Springs or struts car is too low in rear (Page 1/2)
Forrest APR 26, 07:50 AM
1988 GT
She just sits too low in the back and often bottoms out in the rear. I don’t wanna throw parts at her as I have never done suspension work.
Front

Rear

Advise is appreciated!
olejoedad APR 26, 08:18 AM
If it bottoms out, I would recommend new struts in the rear.

The ride height looks good in the rear.

The 88's do sit an inch higher in the front from the factory.

How long has it been since new shocks were installed in the front?

It is uncommon for springs to wear out on these cars.
Forrest APR 26, 11:11 AM
Weird...ok. My 86 is higher in the back and lower in the front. Looks a lot better visually.
Last time I had an alignment done the guy said the struts looked good and had recently been replaced but the shocks looked old. Maybe he had it reversed though.
We have only had the 88 for 3-4 years. She is my daily.....there is no paperwork in the car showing any suspension work being done.....On the back though I did notice poly bushings so someone did something at some point.
olejoedad APR 26, 11:27 AM
Just because the struts "look good" doesn't mean that they are.

The only way to tell for sure is to pull the struts and remove the springs, then test the function of the strut.

If there is poly in the rear, is there poly in the front as well?

It's possible that the front springs were not properly indexed into the lower control arms when the front suspension was reassembled.

It's also possible that the upper spring rubbers on the rear strut hat were not reinstalled at the time of bushing replacement.
theogre APR 26, 11:47 AM
OE struts and shocks are non gas and only restrict travel in 1 direction. Unless struts and springs are toast, shouldn't bottom.
Some times people put Gas shock on front and leave OE non-gas strut on rear making ride height issues but should cause rear to bottom out.
Could be someone "Flip" the Top plate as part to lower the car or just install struts wrong or strut assembly has rusted out parts.

Otherwise Sits Low is often spring "problems."
Like Maybe PO started to lower the car by cutting the springs.
Or have bigger heaver power-train
Or too much crap in the car, more so crap in the truck.
Or maybe more then one of above.

Bottom out problems often go w/ spring problems.
Worse, Often the struts and/or strut bumpers are wreck and maybe more for repeatedly bottoming the car.

4 codes on RPO label next to Brake MC shows OE springs. Sometimes you still find labels on the spring to show same codes.
See my Cave, RPO List

OE Springs are setup to level the car most case when car is under GVWR.
For Fiero that includes weight for 2 190lb people and 100lb cargo. Or a Total ~ 450lb spread out in cabin and trunk.
If have added a heaver powertrain or other heavy parts then often OE springs have problems.
Replacing Springs to relevel can help ride height but not give you more weight the car handles.
Overweight/overloaded for Cops, Insurance, etc, is > GVWR from the Factory for an vehicle and cause problems for just about everything but worse for suspension and brakes.
GVWR is on label on D-side door.

------------------
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

OldGuyinaGT APR 26, 11:49 AM
Hey, your GT is a twin of mine! 88GT, silver, w/sunroof, stock black wheels.

One of the results of the 88s having completely redesigned front and rear suspension is that the front sits about 1" higher than the rear - normally.

I hated that (seems many do) so there are a few ways to lower the front - cut front springs, find lowering spindles, or what I did - install Rodney Dickman's 1" taller lower ball joints (he also has 1/2" drop ones). The stock wheels fit with these installed, they drop the nose, and they're quality parts. I've had mine for 5 years and they work. They did not have any adverse effect on driving, cornering, etc. that I could detect in my street-only (but often spirited) driving. I highly recommend tham, and they are the quickest/easiest way to level out an otherwise srock 88.
Forrest APR 26, 01:44 PM

quote
Originally posted by OldGuyinaGT:

Hey, your GT is a twin of mine! 88GT, silver, w/sunroof, stock black wheels.

One of the results of the 88s having completely redesigned front and rear suspension is that the front sits about 1" higher than the rear - normally.

I hated that (seems many do) so there are a few ways to lower the front - cut front springs, find lowering spindles, or what I did - install Rodney Dickman's 1" taller lower ball joints (he also has 1/2" drop ones). The stock wheels fit with these installed, they drop the nose, and they're quality parts. I've had mine for 5 years and they work. They did not have any adverse effect on driving, cornering, etc. that I could detect in my street-only (but often spirited) driving. I highly recommend tham, and they are the quickest/easiest way to level out an otherwise srock 88.



She is white but yeah I just love the stock rims. I thought about getting different ones to open up more options regarding tires but I really just like how the stock ones look.
If I have time this evening Ill pop off those wheels and try to get some decent pics of what is going on under there.
OldGuyinaGT APR 26, 05:23 PM

quote
She is white...



Oh... damn this phone auto-dim!

But I'm also in the same boat wheel-wise. Casually looking around for maybe 16's that I like both the look and price tag of...
fierofool APR 27, 11:20 AM
The strut itself doesn't affect ride height. It is only a damper from road variations. The spring is what determines ride height. Installing new struts won't raise or lower the vehicle.
olejoedad APR 27, 11:27 AM
His ride height in the rear looks to be fine.

He mentioned bottoming out, so new struts seem to be the first repair needed.