Advanced Suspension Mods

[TominMO]

^^ Based on what you just wrote, I re-called SW Speed and went back to my original order: 36mm adjusters, 10" long, 1 7/8" 105# springs. This will probably give me a lower ride height than I now have, so I may cut the front springs another half-coil to start. (It has good bump stops!) I might buy the 120# springs as an alternative, to swap in for towing; or keep them on and sell the 105# ones.

[Advancedynamix]

1. The Rio has 175# front springs, but I want to change out my stock Festy front springs and go to 150s on the Festy--assuming I can find a good solution for the rear Bilsteins. One solution would be to just use Festy fronts of course, but I wanted to go to a narrower spring for tire/wheel clearance reasons.
2. ---
3. Yeah I wondered about just using the bump stop. Good pic there.
4. Toby was very helpful.

I'm gonna hafta come up with a solution for my top hat too. I'm hoping I can just use the rubber spring isolator up there, like we do on stock springs. But we'll see.....I might just test-fit the 12" springs and if they are too short, return them and go with 14s.

Yeah, trial and error. I think 150 is a good starting point. Make sure your springs never float loosely. They should be secured snugly by the shock. If you need more sag, then you need a softer rate, not a shorter spring. The spring should never be fully unloaded.

[TominMO]

OK, I put it all together for a trial fitting, using parts I had laying around, with the stuph I got from SW Speed. They sent my parts out the same day I ordered them BTW. This is for the Aspire. I didn't follow Charlie's setup on top; I am curious what he has to say about this layout. Will it work well, or will it flip the car over like a Ford Exploder and automatically burst into flames?

I had to do some light trimming of the chrome seal at the top of the strut body, to clear the threaded sleeve. Five light passes around with my cutoff wheel used as a grinder did the trick. I put a little electrical tape on the seal (~3/4 around) and at the bottom of the strut where the sleeve sits on the shelf (twice around), just to make a tighter fit.

Here's the assembled unit. 105# springs. I didn't drill and tap any of the three locations for a set screw yet. Charlie, do I need to do all three, or is one good enough? Also, what is the part # for those white bump stops? All mine are too large for these springs, except this used orange one I had laying around. I re-used the black bump stop the same way you did.


Closeup of the top. That bumper fit nicely in there, and became my "top hat". The flattened washer sits on the first notch in the shaft, at the bottom of the threads.


The "exploded" view. The top unflattened washer in pics 2 & 3 represents the strut hole at the top in the unibody, and will not be used. Not shown here is another rubber piece and the top metal washer for under the nut.The flattened washer is just like that one, but got the BFH treatment.

[TominMO]

This page shows the exact Bilstein I have on the Festy's rear. A kwik check with Rock Auto confirms that it fits both the 93 Cabriolet and 82 Rabbit. They describe it as a 46mm monotube design; so I can order the 46mm coilover parts from SW Speed for this! Nice! For this application I would be using the 2 9/16" ID springs--which come in 10/12/14" sizes, so more flexibility in ride height. I'm looking at the 12" or 14" 120# springs. My Festy is set up for towing too; this would give a lot of choice in setting the car up for DD, towing, offroad even. These springs are still much narrower than stock springs, so no wheel/tire clearance issues either--and no spacers!

Forgot to mention that SW Speed included a 260-page paper catalog with the order.

[TominMO]

Aaaaannd....installed. Changes I made were adding an extra rubber donut below the hole in the body, for a little more height, and turning the adjusting nut up to near the top of the threaded collar. I removed the flattened washer, no need for it. I took it around the block on my bumpy alley to settle the shocks a bit; felt good, but actual driving will be the test. I think the 105# springs will do well. If not, there's always 120#.

The yellow stripe is electrical tape under the collar, which does not go all the way down to the lower shelf. Thought I'd add a little color. On the driver's side the tape is blue, for kwik reference as to which shock I'm working on if I have them both off together.


I drilled and tapped the three set-screw indents on the adjusting nut for 1/4-20 x 5/16" long set screws. I picked up a drill/tap combo for this size, ~$5. Blue Loc-tite on the screw threads. I only used two screws per side.


Showing the ride height. About the same as before, possibly slightly higher. I now have ~1.25" clearance between the tire and the spring, without spacers. These are 155/80-13s on 4 1/2" wide rims; so a 14x6 rim with similar offset and 165/55-14 tires would still give ~1/2" clearance.

[Advancedynamix]

Tom,
The part number for the long white bump stops is1J0 512 131B
You have to cut the widest bulb off or sand it to fit the 1 7/8 springs. You can stack and cut bump stops to suit your application.

[TominMO]

Tom,
The part number for the long white bump stops is 1J0 512 131B
You have to cut the widest bulb off or sand it to fit the 1 7/8 springs. You can stack and cut bump stops to suit your application.

Thanks! I copied and pasted the part # to Google-search it. Amazon has it; $6.07 each w/free shipping on orders over $35. I just now ordered six. The part I cut off might come in handy as a top hat; in fact I might not have to cut it off at all if I do that. Experimentation!

Edit: on the other hand, it would probably be better to have the bump stop riding free on the bottom, to keep more gunk off the shaft.

The bump stop

[Advancedynamix]

These ones aren't shaped like those ones you used as top hats. What car did those come from?
I'm not sure if that foam will hold up for long supporting the spring, but I hope it does because that's a nice solution.

[TominMO]

These ones aren't shaped like those ones you used as top hats. What car did those come from?
I'm not sure if that foam will hold up for long supporting the spring, but I hope it does because that's a nice solution.

IDK, some JY car. I had the same thought about durability; we'll see. I didn't see any fender washers at Lowes that looked large enuf to cover the springs. I'm gonna have the same issue with the 2 9/16" springs on the Bilstein.

[Advancedynamix]

Spring Top Hat

[Team Lightning]

I don't recommend the plastic ones. I busted one on my bp car when I shifted into second gear under power.

[Advancedynamix]

If the poly top hat is supported by a piece of steel behind it, then you should be fine. You can't expect the plastic to hold the weight of the car. I wouldn't use these on the front, but in the back they should be fine with a piece of 3/16 steel on top of them, or better yet, if they seat in the cup that is up in the body of the car.

[TominMO]

If the poly top hat is supported by a piece of steel behind it, then you should be fine. You can't expect the plastic to hold the weight of the car. I wouldn't use these on the front, but in the back they should be fine with a piece of 3/16 steel on top of them, or better yet, if they seat in the cup that is up in the body of the car.

That could very well be workable, esp. if I go for the 14" springs. It's possible that with springs that long I could even get by without a top hat at all; just have a rubber cover, like we do for the stock springs. But I'd prefer an actual top hat solution.

[Movin]

That could very well be workable, esp. if I go for the 14" springs. It's possible that with springs that long I could even get by without a top hat at all; just have a rubber cover, like we do for the stock springs. But I'd prefer an actual top hat solution.

As long as you engage the bearing plate properly ..interesting thought!!

[TominMO]

As long as you engage the bearing plate properly ..interesting thought!!

What bearing plate are you referring to?