Is this an easy solution to handling trailer tongue weight on a stock Festiva?

[scitzz]

The perch differences in my case was by brand. With the flat perch, the larger spring sits properly on the perch. As far as cutting, that is something I have never done, but FestYboy suggested to me once to remove half a coil IIRC. That was to level the car off with Aspire front springs though. If you are doing things up front to avoid clearance issues, you may want to look into other opt ions, this MIGHT cause clearance issues here, as well as not match properly.

Aspire front springs with Festy front springs on the rear jacks up the rear of the car , but is great for heavy loads/towing, and is great drivability for a DD IMHO, as it is fun in the corners, but not a kidn e y buster for when the wife rides inthe car .

Running around outside the asylum again with my tappy talky appy

[getnpsi]

The perch differences are because they are aspire's and not festivas? Or is that another issue? I want to purchase aspire designed ones for clearance if i can. Ill check them out saturday night if im off before they close.

I am going to cut my rio springs and if i go for 2 coils that will put them at about 200 lb front i imagine.
What should i cut my festiva fronts down to for use in rear? Just make it look nice in a picture? NO id like a slight level out drop but nothing to kill the utilitarian nature of the car.

[1chrisapple]

I haven't known of any. Kartracer was the first one that I knew of to do it, and I copied the setup. IIRC, he did it on two cars.

I deliver pizzas, haul scrap, drive like a maniac through crazy road and weather conditions, and have had zero problems. Until recently, I had two types of struts on the rear, one from Advance, one from AZ, each store had only one in, and I needed them ASAP! One had a flat perch, the other a cup. Never an issue. Buy the AZ ones, flat perch, or cut the cup off the others with an angle grinder.

and y do u need a flat perch

[scitzz]

Has anyone experienced error during their trial and errors using front springs as rears? I want to do this but haven't, as someone talked me out of that idea in another thread. I drive heavy amounts of miles, lots of jarring on back roads, hitting parking lot entrance dips in second gear on the throttle, and so on. I do plan on towing in the future and obviously cant have a spring walk out of its home and putting others in danger with a trailer.

I haven't known of any. Kartracer was the first one that I knew of to do it, and I copied the setup. IIRC, he did it on two cars.

I deliver pizzas, haul scrap, drive like a maniac through crazy road and weather conditions, and have had zero problems. Until recently, I had two types of struts on the rear, one from Advance, one from AZ, each store had only one in, and I needed them ASAP! One had a flat perch, the other a cup. Never an issue. Buy the AZ ones, flat perch, or cut the cup off the others with an angle grinder.

[zoom zoom]

I've done front springs in the rear and it's still working for me. Like Bert was saying(kinda) if the spring was 1/4" wider it wouldn't fit up in the pocket!!! I tried 99/00 miata springs, they work up front but too wide for the rear. I think front springs would be a bit too soft still, if you can shoot for 125-135lb rear springs it would be perfect for the rear, and I think it would be optimum for gravel roads too. I have 150 rear ATM and it's just a hair too stiff, the rear likes to slide around a Little bit too much on gravel at 35-40. Front spring rate should probably be around 150, the 175 lb rio springs are ok but I want to get that lower too.

[getnpsi]

Has anyone experienced error during their trial and errors using front springs as rears? I want to do this but haven't, as someone talked me out of that idea in another thread. I drive heavy amounts of miles, lots of jarring on back roads, hitting parking lot entrance dips in second gear on the throttle, and so on. I do plan on towing in the future and obviously cant have a spring walk out of its home and putting others in danger with a trailer.

[scitzz]

Front springs have a diameter of 4 1/8" whereas rears are 3 7/8". It must be a tight fit in the rear pocket if you attempt a front to back installation.

Some have a flat spring perch, no issues, the ones that have a cup, it sits a little cockeyed, but it works. In three cases I have seen or had it work.

[Bert]

Gidday AlaskaFG. I suspect that 5 door Prides have the same springs as n. American Aspires. I've got Aspire springs on all around and they're wonderful; not crazy low and stiff like my 2 year experience with FMS sport springs. Front springs have a diameter of 4 1/8" whereas rears are 3 7/8". It must be a tight fit in the rear pocket if you attempt a front to back installation.
This Festy/Aspire/Pride/Avella stuff is all compatible so that if you stumble across an Aspire trailing arm one day (with 4 x 100 wheels/slightly wider track/larger brakes and a piece of round stock pretending to be a torsion bar) it'll go right on to whatever springs and shocks you already have on.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

So I want Aspire 5-door front springs.

The thread I linked to above says the p/n is KK153 28 011 and FourGreen's price is $US 25.45. Hardly worth cruising JYs with that great price. FourGreen.com lists the part as in stock.

So I'll be placing my first FourGreen order. I want to get other stuff like sway bar to body bushings, rear beam bushings, etc. for my fleet. Where do I get p/ns for all that stuff. I've asked FourGreen for PDFs, but they say they can't help me. Where are all of you getting yoru p/ns?

[scitzz]

Gotcha :thumbs_up:

[1chrisapple]

I meant better than stock festy springs not the fronts. the stock rears cant haul 150lbs hardly. but if u cut coils then u r back to rubbing.i've only had 4 diff. setups on the rear of mine so im speaking from trial and error.

[scitzz]

but better than the festy springs where u cant haul anything. I have hauled my tools my wife my 2 kids and 1700lbs of scrap to the scrap yard and I would get rubbing only on big bumps but it wasn't bad.

I beg to differ, I have hauled similar loads, and NEVER scraped. Does sit pretty high when empty, but you could cut coils to fix that. Me, I like the clearance on back roads.

[1chrisapple]

yea mine was 5door aspires. I tried the front festy spring and didn't like them at all they re to much I think. I always have about 150lbs of tools in my car and it sits perfect like that.sits alittle high empty but better than the festy springs where u cant haul anything. I have hauled my tools my wife my 2 kids and 1700lbs of scrap to the scrap yard and I would get rubbing only on big bumps but it wasn't bad. I really like mine I think for the effort it's the easiest swap.

[TominMO]

Yes there are 5-door Aspires in the USA, and they probably use the same springs as the 3-doors. The two extra doors are just a convenience; functionally the two versions are the same.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I found a pair of stock Festy front springs in the weeds -- still on the McPherson struts, so I know they're for the front.

So what would be better to put on the back to support my trailer -- Festiva front springs or Aspire rear springs (3- or 5-door)? Or how about Aspire front springs?