Georgia Fiero Club Forum

All Things Fiero => General Fiero Discussion => Topic started by: TopNotch on May 20, 2019, 11:46:09 am

Title: Handling problem solved.
Post by: TopNotch on May 20, 2019, 11:46:09 am
Nobody knows it but Fierofool, but I spun out on the trial run for the Don Hulse Cruise. I was driving my silver Formula, and it just wasn't handling like it should. Well, I found the problem. The front sway bar end link bushings had disintegrated. Having a rear sway bar and no front sway bar is not good. Fortunately I had a set of Poly end link bushings already on hand, so I put them on yesterday. I'll have to see how it does now.
Title: Re: Handling problem solved.
Post by: Fierofool on May 20, 2019, 04:48:45 pm
When you install the bushings, count the number of turns you tighten the nut on the first end link.  Then tighten the second end link nut the same number of turns.  If you haven't already removed the old nut, count the number of turns it takes to get it off, then go back with the same number of turns.  Having one side tighter than the other can give some problems. 
Title: Re: Handling problem solved.
Post by: GTRS Fiero on May 20, 2019, 07:34:20 pm
Well, at least no damage was done.
Title: Re: Handling problem solved.
Post by: TopNotch on May 20, 2019, 08:38:17 pm
Since I have no idea how thick the original bushings were, I don't think it would matter how many turns it took to remove the nut. I tightened them by feel to as close the same as I could judge.
Title: Re: Handling problem solved.
Post by: GTRS Fiero on May 20, 2019, 08:55:18 pm
When I did mine, the side-to-side thing never occurred to me.  I tightened them so that they looked and felt the same.
Title: Re: Handling problem solved.
Post by: NoMad on May 22, 2019, 12:35:03 am
I just do mine to the listed torque spec and check after a few hundred miles.
Title: Re: Handling problem solved.
Post by: Formula Owner on July 19, 2019, 05:12:55 pm
I had this problem on my Formula. But I didn't really have a handling problem. I had a front end clunking problem. I replaced:
- upper & lower ball joints
- inner & outer tie rod ends
- steering rack bushing
- shocks
- upper & lower control arm bushings

And I STILL had clunking. I FINALLY noticed that my end link bushings were shot. Don't know how I did all that work without noticing that. Luckily, my rears were shot, too, so I didn't have any bad oversteer problems. After I replaced the end link bushings, the clunking finally went away, and the handling improved a lot.