adapting to different bolt circle-rear

[fiero308]

so I was concerned about this fairly small bearing area until I took the hub out of my Z34 Lumina......... (monster bearing in it by the way.......) and saw the size of the 'shoulder' that sits inside its 'knuckle' (actually is a different setup)
here is is; hope you can make it out.  It is the part that is just above the vice (YES it is very rusty......)

[fiero308]

anyway, this is interesting:
with all the axle-end swapping that I am looking into I wanted to see if the Lumina Z34 (larger, heavier car with a larger more powerful motor) axle ends would fit the S10 bearing assy OR the fiero middle axle section (or both).  As you can see from the pile I have been fiddling with parts a bit.
Anyway, you might see the (huge) Lumina axle stub slid on over my fiero axle end - sort of upper left of pic) which shows they are using a single spline AT LEAST for the 85 fiero, 92 Lumina, 87 S10's and more, no doubt.....
which is interesting and might be useful to someone looking to do a bolt pattern or suspension upgrade.....
All the 'junk' is axle ends, bearings, knuckles of various things I've been trying........

[fiero308]

soooooooooo.... according to a particular website, where 4 3/4" rear hubs were adapted...... the guy put in "prepared" pontiac 6000 uprights with S10 bearing assemblies and S10 axle ends (which go onto stock fiero inners).
The word "Prepared" is a biggie. I had to have the S10 axle ends rebuilt to fit onto the fiero axles. The 6000 uprights need a bit of machining to have the bearing fit into it (at all) AND also to get the bolts of the S10 bearing to line up and thread in.  Kinda important. But it is done.  Here is what goes into a simple axle end!!!  Lotsa parts; and they were NOT that easy to take out (so they are NOT going back in )
The front of the picture shows all the parts that fit inside the axle end... somehow. Not a job for anyone who is mechanically challenged .. like me.
The new rebuilt ones are in the background.  
Someday this will all be worthwhile.........

[Bixby]

  So what are you doing for the front? I have used wheel adapters all the way around my car but i would love to change them to an axel/hub combo that works!! Please keep this thread going!

[FieroBUZZ]

Hi Wade, welcome to our little group.  Do you still have the 'Lethal Weapon'?  I'm sure most of the guys have drooled over a pic or two.  Got any recent ones?

We haven't seen Graeme for a bit.  I believe now till tax time is his 'snowed under' season.

It really is time we tried to get an up to date coherent page put up for several of the topics including this and Aaron's Northstar conversion.

On the side, my in-laws are in Cape Breton and I get down that way usually every summer.  Love the area, hate the new hiway.  You miss all the interesting little places, although my wife likes to get in the car here and out at her Mom's place.  
Gary

[Bixby]

  Hia! I still have the 'Lethal Weapon'. I have too much time and $ into it to ever sell it. I blew a head gasket the other year and the car is parked inside my new garage until I can afford to do more with it.  I’ve spent 35k on the garage or more so my Fiero budget has been slashed for a while. I’m in the process of putting a v6 my other l4 car just because I must have a Fiero to drive in the summer!

I plan on doing bead blasting and some powder coating in my garage. I have the blast cabinet and a honk’n Princess Auto compressor.

   I just got the heat hooked up last week. It is in floor and it’s sweet! It’s so nice to pick a rag up off the floor and it’s all cuddly and warm.

   I have purchased an LT1 intake and plan to put it on when I do the head gasket. Take a look at www.lt1intake.com

   If you’re ever in Nova Scotia look me up!


This is the view most people get of my car at night!

http://users.eastlink.ca/%7Ewadecustance/fiero/backlight.htm

[fiero308]

hi Wade
as Gary correctly stated I am snowed under with work - this is my craziest time of yr and it goes thru end march but it is a bit chilly to work out in the garage anyway.....  
I have an 'assy' worked up for the front hubs and actually..... ummmm.... now that I remember that I have a red car in the garage I should probably go and get my parts back from the machine shop..... (embarrassed........)  
anyway
it is an S10 spindle stub installed into the fiero spindle upright (I have pix and will dig some up) so that I can use a camaro/corvette rotor with a wilwood caliper (couldn't resist!) and that makes use of really BIG meaty bearings and a heavy axle stub etc and gives me the same 4 3/4" bolt circle.  The Vette rotor is a slide on; that is, it doesn't have wheel studs in it so I am using a camaro hub assembly; TURNED DOWN (a la the 'turned down fiero hub assy' for the grand am conversion)
and then the vette 13" rotor slides over that.  I haven't yet got my bracket made up for the new calipers but going to 4 piston makes them self-centering and thus a bit simpler - once the caliper is in place, it STAYS there!! (no sliders or pins).
anyway
I stopped posting partly because I was getting emails from a few people who .... well.... might have not been too 'careful' about how they did things and .... I got a bit concerned about liability or even moral responsibility if things went wrong.  This is actually life and death stuff so it can't be a budget-conscious project.  It has to be done right and will cost whatever it costs.  
Will try to find my pix to show you what I am talking about but........ yes busy busy these days.  I expect my next 2 days off in a row will be in April.
GARY!!
how ya been!?!?!?!?
talk later guys
gp

[Bixby]

  Thanks for the reply!  I was digging around in the forum and saw how you did the fronts. I can see why you would worry about people coping that. I wouldn't do it that way for fear of that breaking, but we all make our choices, and have to live with our own engineering. That being said, I am still impressed! Larger bearings and spindles would rock! It just too bad we can get some one to manufacture new ones with a larger spindle that would be bolt ons, for a reasonable price.

[fiero308]

actually, it is WAY-overengineered but that just gives me a really nice warm feeling....
I know there are aftermarket guys who .... hint/insist/suggest that the existing fiero spindles are too small and flimsy for bigger brakes (and other things) and they sell upgraded ones.  However, I haven't actually found anyone who has had a real life BREAKAGE........ why would that be?  
The spindles I am using are from an S10 and are identical to the camaro (using P/N's) and similar medium size heavier cars (that run 3600 lbs and carry big blocks..... and maybe do wheelies with LOTSA weight on those spindles, etc!!!).  They are massive compared to the little fiero ones.....
And they are actually installed in a similar (not exactly) manner; a tight press fit into the upright and then welded both sides - by a good competent welder - and THEN finished up on a lathe.  I might have a chance to get my stuff back this wk - I literally just forgot about it     and if so will get some pix off.  It all fits inside an IROC Z 16" rim but interestingly I am going to have to go to 4 "REAR" rims to get the offsets I want (fronts and rears are different... )
I might be able to (remember to) take some measurements of the spindles and you will see the difference in x-setional area and thus strength.  I am trying to 'fix' things so that I don't spend any money on machining rotors; they are a "wear" part and I want to be able to just replace them in place.  I might not be able to do that with the big vette fronts.  Will see.  It is VERY close right now; the Wilwood caliper ends up with about 1/8" clearance to the rim.

The rear Lebaron rotors slip right on; no probs.  The wheel assy fits perfectly; the tire finishes just about 1/8" or so inside my fender lip.
YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT MY STUFF/SELECTIONS IS INTENDED TO GIVE ME A WIDER FOOTPRINT; MY CAR IS 3" WIDER EACH SIDE AT THE BACK THAN A STOCK FIERO and is about 2" wider each side at the front......  I also am not sure how this stuff would work with the stock strut at the back....... (wheel width and offset etc....)
anyway
if i can be any help i will try but i am working.....like now .... for example, (sunday) so it might take a bit to respond to some things.....  I am hoping to do 2 straight weeks at it in April/May (when this crazy time is over) and that should get me somewhere..
-gp

[Bixby]

Excuse my stupidity! If those are pressed in, and then welded they are probably much stonger than the originals. I was thinking ya just cut the spindle off flush and welded a new on on. I stand very much corrected. I will need to start saving some coinage. Thanks for the insite.

[fiero308]

yup; I decided to try to 'copy' the orig design/method. THIS is where a really good quality shop is a MUST.  Not every machine shop is prepared to do a close fit on these two items, it seems.  I picked up a pair of spindles from a camaro for about $10 each I think and then had them cut away all the metal that didn't look like spindle stub...... LOL.  Same as sculpting an elephant out of a block of granite........

but it is exact work; don't go with the cheapest price in this stuff.  Still, it isn't rocket science, either, so talk to a few shops and get a feel for them and cost etc.  If one is dramatically less than the other(s) there is your hint.......
good luck
gp