ford aspire coil spring isolators

[rmoltis]

Hey people.

I've been piecing together new suspension restoration/ upgrade parts.

And a small thread on fa.com sparked my memory on needing to also get new coil spring isolators.

Now there aren't any replacements online specifically for our vehicles.

But I found some universal polyurethane coil spring isolators.

They sit on top and on bottom of the coil springs
To isolate them from the spring perch on the struts and where the coil meets the vehicle body.
They may just be to reduce noise but I would like to replace then anyways.

But anyhow I'm not ready to disassemble my suspension yet I still need other parts and pieces.
But I like to order all my parts piece by piece.
Then replace the whole system all at once.
And these are one of the items I would like to order ahead of time.

They would be for the top and bottom of the front a rear springs I believe.
It's been a while since I did the suspension swap on my old aspire
So I'm trying to go off memory here

If anyone has these parts lying around or disassembled currently.
Could they follow this link and take note of the style.
And measurements of the stock ones and reference the ones that would make for the most suitable replacements.

http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/Energy-Suspension-Coil-Spring-Isolators.asp

I know these pictures aren't the best but here's a picture of the bottom isolator.
It's the rubber directly underneath the coil spring keeping it off the strut perch.



And here's a picture of the top isolator separating the spring from the body mount.




The pics don't clearly show it but if you were to go look outside at your own you would see them.
Also if you've ever removed your coil springs you will have reused these pieces probably.

[zoom zoom]

I've never seen one on the bottom. Either someone previously removed it or they disentegrated and fell out. Rockauto had them for the top but nothing for the bottom unless both pieces are the same. No joke, I've taken apart at least half a dozen aspire suspensions, not including junk yard aspires or festivas.

[rmoltis]

They must be one of things people can't replace so they go without.

But these energy suspension universal replacements should do the trick if they have ones of compatable size.

I think style A/B/C would be the choices.

[getnpsi]

Lots of springs just have a hollow thin rubber piece that is slit longitudinally and you can slip any number of those on the bottom, or right where there is potential rubbing with a brake line or electrical. That is definitely "home depot motorsports" or swipe some from a pickapart. As far as the top, again kia rio is our hero and should have what you're after. Understood if you're going thru the front end completely new in package is a good idea unless its dealer only, then i get it you are trying to get a part number that's close enough measurements. I have a complete kia sprut/tophat/bearing/spring assembly that i have not taken apart. I want to cut 2 coils out...maybe ill do that today...maybe someone with multiple cars apart can get a tape measure out and beat me...yeah...we are hoping on this.

[1chrisapple]

aspires have the bottoms.all festies ive seen don't so I run without bottoms.and no problems

[rmoltis]

I understand you "can" run without them

But I just prefer to install a set.

They are there to reduce noise vibration harshness from being transferred into the body
From the suspension

As well as giving a cushion to two different metal surfaces rubbing against each other
So they don't wear out and squeak and grind over time.

I plan on ordering some king springs in the next year so I would like to ensure a long coil life.
With no squeaking or grinding sounds from metal movement.
Also the grinding of two metal surfaces would wear down the paint on the springs
And since they salt the roads here that would lead to rusting over time.

As well as keeping the harshness of vibration and noise being transferred into the cabin
As to retain a smoother quality ride.

[Team Lightning]

I just looked for some of those for mine, wasn't able to find anything at the parts store. I just installed my FMS springs and I used 3/8 fuel line to replace my cushions. I split it, wound it around the coil and installed the strut. So far no issues.

[rmoltis]

I am currently in the process of finding a suitable replacement for my isolators/insulators.
my vehicle is in pieces still. knuckles are sent out for rebuild. Strut assemblies are removed all around.

What i need to do before i put everything back together.
is find some new coil spring insulators.

I need some for the top and bottom of the rear springs and just the top for the fronts.
That seems to be how it comes.

There are no stock replacements available anymore as far as i can find.
And there are no universal ones in poly from energysuspension.

Now that I'm installing springs with larger diameter coils the pieces will either need to be flat for ease of install.
Or tooled to match the spring shape and coil diameter size.


Are there possibly any compatable vehicles with insulators that i could use instead?
That would be a good alternative

I plan on ordering some king springs in the next year so I would like to ensure a long coil life.
With no squeaking or grinding sounds from metal movement.
Also the grinding of two metal surfaces would wear down the paint on the springs
And since they salt the roads here that would lead to rusting over time.

Looks like i kept good to my word on getting my springs within the year or so lol.

[F3BZ]

94-97 aspires did have an upper and lower isolator. even though this is probably just a NVH item i can understand you wanting to do the job correctly. a search shows that there are 2 of these available but you have to contact 2 different places. BOB ALLEN FORD has 1 and PARTS INT'L has 1. the part# is F4BZ5586A.
for whatever reason, KIA AVELLA does not show a lower isolator so 4GREEN is out.
i don't know if aspire springs are larger in diameter. if so, maybe you can use the festiva front spring isolators. they have an OD of 4 3/8" and ID about 4 3/16" and are molded less to surround the wire diameter being more dish shaped than the festiva rears and the thickness of the festy front isolators between spring bottom and strut perch is about 1/2".
i don't think you will have a problem fitting aftermarket springs into stock isolators. stock festiva isolators fit nicely on the heavier H&R and SPAX lowering springs. there is very little increase in wire diameter over stock springs (about .1-.2mm).
FUN FACT: only the 1993 festiva uses upper and lower rear spring isolators



these are FRONT FESTIVA


rear FESTIVA on H&R


rear FESTIVA on SPAX

[rmoltis]

Im jealous, you have all the good stuff

[rmoltis]

Ive been searching for these for quite some time now and have come to terms with the fact that there are none left.

I have been looking for comparable replacements that can be made to work/universal.

I tried energy suspension first because they have an assortment of universal coil spring isolators in polyurethane.

Unfortunately none of the universal isolators dimensions were a close match to the oem ones sitting in front of me.
I would find one with 1 or 2 correct parameters but there would always be one off that made in incompatible or even able to be trimmed.

But i think i have found my best bet.
They are "coil spring pads" they are made of elastomers which should have plenty of give to absorb "nvh"
But yet stiff enough to be usefull.

http://www.whitelinesuspensionparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=W72045&PARTNER=gbase&gclid=CISvs6Duw8MCFdgJgQodiKIAvQ

The inner circle hole is smaller than oem,
the outside diameter is bigger than oem,
but the thickness at 12mm is as thick as my oem ones, or pretty close anyways.
all of this means i can trim them to size.
Could probably even have them machined to hold the spring in some grooves.
But I'm good with them just being flat.

Hope this information can help others possibly looking for an obsolete part.
When i get them trimmed up and installed after they arrive. i will post some pics.
I'm also putting this post in my build just because it is relevant to the suspension upgrade I'm doing.

[F3BZ]

just another thought. if you could find some thick rubber tubing of correct I.D. and feed it onto the first coil. the rio uses a split urethane hose on its coils.

[rmoltis]

just another thought. if you could find some thick rubber tubing of correct I.D. and feed it onto the first coil. the rio uses a split urethane hose on its coils.

I've thought about.
I'm worried it wouldn't have the correct properties.
I can see a stock car having that tubing be engineered for its use.
but i couldn't find any fitting tubing that was specifically for my intended use, or in the correct o.d. and i.d.
And any tubing that is out there for this use is much too large for my springs.
Whereas it would remove the metal on metal contact.

The point of insulators/isolators is to insulate /isolate the nvh from being transmitted into the vehicle.
The elastomeric should provide ample energy absorption without re-transmission.
And be sturdy enough to hold up to the increased coil spring rates without splitting or breaking down like i feel some tubing may do.
also it will be very weather able . Ive used elastomeric coatings in the past before to seal (13) 300ft tall cracks in a damn in utah (upper stillwater damn) during the winter while the water was low/empty.
And the coating is still holding up, even in the frigid(-60) weather and water submersed environment it lives in.

so i also feel it will hold up well in a salty snowy state like pittsburgh.

Also the "pads" are 12mm tall which is about how tall the insulators are.
And if i were to buy tubing that added those extra 12mm back it would add it to all sides not just top or bottom.
Which may make it not able to fit into the spring perch's.

And the reason height is an important for me
The standard height stiffer springs i bought so i could retain full suspension travel, good suspension geometry, and wide range of use ability.
and these new springs are marginally shorter (un-measured)
so being able to take up the slack left behind from the shorter springs would be advantageous.

There is nothing wrong with a lower ride height.
I've done it before and its time for a change
Its just not what i want this time.

[Studebaker]

Kia rios have the insulators. All that I pulled of were in good enough shape for reuse.

[rmoltis]

I have a set of the whiteline elastomeric spring pads that will be delivered at some point today.

Cant wait!