I had the spindles off and being changed, I also changed the lower balljoint boots after wrecking them trying to cut the springs earlier while still in the car. I also took the springs out and cut them up some more, re-aligned the upper spring mount and got it all back together. In total, to lower the front-end enough to be equal with the rear drop, I've used Rodney's 1" lowering balljoints, and cut 1 coil off the bottom, and a half coil off the top of the front springs. I'm about 6" clearance from the rocker panel to the ground, front and back. Looks much better with the extra half coil cut, though I could've even gone a full coil to drop the front a bit more.
But I need to keep a bit of space up there so I can add the 'upside-down bumper' lip spoiler.

Yesterday I drove it to my parents' place SW of London. Was a cool, but a smooth trip down there. Parked it outside their garage for now, as they finish doing some wood work and free up some space to park it inside beside my brothers '71 Triumph.

Image
Image

Next year will be more driving, and less fixing... hopefully. 8-)

Though my list still has:
- Brake upgrade (GrandAM fronts?)
- Lip spoiler (front and rear)
- Interior swap (Factory 86 Grey)
- - Flush-mount the stereo
- - Create GPS Mount for either old Milestone, or current GPS device.
- Power mirror install (finish it really - door section)
- Side quarter scoops?


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 2:51 pm 
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That certainly looks a lot better. A lot closer to my wheel gap with the lowering springs all around.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:14 pm 
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Looks good! Hope I get similar results when I get mine back together.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 12:17 pm 
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Reviving this a bit.
This weekend I'll spend doing some basic maintenance that should've been done last year... but with moving 2 times in the past 12months that just wasn't happening.

Replacement of all plugs, wires, coil and a rebuild of the distributor is on the plate.
I'll save replacing the axle seals for another day/weekend. But with CTire having some oil sales, I'll pickup the goods.

I'll be moving my parts car down to the driveway so it doesn't kill the yard it's sitting on. Then taking a quick look over everything inside.

On the list this summer is to fully replace the interior in mine - but want to do that after removing the interior and air conditioning from the parts-car.
Hopefully that will also include re-upholstering the seats with the 86 grey ones I have.

Have a lot on the plate/plan this summer, will see how much I actually get done.


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PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2015 2:08 pm 
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A plan is better than NO plan! so you're one step ahead 8-)


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:37 am 
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As with most things I have planned... other stuff comes up as more important. I haven't worked on the car since I changed the plugs/wires. Car hasn't even moved, as the battery went dead and found out the charger I had plugged in drained the battery more than it charged it...
Image
Image

Add to that and I as not expecting to not have as much time taken up by my vacation trip and 'party' last weekend.
Though maybe should've actually thought about it and figured that was gonna happen ... For those who I don't have on Facebook... I got married. :shock: :roll:
Image

But good news!! This weekend was spent working on things for the car; or on cars. Replaced an AC condenser in the SUV (missing 3 bottom pipes.. no wonder it wasn't working and there was no pressure); needs a charge/recharge.
The garage used to be an on-suite, so yesterday I removed the kitchen sink and cabinets that were there. Didn't remove the raised cabinet floor; it's just stones under there - though I may remove a portion of it and level with some plywood. That would give space for the engine hoist to just tuck itself away while still holding up the N*.

I'll be starting on the parts car this week/weekend... so will post in that thread.

For this though - just an update that I'm hopeful for more time soon. At least to get out and drive a few more times. Lots of organization to do though.

Not quite low enough...Image


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 11:42 am 
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Congrats Steve!! Best wishes on many happy years to come.

(25 years for me next year...how the hell did that happen??) :)

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1984 Indy Fiero
B O A T - Break Out Another Thousand


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 2:55 pm 
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CONGRATS, ALL THE BEST & GOOD LUCK!
MAY HAPPINESS ALWAYS BE WITH YOU BOTH!


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