First Festiva, rides like crap

[Gordon12]

Hey guys, this is my first Festiva. Just bought her a few days ago. So. It's a 1991. Has the 1.8L out of the Escort. Aspire suspension and brakes. And ebay generic Honda coil overs. The just sleeve and spring type. When I say it rides like crap, I mean it bounces off bumps and potholes and dips in the road like a honda with blown out shocks. I'm sure it's probably because of the spring rate a way to high/stiff sense they are honda ebay honda springs. The guy I got it from, says I can go with a softer spring, but than the suspension will bottom out. Is there any sort of fairly easy top hat modifications or a place I can get modified ones? Thanks guys.

[Advancedynamix]

spring rates are way too high most likely, and your alignment may also be off. 180lb front springs and 120lb rears are a good starting point for a bp car. Most of those kits come with around 300lb fronts and 250 lb rears.

[Gordon12]

Alright thank you. I'll probably order a set if the softer ones the guy said he has isn't soft enough. I'm just worried about bottoming out the suspension, or is it really not that bad? Unless I slam a pot hole or something? Sense it is lowered.

[Gordon12]

Here's how it sits rite now.

[Advancedynamix]

It looks like your tires will rub before your suspension bottoms out. My car is lower than that and never bottoms, with the springs I suggested. You can also use different bump stops to tune it in if you think it's bottoming to easy.

[Gordon12]

Hmmm, alright, well I was just going off what the original owner said. Does yours have the aspire struts as well? And what size wheels are on yoyrs, 15? I don't think I'll have a rub problem, I have 14 Miata wheels, and the fenders are flared.

[Gordon12]

He cut and pulled the fenders out, than fiber glassed over them.

[bhazard]

Thats a decent flare job

[Advancedynamix]

Hmmm, alright, well I was just going off what the original owner said. Does yours have the aspire struts as well? And what size wheels are on yoyrs, 15? I don't think I'll have a rub problem, I have 14 Miata wheels, and the fenders are flared.

The size of the wheel isn't as important as the size of the tire. THose are 15", but they have 165 45 15 tires, which are axially smaller than the 12" tires that are stock. If you have a 185 60 14, your tires are more likely to rub the body.
The rear shocks on that car at the time were KYB aspire shocks with a coil over kit on them, and shortened shock shafts. The amount of available low will be the same for your car, depending on tires. This 165 45 15 tires fit right up into the wheel wells, no flaring needed.

The car above has been rolled and the fenders have been stretched a bit, but that is to fit 7.5" with rims. With a 6" rim or narrower (Miata wheels are 5.5 iirc) no rolling or flaring is required with a properly sized tire for the car.

[Gordon12]

Well I believe mine are just thrown in from an aspire, nothing shortened. You can get different shafts for them? Or is that a major custom job finding the right parts and mix and match?

[Gordon12]

Thats a decent flare job

The rear is a bit worse looking. The picture does justice.

[Advancedynamix]

The shortened shaft mod is just to limit the cars body roll and it's a custom modification done to a stock fitment KYB shock. It doesn't affect how low the car can go before bottoming out, unless the shock is shortened on the bottom of the body as well. The shocks on the blue car only had the shafts shortened.
CLICK HERE for more information on modifications like this.

[Gordon12]

Hmmm, alright well I guess I'll throw on a softer set and see how it is without messing with anything else. Well thanks Advance.

[Advancedynamix]

Your welcome. Keep us posted on your progress! Looks like you've got a fun car!

[Gordon12]

Well there won't be any real soon progress, about to be moving here soon. But definitely right after that. Thanks. These do seem to be fun little cars. Can't wait to autocross it.