time to replace struts( opinion)

[blitzbuggy]

In your opinion should i upgrade the struts to aspire struts or kia rio struts??or just keep the festiva struts and upgrade to kybs??

I plan on lowering it eventually. I hear Tokico Doesn't make struts for our cars






Discuss

[Safety Guy]

Let's see, you have a B6 swap with cam and lightened flywheel, correct?

Have you begun an Aspire brake swap yet, or are you just thinking of replacing struts for now?

I'd highly recommend an Aspire brake swap at minimum. I really like my Rio front struts with cut Aspire springs. I'd like to cut another 1/4 coil off the fronts though, and put in my heavy duty rear springs from FMS. (Aqua is a work car with the B6 and suspension swap, so performance and handling is not the top priority. Hauling stuff and winter beater duties are.)

Just tell us more about your car and what you want it to be like.

IMO, Aspire struts are getting old and the '01 to '02 Rio front struts have actual strut "bearings" rather than plastic washers. They're newer and better. Next I'll probably try cut Rio springs on them.

Karl

[blitzbuggy]

Let's see, you have a B6 swap with cam and lightened flywheel, correct?

Have you begun an Aspire brake swap yet, or are you just thinking of replacing struts for now?

I'd highly recommend an Aspire brake swap at minimum. I really like my Rio front struts with cut Aspire springs. I'd like to cut another 1/4 coil off the fronts though, and put in my heavy duty rear springs from FMS. (Aqua is a work car with the B6 and suspension swap, so performance and handling is not the top priority. Hauling stuff and winter beater duties are.)

Just tell us more about your car and what you want it to be like.

IMO, Aspire struts are getting old and the '01 to '02 Rio front struts have actual strut "bearings" rather than plastic washers. They're newer and better. Next I'll probably try cut Rio springs on them.

Karl

well i haven't done the aspire swap yet because there are no aspires to pillage in the junk yard. how ever they are for sale here for 1500 bux, (no thanks) I intend to do a little auto crossing this year, and some track time at the local circuit course here, i dont mind the festiva brakes, if i swap i will have to figure out new rims and what not. i woujld like to keep the 4x114 for now, with a little modification the brakes can be ok. i will order fms spring to go on the kyb G2s assuming festiva and aspire struts are the same, mind you the rio struts arnt out of the question, what about rear struts?? any better option on them? i want the car to handle well.



EDIT: I am on ebay now, and are aspire struts the same as festiva?? the ad says yes, http://cgi.ebay.ca/94-97-FORD-Aspire...item53e6494a8d

the festiva listing says

http://cgi.ebay.ca/KYB-4-GR2-struts-shocks-88-89-90-91-92-93-Festiva-/250761307719?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3AFord|Model%3AFestiva&hash=item3a6289e647

Help!!

[Safety Guy]

People say that the newer KYB "Aspire" rear struts are the same low perch as on Festiva rear struts, so you wouldn't get as much tire clearance there.

Karl

[blitzbuggy]

ahh ok, i think i may just pull the trigger and get the festiva struts, they wanted 86 bux plus tax for one here, so almost 100 bux a piece, so 156 plus 52 bux to shipp is ok in my books

thanks safety guy

[TominMO]

ahh ok, i think i may just pull the trigger and get the festiva struts, they wanted 86 bux plus tax for one here, so almost 100 bux a piece, so 156 plus 52 bux to shipp is ok in my books

thanks safety guy

I'd recomend Aspire Monroe rear struts, which have the higher spring perch, just to give you more options for tire clearance in the future. But if this isn't an issue, then def get the Festy KYBs, which are better. I have Festy KYBs in front and Aspire Monroes in the rear, just so I don't have to deal with using a spacer for my 185/60x14 tires.

[villageidiot]

I've got 185 60 14 tires on mine. Lowered with cut springs. On escort wheels (aspire swapped) and the kyb gr2s front and rear. I get a little rubbing on major bumps.

rock auto had them cheapest i could find

[blitzbuggy]

well i want to go with some 15s (OZ rims off a lancer) would that be ok with festy struts? 195/50/15?

do the aspire rears make the car sit any higher??

[Safety Guy]

True Aspire spec rear struts should have about 1/2" higher spring perches and should raise your car about that much, everything else being equal.

I'm running Aspire Monroe Sensa Tracs on my back end too.

Karl

[blitzbuggy]

how do you find the senca tracs on the car?? are they a bit stiffer than factory? i used to have sensatracs all around on my fiero that was slammed to the ground and i thought it handled great!

[Safety Guy]

I can only compare my two seater Aqua (w/the Monroes) with the GR2s on Luxstiva, who still has her rear seat, tools and battery in the back. So I really can't tell any difference. They both do a good job.

Karl

[TominMO]

how do you find the senca tracs on the car?? are they a bit stiffer than factory? i used to have sensatracs all around on my fiero that was slammed to the ground and i thought it handled great!

I had KYB GR2s all around, but changed out the rear struts to the Monroe Sensa-tracs, for the higher spring perch. If you compare them side by side, the KYB has a noticably thicker steel shaft. The KYB does feel stiffer, in a good way. The Monroes are more like stock I would think, altho I've never had stock new rear struts to compare.

[blitzbuggy]

thanks for the input guys, kybs all the way, i just waiting to hear back from the seller for shipping, and now I have to try and avoid the brokerage now

[bhazard]

Aspire rears and aspire or rio fronts.

Either way, get some rio strut mounts in the front. They will greatly lower steering effort.

[blitzbuggy]

ok just an update guys, i found a local place that will give me the struts for 62 bux a piece, with 12% tax in, and another place in the city wanted 140 a strut plus taxes