Rear cradle assembly - Stupid Questions (Page 3/3)
Blacktree NOV 16, 02:05 AM

quote
Originally posted by Thunderstruck GT:

Thought about using a cherry picker to lift the car but wasn't sure where to hook on. I guess the rear bumper reinforcement will hold judging by the photos.

I'm not too concerned about the body or space frame, just would like to get the rolling assembly out in one piece.


You can do it with the entire suspension still attached to the cradle. But you'll need to remove the wheels. They'll just get in the way. And you'll need some type of dolly to put under the cradle. The drivetrain/cradle/suspension assembly won't hold itself up after it's been removed from the car.

But as you can see, dropping the cradle with the drivetrain on it is pretty common. But different people use different methods to accomplish it. For example, I built a gantry out of lumber, to lift the car up off the cradle assembly. Then I just roll it out from under the car. You can do something similar with a cherry picker. But you'll need to put jackstands under the car, so you can get the cherry picker out of the way.



[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 11-16-2020).]

skywurz NOV 16, 12:21 PM
I see a lot of people using cherry pickers and such... and i have done this (don't tell the ogre but via the trunk latch... DONT do this it will bend your latch. A Golden Gate Fiero club member said it was fine...) but the last one i did I jacked the car up from the center cradle support with a railroad rail as a spacer for height (I had to jack up the car put it on stands then add the rail.) Then i jacked it even higher until my SUV jack stands were maxed out. (i placed them just forward of the rear cradle mounts.) I let the jack down so the front end would come up and i could remove the spacer from my jack. I put my jack back under the cradle and maxed it out i think i was not quite touching . I unbolted everything ( I undid the harness and other things when it was lower.) I undid the shock bolts last this allowed for me to slowly drop the assembly so it was touching my jack. once it was on the jack and the nuts were off then i lowered the jack. I was fine on clearance BECAUSE i was removing the shocks and did not care about alignment. then the engine pulled right back and out. One thing i always mess up is i dont remove the tires or i try to support the cradle from the A arms. ive done this 2 or 3 times and its a struggle to move that heavy assembly once its sitting on the ground.

I do not recommend this method if you have the right tools. But it can be done without a hoist, cherry picker, swing of doom, lift, etc
Notorio NOV 16, 02:26 PM
How the other half lives ... (don't try this at home!)
ZaraSpOOk NOV 22, 09:13 PM

quote
Originally posted by Notorio:


I'm curious to see what you have done, even though it might not apply to the current removal situation ...





here is the car sitting on blocks with the cradle removed, note the hockey puck which gives a little stability over wood, also note the wood is supporting the 4x4, the jack stands are backup, always use two methods of support

also note the AC hanging from a coat hanger

using this method the cradle comes out the side {mud guards must be removed, which is good to do}, I cannot show a pic of the cradle support I assembled, because the cradle is currently sitting on it
but maybe I can capture a pic that will give an idea of how the dollies are constructed, the 1st time I used just two, but added the fourth tjis time for more stability

BTW, two sets of wrenches you might want to get from HF are "shorty" wrenches and "S" wrenches, they come in handy where straight wrenches don't work or are cumbersome

[This message has been edited by ZaraSpOOk (edited 11-22-2020).]

Thunderstruck GT NOV 23, 08:16 AM

quote
Originally posted by ZaraSpOOk:


.................BTW, two sets of wrenches you might want to get from HF are "shorty" wrenches and "S" wrenches, they come in handy where straight wrenches don't work or are cumbersome




For what particular purpose in removing the cradle assembly?
ZaraSpOOk NOV 23, 05:32 PM

quote
Originally posted by Thunderstruck GT:


For what particular purpose in removing the cradle assembly?



both come in handy for the two rear AC bolts/nuts, also the S wrenches if you are removing the bolts for the transmission mounts
I may be forgetting other places, in the tight quarters of the Fiero, they give more room than straight full size wrenches

they are not necessary, but convenient, and I have used them on other projects
Thunderstruck GT NOV 23, 09:07 PM

quote
Originally posted by ZaraSpOOk:


both come in handy for the two rear AC bolts/nuts, also the S wrenches if you are removing the bolts for the transmission mounts
I may be forgetting other places, in the tight quarters of the Fiero, they give more room than straight full size wrenches

they are not necessary, but convenient, and I have used them on other projects



Got it.

Funny...… I have 4 large toolboxes full of tools and not 1 curved wrench. Which goes to prove, you never have enough tools.

Although I have nothing good to say about Chiwaneese tools, I will buy Harbor Fright for that "once & done" time.

Thanks for the tip.
ZaraSpOOk NOV 29, 07:23 PM
since somebody asked, here is my Harbor Freight cradle dolly with cradle sitting on it
a 2x6 is screwed UNDER the dolly, two dollies lengthwiseand far enough away so frame sits on dolly

I use wood screws so that I can disassemble when finished, you can see three of the heads if you look close

then two more dollys at right angles attached to each other and the 2x6 between the other two dollies with two 1x4's, it looks like the muffler is sitting on the dolly, but it's really the frame in front
Opposite side is the same (no pic)

[This message has been edited by ZaraSpOOk (edited 11-29-2020).]