Bump stop location

[GTRS Fiero]

Do the '88 bump stops on the front control arms go on the top arm, or the bottom?  I always thought they went on the bottom.

[TopNotch]

The bump stop is on the lower control arm. I had to remove mine while I was replacing the lower ball joints because they were in the way.

[GTRS Fiero]

Did you put them back?

[TopNotch]

Did you put them back?

Yes. They were only in the way when I was using my el-cheapo Harbor Freight press to remove the old ball joints and press in the new ones.

[GTRS Fiero]

Mine are out, so I'm wondering how badly things will hit.  With 2 coils removed from the front springs, there can't be much room for the stops.

[Raydar]

I sawed the "peaks" off of mine. I have 1 or 1.25 coils cut (depending upon which car.)
I suspect if your arms make contact, with no bump stops, you will feel it very rudely.

[GTRS Fiero]

That is what worries me.  Since I am missing 2 coils, I am fearful of a very rude ride.

[Raydar]

That is what worries me.  Since I am missing 2 cools, I am fearful of a very rude ride.

I'm thinking it will be less rude, with the bumpstops. Metal-to-rubber, even if it happens a bit sooner, I think would be preferable to metal-to-metal.
With that said... I have never ridden in an 88 that seemed to hit its limits of travel. But then I'm kind of conservative in how I mod my cars.
I remember a particular 86 that I rode in, that was cut by 1.5 - 2 coils, I believe. Rode like a conestoga wagon. I have to believe that it was actually riding on the bumpstops, and the springs were just along for the ride.

[GTRS Fiero]

Last night, I took a spirited drive down a windy road.  Since the road was mostly empty, I pushed it a bit in the turns.  Nothing too major, but I did take 2 turns slideways, running about 65 MPH.  One of these turns was an S, and I think maybe I ran that one too hot.  I upset the balance of the car when trying to make the second half of the S.  Somewhere along the way, we came across a Nissan 350 that just wouldn't move.  Most of the road was no-passing, but we finally got to a brief stretch that allowed passing from our side.  The bugger sped up.  I passed him, anyway, at, um--a bunch of RPMs.  He couldn't make the turn, and plowed a bunch of corn.

I drove the Fiero out, with a FireHawk following me, then we swapped rides, coming back.  The cars handle completely differently.  I'd gap him in the Fiero on just about every turn, except that S.  Maybe I lost my nerve and let off, which is what he said I did.  On the ride back, there was a bit of moisture on the road, and I was having problems with traction on the right side.  So was he, so we were about 10 minutes slower, coming back.

This morning, I checked, and it did not appear that I had hit the bump stops.

[The Art Doctor]

old trick, put a zip tie around shock/strut shaft and see of far it moves up during a ride.  That will tell you how much travel you are using and how much lower you can possibly go before bottoming.

[GTRS Fiero]

I thought you just tape a piece of chalk there, and see if it gets broken or not.

[The Art Doctor]

That would tell if you are hitting the stop.  Marking the shock/strut shaft with a zip tie will tell you how much you are moving the suspension up its travel.  If you have travel left and are hit the bump stop, you might want a lower bump stop crown and get more travel.  Conversely if you are out of travel you need a taller stop.  The stops are really there to keep you from bottoming the shocks/struts and bending the rod or blowing them out.    If you lower the car with cut coils the shock is no longer operating in the middle of its stroke range it was designed for as you are now part way up its travel at static height, assuming a stock shock not a lowering shock designed for shorter coils and a reduced stroke.  I went through all this with Bilstein for my lowered chevy to get just the right set up.

[GTRS Fiero]

Hmmm.  I may need different shocks.

[Raydar]

Hmmm.  I may need different shocks.

What leads you to that conclusion? The fact that it didn't seem to hit the bumpstops?
If the shocks were bottoming out, I have to believe that you would likely feel it. Instead of the suspension compressing through its normal cycle, it would just stop. Abruptly. Sometimes suddenly enough to offset the balance of the car.

Edit - If you believe your shocks are limiting travel, you can space the bottoms down a bit.
Remove the bottom bolts, and pull the shock down a bit. (An inch, maybe?) Insert a stack of washers or a metal spacer between the "ears", and the bottom of the LCA where the bolts thread in. You will likely need longer bolts.
I'm not suggesting that a stack of washers is a permanent solution, but it should suffice, to test. 

[GTRS Fiero]

Well, if the shock is not operating in the middle of its stroke range, that's bad.  The shocks I have were for the stock length of coils.