Festiva rear struts, or Aspire rear struts?

[TorqueEffect]

Alrighty, I am coming up on doing a Aspire rear end swap, and since my rear Festiva struts are way past worn. (Never been changed in 320k miles) I need to get a new pair.

Now I was thinking just to grab a pair of KYB GR2s to match the ones I have on the front, but I have heard of people recommending swapping to Aspire rear struts. Thing is I don't really want the ass end of the car sticking up in the air, plus I would have to go with the lower quality Monroes as there are no GR2s to be found for an Aspire.

I will be planning on using different springs that I got from shadetree at the Spring Ohiostiva, which one pair is Aspire springs, and another pair a cut set of Supra springs.

Now I want a good balance of handling and ride comfort.

But really, Festiva GR2s or Aspire Monroes?

I can always swap out springs if they are not to my liking.

[Bert]

Struts (in the case of Festys) are strictly front end parts and shocks are for the back. Springs do the physical work and shocks merely provide damping. Way better (IMO) to have good springs and cheap shocks then vice-versa. New Monroes have always been good to me only because the unknown garbage I've had to tolerate from previous owners (and the fact that few folks actually replace shocks), and they're being old cars, makes a whale of a difference right off.
You'll definitely want the 'Aspire' version of shocks or else the 'Festy' wheels (anything beyond 165/70-12) will want to rub on the spring perches.

[88festivasam]

i thought that i read somewhere that the festiva and aspire KYB struts are the same part number?

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?26958-DIY-Coilovers-for-the-rest-of-us/page6

post number 52 by drddan says

"I looked it up and the KYB list same part for both festiva and aspire. I think maybe that is why the KYB are 15% stiffer? to allow them to work both applications?
Talking to a monroe rep, they have struts for festiva and struts for aspire, Said the aspire struts were stiffer. So sounds like the KYB is what I may want anyway. I was thinking the aspire struts from monroe would be ok too."

though this was in 2010 i would imagine that the info is still true?? hope that helps

[Bert]

i thought that i read somewhere that the festiva and aspire KYB struts are the same part number?

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?26958-DIY-Coilovers-for-the-rest-of-us/page6

post number 52 by drddan says

"I looked it up and the KYB list same part for both festiva and aspire. I think maybe that is why the KYB are 15% stiffer? to allow them to work both applications?
Talking to a monroe rep, they have struts for festiva and struts for aspire, Said the aspire struts were stiffer. So sounds like the KYB is what I may want anyway. I was thinking the aspire struts from monroe would be ok too."

though this was in 2010 i would imagine that the info is still true?? hope that helps

Yes indeedy I do remember reading this post when it was forum fresh. KYB got smart and saved money by marketing the same part for two different cars. The only real difference is in the height of the spring perches, and 3/8 inch higher for OEM Aspire compared to OEM Festy 'ain't a whole hill of beans much different'.
Monroe is/was an available and stock item up this way 5-10 years ago whereas KYB was special order.

[navdoc101]

Like Bert said : Struts are Front, Shocks are Rear.
Monroes are not lower quality, just different.
If you are The Aspire rear use the Monroes. Higher spring perch with cut Aspire springs. 1 coil.
Don't know anything about the Supra springs.

[TorqueEffect]

K I will just get the festiva kybs then.

Any recommendations on springs though? Currently leaning toward aspire springs myself.

[Aaronbrook37]

Uncut Aspire springs sit way too high. I had them for a while. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...a/DSC02404.jpg

[rmoltis]

Im currently doing my suspension upgrade on my aspire,
i will soon have a pair of aspire springs freed up if your interested

If you do go with aspire springs, get the aspire dampeners too, that way they will match.

[drddan]

I like the ride of the aspire struts/springs I have on my 88. They are on Cujo, and are needed for the 14 inch rims and 20 offset.

Aspire springs are stiffer than the festy springs, but not that much, and for me they are just right. I personally think the springs on Festys are too light and soft. Too much body roll.

If you cut a coil from Aspire springs, it will sit at the stock height, as mentioned above.

[TorqueEffect]

Uncut Aspire springs sit way too high. I had them for a while. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...a/DSC02404.jpg

Is that with stock aspire springs or not? Because it looks fine to me.

[rmoltis]

i think it looks fine too.
if anything it will help with a car full of passengers
full of weight
or even towing i think.

[TorqueEffect]

Alrighty ordered the KYBs. Will call the junkyard monday to see if they have that loaded axle they had listed on car-part.com, apparently they have two.

[TominMO]

Alrighty ordered the KYBs. Will call the junkyard monday to see if they have that loaded axle they had listed on car-part.com, apparently they have two.

As long as you don't have any wheel fitment issues, the KYBs are definitely better at damping. I've had both, and use a specific railroad crossing to test my suspension. The KYBs handle it better than the Monroes, no question. I have compressed two new shocks by hand side by side, without springs. The KYB has a thicker shaft, so more surface area available, and takes noticeably more effort to compress than the Monroe.

[TorqueEffect]

As long as you don't have any wheel fitment issues, the KYBs are definitely better at damping. I've had both, and use a specific railroad crossing to test my suspension. The KYBs handle it better than the Monroes, no question. I have compressed two new shocks by hand side by side, without springs. The KYB has a thicker shaft, so more surface area available, and takes noticeably more effort to compress than the Monroe.

Yep, don't have any real fitment issues with my 175-70-13a on Koenigs on factory struts, but they do just clear the perches barely, can't even get my finger between the tire and the perch.