how much of an improvement are the FMS springs?

[mattswabb]

I cant get over the fact that festiva motorsport wants frikkin $185 for a set of springs!!! what a rip-off..

I don't think it's too much. The demand for performance springs for festivas is real low. It's one thing if it's springs for a civic where FMS would be selling 10,000 sets and charging $185 but he may only sell a 100 sets ever. I'll bet he makes in the $25 range profit on each set and don't forget he has to shell out all the money for an entire lot ahead of time.

Add this to the KYB GR2 struts and you have a real nice setup for $350-$400.

[Arnie]

At this point, I really regret tossing my stock springs!

I will trade you a set of stock ones for the FMS ones! I have FMS springs with the KYB super struts and have no problems bottoming out on the stops! I want another set for the other car.

Ha! may consider it! Perhaps springs plus cash. Regarding bumpstop contact...contacting the bumpstops is rarely something you notice. They're not just a door stop. They are engineered as an integrated part of the entire spring rate, ramping things up progressively stiffer as you get closer to coil bind. However, with the FMS springs on GR2's the the bottoming on even moderate bumps is very noticeable. :shock: The super struts are adjustable, correct, basically an AGX?

Deathshead - info on the company please! Or are you talking about Ground Control?

[Arnie]

I just went out and measured them.

I have 11.5 inches in front (center of hub to fender lip)

and 12.5 in the rear.
.

Interesting, I've just measured and I have 11F/12R. But you mentioned the car was lightened so that could easily account for the ride height difference. However the basic rake of the car is still the same between our cars. Are you sure a coil was cut in the rear? I may have to have a go with cutting my rear springs a bit (loath that I am about cutting springs). I'm not fan of the forward rake, the weight distribution is also thrown out of whack too. Leading to even more understeer.

[Arnie]

[quote="xpnsyd"]

I have had those springs on 3 cars now.. with the GR/2's I had the exact same problem as Arnie.. switched to the supers and put in camber bolts and all was well again..

Arnie, do you have the Aspire suspension swap done on yours?

With the Aspire swap, I have the Bilstien struts / FMS springs on the front and KYB supers / FMS springs on the rear I like them much better than the KYBs on the front.

I'm still on the stocker Festiva setup. don't really have the time to go dumpester diving for the Aspire setup though it would be ideal. Fade can be a real issue on the stock Festiva solid rotors. I need to dump some Motul in there and get some of Roger's performance pads. I remember Carbotech mentioning that they could put their various compounds on whatever pad backing plate as long as you send it to them. Might have to look into that one of these days.

[25Horseplay]

The KYB super's are NOT adjustable, but do have a stiffer rate than the GR-2's.

[quaddawg]

I just went out and measured them.

I have 11.5 inches in front (center of hub to fender lip)

and 12.5 in the rear.
.

Interesting, I've just measured and I have 11F/12R. But you mentioned the car was lightened so that could easily account for the ride height difference. However the basic rake of the car is still the same between our cars. Are you sure a coil was cut in the rear? I may have to have a go with cutting my rear springs a bit (loath that I am about cutting springs). I'm not fan of the forward rake, the weight distribution is also thrown out of whack too. Leading to even more understeer.

YES, it is definitely cut in the rear, I had them off and looked.. As a matter of fact, I really need to see if I can get a new set of rears, and re-cut them, and do a small bend and smoothing, as they were cut straight off, and don't sit in the cup too well..

I might not have measured accurately, it was a tad dark when I did it.

[Mysticle31]

Does anyone have a picture of their FMS spring equipped car's front control arms when the car is on the ground? It'd really help my decision to buy these or not

Anyone know the spring rates?

[25Horseplay]

Does anyone have a picture of their FMS spring equipped car's front control arms when the car is on the ground? It'd really help my decision to buy these or not

Anyone know the spring rates?

When I get a chance, I'll try to get a picture.

[Deathshead]

Company info on the way, there are 2 ways we can go here.

#1 a set of lowering springs setup for the valving of the kyb GR-2 and approx weight of a festiva.

#2 a sleeve-type coilover setup BUT with springs matched for the GR-2's and weight of the festiva for a cheap adjustable setup, that will give a decent ride, and not blow out the gr-2's

Im basing the springs off of the gr-2"s becuase no one else knows if a vw strut or any other struts from other cars will or will not fit the festiva.

and the fact that the kyb super specials seem to be discontinued,The bilsteins arent availible in the usa, (need to be imported big $$$)

Spax,AVO and ventura all make 33-40mm drop springs for the type DA 88-91 121 and kia pride, BUT again expensive to import.

Im trying to get a nice spring in the ball park of $100 tops.. And this is for a blueprinted spring made for a festiva custom.

[oxbrain]

I just measured and I get 12.5" from the hub to fender lip in front, and 13" in back. Thats with FMS springs, KYB superstruts in front and gr-2 in back. I also don't have the radiator, coolant, and battery in, so the front will probably drop that extra 1/2" or so.

I've never noticed getting on the bumpstops in the front or back since I've installed these, but the rear springs are WAY too hard for the gr-2s and no rear seat.

I also took a picture of the control arm.

http://oxbrain.org/pics/Temp/SUC50081.JPG

[YpsiBob]

Im trying to get a nice spring in the ball park of $100 tops.. And this is for a blueprinted spring made for a festiva custom.

if you do that please tell us where to get them!!

[quaddawg]

Four springs for $100????

Wow, that's cheap

[Mysticle31]

Thanks for the pic Oxbrain. They look good. I just need to call FMS now and see how stiff they are. I'll buy some shocks sometime.

Say, where is your rear tire? Looks like there's a cinder block there If your cars on a rake (or a jack) it skews the results.

[oxbrain]

That picture is from behind looking fowards. It's tough to get a shot of the control arm from the front because the swaybar gets in the way.

I'm very pleased with the superstrut/FMS spring combo in the front, I just want softer springs in the rear. I'm considering putting the stock springs back in with a coil or two cut off.

Now I just have to suck it up and start the wiring on the B6. :pale:

[Mysticle31]

Oh yeah! I was thinking to myself 'how did he get rid of the swaybar...' one track mind here. Sorry.

That's another thing I've been meaning to ask. Do the top four coils in the back compress to bind with the weight of the car on them?

Id like to set it up that under load the rear beam twists and tows in. Are your rear beam's "arms" parallel with the ground?

Do you think I could get a picture of your rear arm?

Makes a good starting point to see of the stock beam has some static neg camber. I'm just curious what it does.

I just called FMS and they said that the springs are 10% stiffer then stock. Makes me worried they are too soft.