help with suspension setup

[FestYboy]

...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.

yes, way too soft: as in i couldn't have any rear passenger or anything over 50# in the trunk or it'd rub all day long. lowering springs are supposed to be stiffer to maintain load capacity while allowing a lower CG. the FMS units only did the latter.

[blueoval]

165/65/13 is what my car will have on it already got the tires mounted just not putting them on until I get my new shock and an alignment. so could I just cut two coils off and have have a little lower ride and better handling car?

[FestYboy]

the car will be lower, but the handling will be less than ideal because the spring rate WILL go up but not at the rate that would be required for that amount of drop. also lowering the car will nescesitate stronger damping to control suspention movement (we dont drive open wheel cars).

[blueoval]

with all the input I've received I am leaning toward all new festiva suspension and I have always had good results with Monroe sense-tracks so with new Monroe shocks/struts and oem festiva springs then if springs sag have one off custom coil springs made. I would try the aspire or rio setup but either way it is a lot of money and would hate to waste cash on something that would make my car no fun to drive, as I do drive a lot and would not want my teeth to chatter when I hit a pot hole because here in tn our roads just plain suck. and with the worn out shock/struts the car rides and handles good and is real fun on a curvy rd.

[FestYboy]

those 13's will change the car's dynamic just in and of themselves. turn in will be sharper and it wont' squirm under load as much but they'll also show you how worn out your suspention is. i'm a deciple of rear suspention before all else (especially with our cars because the stock crap is just that... too loose, too weak and too soft)

[Bert]

with all the input I've received I am leaning toward all new festiva suspension

OEM Festivas 'corner on their doors'. That much I will say from experience and no amount of bigger/wider tires is gonna keep the car from leaning way over on fast turns. All things considered Rio and Aspire parts are same price as Festy stuff (if you can still even get Festy springs!) should be a lot easier to get hold of and can be installed little bit at a time seeing as all the gear is compatible with each other. If for instance you buy Monroe Festy shocks and then get around to getting bigger/wider wheels you'll quickly find out that the spring perch interferes. Think ahead and slowly start preparing for the inevitable Aspire/Rio swap.
I used to have to re-do Festy brakes every time I looked around but ever since I installed bigger and easier Aspire brakes service and maintenance has dropped by at least half. Plus the car really stops now.

[blueoval]

sc72 has told me that his car rides better than stock and handles really good,he has the rio front struts and springs and the aspire rear shocks with uncut front festiva springs and it seems like I good setup so that my be the way I go.

[defprun]

I've got used Rio struts in the front with 1 1/2 coils cut off in the front. For ****s and giggles I got a set of used 2g Neon struts, which I plan on swapping the Rio strut tops over and using the stock Festiva springs at first than comparing them with the cut Rio stuff. I should probably stick with the Rio stuff because of the KL though.

[Bert]

165/65/13 is what my car will have on it .................. until I get my new shock and an alignment......

Alignment shops make what they do appear to be black magic but in fact you can align a car yourself quite easily. Castor/camber (up and down) is a chore but toe-in/toe out and steering wheel center spoke centering is well within the zero-cost capability of any backyard mechanic. The money you save can be put to other uses.