Time to beat a dead horse

[redroket]

I have spent the last three days reading way too many suspension threads
It has come time to replace my rear shocks
I have not had my car too long but have come to a wonderful realization that replacing and upgrading parts are almost the same prices.
my issue is from all the suspension threads I have read, everyone says they live in relatively flat areas. I live in a rural, hilly area with lots of hard bends in the road, I want to reduce the massive body roll I have in my car. I own a 89 Comanche and can take the road from home to work close to 75, in my 92 festiva Im pushing the limits of the car at 60... I know I need to pull some wheels and tires off a metro to help with traction, however rear shocks are due to be replaced. Currently if I have two passengers, I can hear the rear bottom out. Has anyone done a purpose built mod for long curvy country roads? Almost all I have read were for strip, track, or city driving... any ideas? Any help is appreciated.

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[jayber]

KYB is a decent "touring" shock.

[drddan]

So you want a stiffer suspension? I too, think the Festy struts are too soft, even new festy struts. I switched to Aspire struts, for the stiffer springs that are on them. I love the ride! Way better, IMO.
Less body roll, better ride. I'll warn you that it will raise the car 1 - 1 1/2 inches, but that is remedied by cutting 1- 1 1/2 coil from the spring. The Aspire weighs about 200 lbs more than the festy and so the stiffer springs. I like the aspire struts as it gives a better ride, without being harsh.

I also got them so it would clear the 14 inch rims and fat tires I have on the red car. The springs are un-cut on the red car in the sig pic below.

[redroket]

It has kyb g2s on it now, the car has been in my family since it had 80k miles, the shocks and struts on it now are around 90k miles old, the car has 369k on it, my dad said even new the kybs seemed to allow a bit much roll, from everything I have read, the kyb is the same for the festiva and the aspire, if i were to do the "threaded rod mod" do you guys think this may cause the car to want to push straight instead of pulling through the turns?
Its a bit frustrating to have a old lifted jeep that out handles my little car on back roads... I understand this is not and is not meant to be a race car, however, it still should out handle a old jeep on 33's

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[kracker2k]

Are the Aspire struts a direct bolt in replacement on front and rear?

[redroket]

The part number for the rear kyb was the same, I haven't checked the front, I will in about two hours

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[Team Lightning]

The last time I looked, KYB only listed Festiva struts and shocks.

[redroket]

I got my #s from eBay so they are sure to be wrong

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[Flyin4stroke]

Time to beat a dead horse

I'm on kyb's and fms never had a jeep pass me on any turn. You need more rim and less tire. Upgrade to a 15x6.5-7 inch wheel and you can point and shoot the car. Even a 14 is better but still rolls.

[redroket]

That may be the perfect solution to my issue, thanks everyone

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[Bert]

Shocks dampen the springy movement of a car but the physical springs do the work. The three OEM Festys I had all cornered on their doors whether on hills or flat land until I went the route of a complete Aspire swap. The Aspire trailing arm/brakes etc were nice but the stiffer springs (half a coil removed too) made for a night and day difference in cornering stiffness.
I may not be telling the entire truth here because Aspire trailing arms also have a cheesy torsion bar built in and the front sway bar (off an Aspire) is considerably thicker, which all contribute to less roll on corners.

[Bert]

I'm on kyb's and fms never had a jeep pass me on any turn. You need more rim and less tire. Upgrade to a 15x6.5-7 inch wheel and you can point and shoot the car. Even a 14 is better but still rolls.

Some truth in this. The Nokian 155/65-14s I ran for a year and a half did not (that I ever noticed) stiffen up the ride but they sure smoothed out the roll at highway speeds compared to 'wheelbarrow/boat trailer/golf cart' 12s.

[drddan]

Get some Aspire springs. Struts are much the same. Its the springs that determine the stiffness of the ride.
or even Kia Rio springs, even stiffer.
The aspire is 200 lbs heavier so stiffer. The Rio even stiffer.
I have aspire struts AND springs and I can corner HARD with very little body roll

I got mine at a junkyard off a low mile wreaked aspire