How should I check for lift damage? (Page 1/1)
SunsetChaser OCT 25, 05:36 AM
So I got my GT back from the shop a few weeks ago and one of the things that always concerns me is whether they know how to actually raise the car on a lift. My Firebird has had its share of lift abuse and the rocker panels are somewhat mangled underneath from being lifted there instead of the proper lift points. The fenders have also bowed outward from the pressure of lifting it in the wrong place.

And the other day maybe it was the sunlight hitting it a certain way but it seemed like the GT's fender and door looked like it might've been little misaligned in the same way that my Firebird's bowed out fenders looked, but it was much more subtle. Since I haven't had my Fiero too long what I wanna know is, if the shop lifted the car from the wrong points, what kind of signs or cosmetic damage should I look for that are common with improper lifting?

[This message has been edited by SunsetChaser (edited 10-25-2022).]

Patrick OCT 25, 05:50 AM

quote
Originally posted by SunsetChaser:

...what kind of signs or cosmetic damage should I look for that are common with improper lifting?



Overheating. Seriously. If the lift was placed under the metal coolant pipes that run down each side of a Fiero, they get crushed and prevent proper coolant flow. Check those pipes!
theogre OCT 25, 11:12 AM
Yup, coolant pipes often get Crushed, Bent, or both...
See my Cave, Crushed Pipe

------------------
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

fierofool OCT 25, 03:21 PM
Cracked or otherwise damaged GT rocker panels or indentations in the floor can be indicators, too. A dealer even used a floor jack and lifted one of mine by the oil pan instead of the crossmember. But as said, the coolant pipes are of most concern. It doesn't take much damage to cause overheating.
SunsetChaser OCT 26, 05:42 AM
Are the coolant lines visible without lifting the car? My GT is lowered an inch or so, so I'm not sure if I can squeeze underneath to check it out. My digital temp gauge seems to read erratically so I'm not 100% sure if it's ever overheating but the shop did say the temp is actually normal on the car.
fierofool OCT 26, 07:39 AM
They are. They're located just behind the pinch weld flange that the bottom of the rocker panels are attached. Maybe 6 to 8 inches under ER nesth the car. A hand mirror would allow you to see them on a lowered car. Damage is usually just behind and in front of the wheel well openings.
CSM842M4 NOV 07, 09:22 PM
They're all right. Coolant tube won't tolerate much, especially being asked to support the weight of the car. They're pushed in a little on one of our Fiero's, but lucky not enough to impede coolant flow. Rockers are also a concern - if they're cracked within about a foot of the wheelwells, look further. I found evidence on the rear of the floorpan steel on my '86 GT of mis-positioned lift pads.