need to gain ground clearance on festiva

[mdutton]

Im reading these suspension articles and trying to figure out how to get a little more off road worthy ground clearance on the festiva. Ive taken off the 12s on mine and put on geo metro 13s with 13/80/155 tires that has given it some clearance but it could use a bit more lift.
Im thinking for the front a set of front struts with 2 bolt strut bearings from 01-03 kia rio. I notices some of you complaining about how changing to these struts resulted in your cars being higher(something I want). Also I know that the rio is a 2250lb car vs festiva 1720lb so the rio struts will be about 32% stiffer great for square edge ruts and jumps and G outs.
Does anyone know how much ride height gain the rio struts will gain a festiva on the front and my other question is what are you poeple doing on the rear. I would like to have the rear gain in ride height be about the same as the front. I see the stock rear struts are flimsy looking with a oing skinny rod attaching to the rear axle.

[bravekozak]

I am not a suspension expert, but I do know that if you perform the Aspire suspension conversion, you will get the lift you desire.

[rollertoaster]

Before I put my coil over sleeves on I had rio front springs cut in the front and cut front aspire springs in the rear. It gave me about a 1-2" lift and stiffened the ride up nicely. It would have worked pretty well as a rally-x setup.


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[FestYboy]

try 4th gen J body struts for the rear

[mdutton]

thx ! what car is a gen 4 J body

I just got the festiva reccently what is car is a gen 4 J body

[sc72]

I used "00-02" Kia Rio front struts with uncut springs, for the rear i used 94-97 Aspire rear struts with Festiva front strut springs "uncut" to get the the ride hight higher. Hope this helps good luck.

[mdutton]

yes it does

Im thinking uncut rio 00-02 on front but I gotta think on moving my front fest springs to the rear seems like it would be way oversprung but i might do it anyways.

[sc72]

Im thinking uncut rio 00-02 on front but I gotta think on moving my front fest springs to the rear seems like it would be way oversprung but i might do it anyways.

Yes i understand your thoughts about the Festiva front springs on the rear, but it works well for us, your application may be diff, give it a try, then you will know if it will work for you or not, all your going to be out is some time [a couple hours] and effort. Good luck.

[mdutton]

thx for all info you can give

Thx ! im not making a racecar but am needing something for camping and going oin rough roads sometimes.I need to be able to load it with 300 lb of gear and still be able to off road it. Btw has anyone tried what im doing? Im using a 230CC lawn and leaf battery instead of a car battery. Only 16lbs and seems to be working. I figure if a 460CC batt can turn a 5.2 v8 the little lawn and leaf battery should handle my 1.3 bumble bee! advantages are more room in under hood area lower center of gravity and 20lbs or so lighter and less weight directly over un powersteered wheels up front.

[Joe Dirt]

Thx ! im not making a racecar but am needing something for camping and going oin rough roads sometimes.I need to be able to load it with 300 lb of gear and still be able to off road it. Btw has anyone tried what im doing? Im using a 230CC lawn and leaf battery instead of a car battery. Only 16lbs and seems to be working. I figure if a 460CC batt can turn a 5.2 v8 the little lawn and leaf battery should handle my 1.3 bumble bee! advantages are more room in under hood area lower center of gravity and 20lbs or so lighter and less weight directly over un powersteered wheels up front.

I'm running a lawnmower battery in mine also

[lessersivad]

Seems like bhazard installed uncut front rio springs/struts and tore the outer CV boots because of the extreme lift.

[drddan]

I have Ford Aspire struts and springs on mine all around. About 1-1 1/2 inches lift, and with 14 inch tires, i've got some decent ground clearance.
I have Rio struts I havent put on yet. Wanting to cut a coil from them. Probably a good idea to cut a coil if Rio's are used. They were about 1 inch higher than the Aspire struts I have now. Really, you would be happy with the height of the Aspire struts, and no cutting involved.

[Bert]

Many talk about swapping various springs from front to rear but has anybody noticed fronts and rears differ by about 1/8 inch in overall diameter, which makes a mess of trying to fit the required rubber boots? Myself, I hate squeaks.

[mdutton]

drddan how does it ride

does it eat up the rough stuff without bottoming ? I knw the aspire is about 2050 lb so should be about 17% more stiff and 17% more effort to bottom out. I might just do that and get aspire struts from a u pull it and just put em in. sound easy!

[mdutton]

Drddan what i forgot to ask was what did you do for the strut tower bearings? are not all aspire tower bearings 3 bolt type? also are the aspire tower bearings a bushing or are they the bearing type? What years of aspire can be used are they all the same no matter what year