Spring rate questions

[rollertoaster]

I'm preparing to do an aspire swap. I already have the front sway bar on. I got a set of springs from the aspire but they are a little rusty. I can clean them up and repaint them but I'm concerned that the spring rate may still be too low for my liking. I'm planning on running rio front struts and my roe aspire rear struts. I need my ride height to remain unchanged so lowering springs are out of the question.

My idea is to run a set of 2010 wrx rear springs as my fronts, they are about 190lb/in. My plN for the rear is to cut either the aspire or feisty front springs and run them as rears. The coil diameter are close enough that a little massaging of the perch will keep the springs seated properly.
Here is a picture of a wrx spring next to one front and one rear aspire spring.

[Gomez]

I'm thinking that even with the heavier rate of the WRX springs you will still be lower just because of the diff in length when you take into account spring rate. Not sure of the exact rate of the Aspire spring but I would bet that it would take a lot more than 190lbs to come close to where the WRX spring would come in. Therefore my guess is your car will be lower with those fronts.

[rollertoaster]

Yeah, I think I need to measure the spring height with an assembled strut. The wrx springs are significantly stiffer than the aspire fronts, and then there is loaded suspension sag to take into account. It may be feasable but I need to do a little more research.

Does anyone know what the stock aspire rates are?

[bhazard]

Check out Rio front springs?

[rollertoaster]

I am going to see if I can find some rio springs. I was hoping to just buy new front struts though, there are no rios in the junkyard near here. Maybe I can run the stock feisty fronts as a rear then

[bhazard]

I would recommend not running stockers in the rear if the front is stiffened. I am. Its bad.

[Grey Vw]

If you want your car to do this then yes, go ahead and put stock springs in the back:p http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=offjdVUkm5s

Stiff springs in the back help tremendously with traction. I could spin 1st and 2nd before and now I can barely chirp the tires. My 60ft also went down about .3 seconds and 1/4 mile time went down 1 second.

[bobbyspider]

i think he is talking about using stock "front" aspire springs in the rear. i thought about doing this too i think the front aspire spring rate is 110 lb/in

[bhazard]

They're still way soft.

[rollertoaster]

I'm not looking for super stiff. This is a daily driver with a gutted interior, not even a radio. Mainly I just want to go stiff enough to not bottom out the suspension so much, without overwhelming the struts to the point that they blow out or function improperly.

I'm leaning towards rio front springs on the front struts. and possibly aspire or festy front springs cut and installed on the rear struts.

[FestYboy]

that'll get you closer, but i recomend going even stiffer than that in the rear. like say, stock DelSol springs. i have a set lying around and the rears are stiffer than the festy fronts and should fit with minimal mods to the spring itself (none to the strut).

[rollertoaster]

that's good to know about the delsol springs. I should be able to locate those pretty easily

[neanderpaul]

I have 15"s on my festy. Aspire brake swap. Aspire sway bar. Aspire struts all around. Aspire front springs on the front. Festiva front springs cut by 2 coils on the rear. When loaded on the highway with a good enough bump the rears will rub a little. That's rarely. The front's have rubbed a couple of times with some serious high speed bumps.

[drddan]

What about cut front Aspire springs in the rear? I was thinking of doing that when I switch to Rio stuts with cut Rio springs in front.

[Zanzer]

^^ Good question I thought about that too based on a conversation with Paul in this thread

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=36520