Kia Rio Front Strut Assembly Install

[russian]

So I have removed 1.5 coil... My assembly is a mixture of after 2002-strut with a pre-2002 strut cap.

My problem: the assembly was longer then Festivas before spring cut, and stayed longer after spring cut. Strut mounting point is now half an inch lower than the knuckle mounting point, it's asking to jack the strut which cannot be the right way to do it.

What do I do wrong?

[Movin]

The rio struts are longer extended, you have weakened the spring pressure
about right. They should jack easily into position, and will have more travel than
stock. You will need good like new cv boots on the outer cv's, they will flex more
extended. The 2003 were the longest. Once you let the car down and "break in "
the new suspension you should have a near stock ride height.

[zoom zoom]

The idea of rigging up a jack under the strut and compressing it without it being mounted solid to the car disturbs me, that's how people get hurt, you can't just pry down on the lca or sway bar with a cheater pipe and hold it long enough to get the bolts started? The strut must just be taller, but even when a car is sitting on the ground the strut isn't extended fully, it's resting on the semi compressed spring. If the strut was fully extended while installed and sitting on the ground cutting coils wouldn't lower it at all until the springs were shorter than the extended strut.

In your case tho, I'd keep an eye on the cv's, and please let us know if it ends up wearing them out from the extra travel!

[Movin]

Yes, either way this should be done on a good surface. If prying down is used remember you are at the max travel of the CV because of the longer extended length. Boots, joints , bent shafts and ruined trans seals can happen if using a cheater, keep your eyes open.
If jacking it , as mentioned above bolt the upper mounting plate to the car! If you have them coil spring compressors could be used. Use a solid jack, not some tipsy little thing.

[Bert]

Timmay89: Way to go laddy, ya done good. Once you've got the bugs ironed out please post your results listing all the parts used, with photos, on the forum once more as a new entry so they can be archived for the search feature. New or used Festy springs are a sonovagun to get hold of around here.

I've noticed numerous 00-01 Rios (2-hole strut tower mounts) at my local accessible, friendly and cheap JY (Kenny's U Pull on Bentley Ave in Ottawa). If complete front struts, mounts and springs from these cars are a direct/compatible swap for Festys, that will become good news for folks in geographical areas where Festys and Aspires have vanished altogether. And the upgrade to Rio bearing-turned caps is also a bonus feature.

Now we need to hear about donor vehicles for substitute rear springs that are a direct fit.

By the way there is a 94 VW 1.8 manual transmission (few or no electronics) turbo diesel, cheap, at Kennys at the moment and boy would I like to hear that one of those things swap in without too much fuss. The 4 hole wheel pattern is same as an Aspire (100mm) and the front hub arrangement does not look all that dissimilar.

[timmay89]

Kia Rio Strut Pictures

Picture Time: Ok Here are some pictures for all of you.

So here is a comparison between the Kia Rio and Festiva front Strut. On the left (bottom) is the Kia Rio Strut, on the right (top) is the Festiva strut.



As you notice there isn't much difference if any between the festiva and rio struts. The rio springs have more coils, and the strut bearing at the top. When I installed the rio strut I had to pull down the hub a bit to get the strut to hub bolts in, but they went in. I did not cut any coils. The overall result went from 24" height to 24.75" height. Here is the before picture



Here is the after picture:



One thing to note between the two pictures, my rear shocks are leaking, so they currently sit lower than they will with the aspire rear shock swap I am about to do. I am going to next swap in the rear aspire shocks, and then figure out if I want to cut any springs. I currently LOVE the ride of the rio struts as they respond so much better and really decrease body roll, but the height does annoy me. We will see what happens.

Another odd benefit, my car barely shakes going 50+mph now. It used to shake alot, so happy about that.

Also for those who are curious, I am running Mazda 323 wheels, with 175/70/13 Michelin Ice X tires

[zoom zoom]

A guy over on fa.com wanted his Aspire lowered after putting the Rio struts on, he took before/1coil/2coil measurements, and I believe it was a 1/2 inch drop for every full coil he cut off. It's all trial and error, who really knows yet what the festivas weight will say about cut coils, so please keep us posted!

[timmay89]

I will be installing kia rio fronts this Saturday. I have 2.5 sets (do not ask), most of them have this nasty 3rd bolt at the top which I will probably need to cut first.
My plan is to lower the car a bit... Will let you know how many coils

Do you have any pictures from the install?

A guy over on fa.com wanted his Aspire lowered after putting the Rio struts on, he took before/1coil/2coil measurements, and I believe it was a 1/2 inch drop for every full coil he cut off. It's all trial and error, who really knows yet what the festivas weight will say about cut coils, so please keep us posted!

Thanks for the info. I will feel it out but I'm thinking about 1.5 coils will be about right. Hopefully that takes me down to 23.5"ish. At the same time though the ride is Soo good that I would hate to tamper with it at all.

[russian]

by the way. since these kia struts have this sway bar mounts, has anyone tried using BOTH festiva (or aspire) sway bar and the kia sway bar? if that's still a sway bay considering the way it is mounted... or would it be too much?

[zoom zoom]

I don't believe anyones actually tried it, but it would definately beef up the suspension, the problem is mounting it to the car! if you can figure that out, you'll have it made! definately let us know if anything comes of that!

Thanks for the info. I will feel it out but I'm thinking about 1.5 coils will be about right. Hopefully that takes me down to 23.5"ish. At the same time though the ride is Soo good that I would hate to tamper with it at all.

haha, don't sweat it, you won't lose much, your still gonna LOVE it!

[perucho]

...

One thing to note between the two pictures, my rear shocks are leaking, so they currently sit lower than they will with the aspire rear shock swap I am about to do. ...

Leaking shocks have no effect on the car height when it's not moving. They are there to dampen the spring/car motion, and offer no "lifting" help to the springs.

[Movin]

Leaking shocks have no effect on the car height when it's not moving. They are there to dampen the spring/car motion, and offer no "lifting" help to the springs.

Ah come on, how are we going to sell our better half the "improvements" ?
we gotta keep some of these old wives tales going!!

[timmay89]

Ah come on, how are we going to sell our better half the "improvements" ?
we gotta keep some of these old wives tales going!!

Ha! So true. Ok good to know. So you are suggesting that the lower than usual back end could be the springs going on the car. I'm not too worried then.

Thanks

[Bert]

Every kid on the block with runflat tires, mags and a beat-up Honda wants to lower his car and the FMS sport springs for Festys do much the same. What's with this 'bagged spring' look?; aside from enabling a car to lean less on corners (lower center of gravity) were you to be travelling at 120 mph in a race.
Timmay89: You elected to become the guinea pig for Rio struts and springs, and from what I have seen so far, the experiment is going to save Festy driver's money, open up new avenues for affordable/available parts, and provide better rides for all.
Too bad it's such a lot of work to tinker with spring height, via disassembly and cutting, when they are already mounted on the front of a car.

[timmay89]

Timmay89: You elected to become the guinea pig for Rio struts and springs, and from what I have seen so far, the experiment is going to save Festy driver's money, open up new avenues for affordable/available parts, and provide better rides for all.
Too bad it's such a lot of work to tinker with spring height, via disassembly and cutting, when they are already mounted on the front of a car.

Ya it is a bit of a pain, but once I figure out exactly how many coils to cut then it should be much easier for the next person. Also I am thinking that if I install the aspire rear shocks it will lift the back making it look normal-ish again. If so there would be no need to cut coils.

Even the people on the aspire forum cut a coil when installing these assemblies on their vehicles.