help with suspension setup

[blueoval]

jpt what did you run in the rear? and is the rest of your suspension still festiva? do you have a pic or are there one on here thanks

[FestYboy]

just putting on new components will increase ride quality, figure your parts are currently 24 years and unknown miles old, they're just plain worn out. anything with stronger valving will make the car feel tighter but that only goes so far before things get jarring. we get stronger valving by using parts from heavier cars.

[blueoval]

yeah car had 109,000 on it when I got it but the shocks are worn out,could just get all festiva parts but if there is a better option for around the same price then i'd like to go that route. just figured that with so many different setups on here in post that maybe there was a better than oem setup,what do you run festyboy?

[JPT]

jpt what did you run in the rear? and is the rest of your suspension still festiva? do you have a pic or are there one on here thanks

The back is KYB struts and stock springs. The ride height is about the same in the back and about an inch higher in front. I'm thinking about taking another 1/2 coil off the springs in the front (for a total of 2 coils cut).

I don't have a current pic of the car, because it's parked 25 miles away. I'll get a pic this weekend when I go to work on it. (I'm swapping in a Rio transmission).

[blueoval]

since the shocks fit and the stock springs has anyone tried any lowering springs offered for the rio? it has all kind of options iebach,megan racing,h&r and many more

[FestYboy]

i run KYB all around with FMS lowering springs all around and 110lb/in helper springs in the rear that don't become active untill there;s weight in the car. i had to do this so i could have ppl in the car without excessive rubbiing. the KYBs feel good, but still a bit under damped in the rear. this car is Scrappy and is set up for very spirited driving.

[blueoval]

festyboy I was just going to run festiva parts and get fms springs but everytime I see any for sale someone beats me to them tried to buy the ones off of bert but was a little to late

[FestYboy]

honestly the FMS springs are way too soft.... better off ordering a set of custom springs, and you'll spend about the same $$$. i should look into what my local spring shop would charge for a custom set of springs.

[zoom zoom]

since the shocks fit and the stock springs has anyone tried any lowering springs offered for the rio? it has all kind of options iebach,megan racing,h&r and many more

That's a really good idea, just make sure they're stock 175lb spring rates and not stiffer. You could even go lower in the front but definately don't go higher spring rate than 175. Rears you want about 120-135lb springs. 90-98 miatas springs are another option all the way around, front and rear.

[Team Lightning]

Just a reminder, only Monroe Aspire struts have the higher perch. My Gabriels for an Aspire are the same as the ones for a Festiva.
One point, as far as I know, KYB doesn't offer Aspire struts. At least l nor, my parts man can find them and they don't list them on their website.

[blueoval]

festboy custom springs are a little over 400 dollars but Charlie said most of the time custom springs are a waste of money so that's one reason I started this thread. also why does the spring perch matter

[Safety Guy]

Lucas, if I were you I'd consider the following:

Rio front struts in GC pulled from a junkyard. You'll need to get the early model Rio mounts, which are two bolt ones and are direct fit in Festivas and Aspires. Pull the whole strut assembly and then borrow a strut compression tool from a parts store to take them apart. Cut 1.5 to 2 coils off (as others have advised) the Rio springs and see how that works for you after you reassemble the struts. They should then be bolt-in to your car and the real bearing of the Rio strut mount will feel a lot like "power steering" compared with your old struts (which use flat plastic washers on Festiva and Aspire). FYI, you can't use Rio mounts with Aspire or Festiva struts and vice-versa unless you do some adapting, so steer clear of mixing them. (The hole in the mount won't match the strut extension.)

The advantage of the above is to keep costs down while putting in much newer and heavier duty parts. Just make sure the Rio assembly is in the best condition possible. Good to VGC is best.

Just to make it clear, however, I am running used Rio front struts and mounts with cut Aspire springs (cut one coil) and these do very well for me. But since at least one person has cut the Rio springs and found it to be good, I think that will do.

As for the rear, apparently only Monroe still sells Aspire spec rear struts (I'm running those with cut rear Aspire springs). By using Aspire spec rear struts, you get about 1/2 to 3/4" higher spring perch, which allows more room for tire clearance. If you run smaller diameter tires this shouldn't be a problem, but I'd recommend the Aspire specs anyways. Also, I would forgo cutting the rear Aspire springs since I've got some rubbing with my 175/70-13s on bumps or with a heavy load. Try them uncut first! Yes, it will be higher, but it won't be as likely to rub, in my experience.

I will be going to Charlie's modded Festiva spec KYB rear struts sometime soon. I have all the parts but I need to mod them and put them on. This should give me all kinds of rear end flexibility for hauling loads and then lowering the back end for better handling if I want it. (Note that I won't be modding the strut height for best handling, just cutting off the perch for clearance purposes.)

Rio parts represent the easiest and best way to improve and update Festiva (and Aspire!) front ends, but this area is still being sorted out. I do intend to go to an '05 Rio front strut and brake setup some day soon and will post fully about it. Until then, use caution and make sure everything you do is safe!

Karl

[Bert]

honestly the FMS springs are way too soft.... better off ordering a set of custom springs, and you'll spend about the same $$$. i should look into what my local spring shop would charge for a custom set of springs.

...way too soft!!! Whatever it was Roger sent me for 'sport' springs were not at all soft. May be tolerable if you're a racer but not my cup of tea for ordinary driving.

[blueoval]

carl how does it drive/handle with your setup?

[Safety Guy]

What I have now is fine with my low profile 175/60-13s. No rubbing in the back. But with my 175/70-13 snows it would rub on bumps or with a load.

Handling is not optimal due to its being a bit tall (around stock ride height). My performance suspension will be at least one inch lower.

My car is the first one on the right:



Karl