How much wear is too much? Fiero Store's fork is too much, but I can get a fork end for cheaper. I just don't know how to know if it's bad. It appears to function fine. I'm planning to replace the top and bottom fork bushings. I have the tranny separated from the engine right now, so I can measure the depth of its feet. Anyone have experience with this? Any experience with failed/broken forks and what caused breakage?
-Michael
IP: Logged
12:56 PM
PFF
System Bot
Old Lar Member
Posts: 13797 From: Palm Bay, Florida Registered: Nov 1999
When I was having transmission issues, I just bought all the parts fro TFS. Easier to have everything on hand to fix the transmission once. As it turned out, I needed the fork and bushngs. This was after 23+ years and 128K miles on the transmission. Mine shifts like it did when the car was new now.
IP: Logged
01:30 PM
josef644 Member
Posts: 6939 From: Dickinson, Texas USA Registered: Nov 2006
When I was having transmission issues, I just bought all the parts fro TFS. Easier to have everything on hand to fix the transmission once. As it turned out, I needed the fork and bushngs. This was after 23+ years and 128K miles on the transmission. Mine shifts like it did when the car was new now.
Ditto, except I located a used clutch fork from Dodgerunner that was like new.
I figure a new fork will increase smoothness of shifting, but I'm on limited income. I only work a few months out of the year, as I'm in school. I can get a new Sachs fork for $50 from apw. That's not a bad price and Sachs is supposed to be a good name, as far as I know. But it's still $50, and looking at the old one, I can't quite figure how the old one comes out. I still have to look at the manual.
-Michael
------------------ "A guy know's he's in love when he loses interest in his car for a few days." -Tim Allen
How much wear is too much? Fiero Store's fork is too much, but I can get a fork end for cheaper. I just don't know how to know if it's bad. It appears to function fine. I'm planning to replace the top and bottom fork bushings. I have the tranny separated from the engine right now, so I can measure the depth of its feet. Anyone have experience with this? Any experience with failed/broken forks and what caused breakage?
-Michael
replace it...oh, it is worth getting the original gm fork from fiero store...i bought an aftermarket one for my tranny, and it ended up being manufactured wrong, the keyed grooves for the clutch arm were slightly off, and it screwed up the throw distance on the bearing, naturally, i just assumed it was manufactured properly and i didn't find this out till after i installed the tranny. i replaced the aftermarket fork with a GM original from fiero store, and all was right with the world again...
IP: Logged
11:24 PM
stickpony Member
Posts: 1187 From: Pompano Beach, FL Registered: Jan 2008
I figure a new fork will increase smoothness of shifting, but I'm on limited income. I only work a few months out of the year, as I'm in school. I can get a new Sachs fork for $50 from apw. That's not a bad price and Sachs is supposed to be a good name, as far as I know. But it's still $50, and looking at the old one, I can't quite figure how the old one comes out. I still have to look at the manual.
-Michael
you need the bushing removal tool, also on the fiero store site.. you will figure it out after that replace the bushings, and the little dust cap that goes on the end of the clutch arm.. money is tight, but these items don't cost that much
IP: Logged
11:26 PM
Jul 11th, 2010
IXSLR8 Member
Posts: 674 From: Post Falls, ID, USA Registered: Sep 2004
My Getrag fork was worn where the fork touches the throw out bearing on each side. One side was worn more than the other. instead of buying a new one, you can weld up the worn side of the fork and grind it down equal and smooth. Works like new again.
IP: Logged
02:31 AM
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
JFYI, there are 2 forks used in Fieros. One is made up of welded together pieces and one is solid forged one piece. If you have the welded one, replace it, its trash and will fail sooner or later. I think the welded one was used 86 and older. Mine fell apart. I bought the GM kit that had a new fork and pivot pin. If you have the welded one, the forged one will not fit on that pivot.
IP: Logged
05:17 PM
Jul 16th, 2010
Fierology Member
Posts: 1195 From: Eastern Tennessee Registered: Dec 2006
JFYI, there are 2 forks used in Fieros. One is made up of welded together pieces and one is solid forged one piece. If you have the welded one, replace it, its trash and will fail sooner or later. I think the welded one was used 86 and older. Mine fell apart. I bought the GM kit that had a new fork and pivot pin. If you have the welded one, the forged one will not fit on that pivot.
Thanks for the info. In what way did your welded model break? Did the welds themselves shear or some other part of the shaft? Or did it perhaps twist? As the new fork from TFS is extremely expensive, I will examine my fork thoroughly, and if I see no real problems, I'll plan to use it for now. At my initial looking, it looks to have good integrity.
And thanks IXSLR8 for the welding idea. That may prove useful if I have that problem.
replace the bushings, and the little dust cap that goes on the end of the clutch arm.. money is tight, but these items don't cost that much 
