My '88 Fiero - The Never-Ending Saga

[TopNotch]

I'm not pulling my white car's transmission until I get a roof over it, and my new corrugated roof carport isn't scheduled to be delivered until the 19th. Only then will I know "the rest of the story'.

[GTRS Fiero]

Well, Paul Harvey, I'm still interested in that story.

[GTRS Fiero]

The left axle fit into the transmission, no problem.  Unfortunately, the splines will not fit into the hub.  Rrgh!

[GTRS Fiero]

From Fieroguru:

The proper application is 89 Pontiac 6000 with 4T60 and option JA1 light duty brakes, 30mm nut and 33 spline.

[GTRS Fiero]

Joy.  The boxes had the wrong parts in them.

[GTRS Fiero]

From parts barn pics:

If you liik at those passenger-side axles, they do not have splines on the transmission end.

Obviously, 3 or so of the right axles came from a different transmission.

[GTRS Fiero]

I did not count the splines on the previous set, but the new set has 33.  Same part numbers, different source.

[GTRS Fiero]

Here is the new left axle:


Notice the metal outboard of the CV joint (bottom of picture)?  Neither the new left axle nor the old axles had that.

[Fierofool]

Some of the replacement axles come with an ABS ring of some sort because our axles are used in later model cars.  I've heard of people just knocking them off because the axle won't install with them on it.  I found a number of listings for Fiero left axles on PartsGeek.  The left rear for an automatic doesn't have external splines on the inboard end.  It has internal splines to go over a shaft inside the transmission. 

One of the other images showed the ABS reluctor wheel but it doesn't look anything like you show in your image. 

[GTRS Fiero]

The new axles seem to weigh less.  I can hold both of the new axles in one hand, and lift them, bending at the elbow.  I cannot do that with the old axles.

[GTRS Fiero]

Something I noticed with the parts barn axles, is that the splines on the hub end do not appear to be straight.  Should the splines have a twist to them?

[Fierofool]

The splines are straight.  If they were angled, it would pull or push the axle in or out of the transmission during acceleration and deceleration. 

As for the differences in the axles in our parts barn, the ones with splines on both end come from a manual transmission car.  The one without splines on the transmission end comes from an automatic.  This is one reason the seals for the drivers side are different sizes from the manual transmissions. 

[GTRS Fiero]

Hmmm.  Maybe the short axle is on the left side.

The splines on some of those axles do look angled, but yes, what you stated makes sense.  I just don't want to take everything apart again for nothing.

[TopNotch]

Hmmm.  Maybe the short axle is on the left side.

I'm pretty sure that the left side (driver side) axle is always the shorter one. Definitely the shorter one on a manual transmission.

[Fierofool]

You're correct, Pat.  There are 3 different lengths for the Fiero.  The left axle is shortest on both manual and automatic transmissions.  The next shortest is the right side for an automatic and the longest of all is the right side for a manual. 

Michael, I think I see what looks like an angled spline in the top picture above.  But all axle splines are straight cut.