Ideas for suspension setup:Baby Car.

[scitzz]

OK. Baby Car has a second gen B6 SOHC, and sometime in the spring should be getting about 7 pounds of boost. Give or take. That is just for reference.

Here is what I have to work with so far.

I have it Aspire swapped, with Festiva front springs riding aspire struts on the rear, and aspire front springs and struts up front. Aspire steel wheels with 175/70 mud and snow tires from walmart @ 50 bucks a peice. Serviceable, but that is it. Plus an Aspire donut.

I have a set of four Escort GT wheels, the aluminum ones, no good tires on them. 15 inch.

I have a set of (Honda?) 1 7/8 coilover sleeves that I inherited a few years ago from a friend.

I could source a set of Daisy wheels if need be. I could probably source another set of 13 inch wheels as well, don't want to give up my decent tires with great tread life left on them.

I has sawzall, angle grinder, a MIG and a will. Both kinds.

Brake pads and rotors up front are pretty much brand new, Centric for both. Mid level rock auto stuff, and rears are whatever the PO of the Aspire had. Irrelevant for now, as my proportioning valve has had the rear lines in a self feeding loop since appro ~1999. Well, they hold when I set the parking brake. (Scitzz means crazy, YO!)

This setup has ably towed many a Festiva for quite a few hundred highway miles, as well as a HF 4X8 trailer loaded for bear, and stopped very well, TYVM. Anyhole....

This coming summer, I plan on loading up to a 1000 pounds of human, possibly 8 pounds of dog, and towing perhaps another 800-1000 pounds of trailer loaded with spare parts and camping equipment, plus other sundry items for a weeks long trip around the nation.

I want to be able to tow that weight well, in comfort, up and down mountains and all the other terrain this nation offers, as well as occasionally unhitch the trailer, leave the crew behind, and do a little spirited driving every so often. Nothing too crazy, but just a little fun. Main goal though is comfort. There are female bladders to consider here, gentlemen.

I would also love to incorporate the Kia Rio strut mounts for ease of turning and the more I can source from Advance Auto, especially made by Monroe if feasible, the better. Got a bunch of speed perks rewards built up and there is a heck of a deal with rebates on Monroe there for this month. Doesn't HAVE to be Monroe, they do sell KYB...

What would you do to setup the car if you were me? Bonus points for not mentioning how stupid it is to not have rear brakes. Granted. Stipulated. I am crazy. I like me that way I would never recommend it for someone else, but it hasn't bothered me a bit. If you wanna hate on me for it though, I am cool with that as well. Just tell me what struts you would use

Actually, I might get around to making them work as well, but I wouldn't bet my life on it. Lots of other more important stuff to do.

So, yeah, wassup?

[Movin]

Lol you could park here and my neighbors wouldn't even know I have company!

I don't really enjoy these cars until they have a bit of lift. My red car takes way more work than most want to do but the white one with around 3 inches is really nice. The missus loves how easy entry and exit is with it up a little. I was watching several bulls in a herd of about 80 Elk yesterday. Most jeeps will not enter that road system but I never rubbed once. Gotta love that versatility. Of course the first mod any festy gets for me is a trailer hitch with 1 7/8 and 2" balls. They tow trailers better in the back country with the lift.

I only did this on one side once by mistake. You might be better off with front springs all the way around. I can't say do cause it worked for me but there have been a few times I have suspected it would be an improvement.

The Monroe fronts work fine but the rear does not look original on the lower mount. That skinny tube is the easy way to lift the rear.

[sketchman]

I would do Neon front struts. If you want fairly better than stock do 1st gen ones. 95-99. If you want even more damping use 2nd gen. 00-05. As a bonus the 2nd gen units will fit the knuckle better, but either will work.

In the rear VW ones.

One person so far has Done Neon fronts. IIRC he had to totally remove the spring perch because it's way too high, and I know you'll need to elongate one hole. Don't remember if there were any other issues, but I know the strut will fit the knuckle, because I had loose Festiva knuckles and an old Neon strut in my yard, and I stuck them together.

EDIT: Found it.

I haven't got there quite yet - still finishing the mounts for the swap. A few observations I've had thus for though:
1. the lower mounting holes will line up with minimal work.
2. the spring perch is welded much higher on the strut body than on festiva struts. I think it'll be OK, but it may not allow as much of a drop if you use the weld bead to hold up the coilover adjusters. It may have to be turned down and a longer adjuster (or a spacer) used seating directly on the lower part of the strut.
3. the threaded portion at the top of the strut fits somewhat loosely in the kia rio top hat, but it is shorter than the threaded portion on a festiva. You can only get a few threads in the nut - not enough to make me feel comfortable. i'm planing to turn a small part (about 1/2") of the strut rod down to fit nicely inside the rio strut hat, killing two birds with one stone.

Until I actually do it, this is just speculation and I may run into other issues!

EDIT: Again.

VW Mk1 rear shocks work awesome. I'm running KYB gas adjusts for a mk1 rabbit with small body coil over sleeves and 1 7/8" I.D. spings on my DD. They are the perfect length to control body roll and the valving seems spot on as well. I'm running 120lb springs, but this car is lighter than foshogun.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?51323-DIY-Coilovers-V2-0

[scitzz]

Yup, drove the car he did that in, handled awesome, scraped a little on the tires, was a little lower than they thought it would be, and unfortunately, much too low for my needs.

Now, when I build my BPT car Powder? Oh, I plan on running that suspension!

Now, if I could get a little bit more lift out of it?

Movin, I think different cars for different needs. I have treated Baby Car as a flat out work horse beater since she was new in 1993. She rarely fails me. So, yeah, some lift is perfect for her. Having coil overs and being able to drop her an inch or two for a few minutes of fun would be cool too For a car I want to play in, I wouldn't want any lift, low is the way to go then! But my wife sure wouldn't enjoy the ride, she white knuckles it at the speed limit when trucks pass, and she hates when I get to throwing it through the curves.

[jdobbs86]

From advanced suspension sticky:

If the Aspire swap includes the struts, They may actually lower the car ,which would be a problem.
My solution, on a pennies budget, in the front Aspire knuckles, hubs and brakes, on stock Festiva struts and springs, with rubber spring packings for 2000 Miata (lower) and URO bumper 357412303F (these are a little longer than the URO 1H0412303B which I tried first). In the rear, Aspire beam complete, but I cut out the added torsion bar , and stock Festiva struts and springs with the Miata spring packings and URO bumper 1J0512131B.
This works amazingly well, each spring packing and bumper is less than $5. When I set up to tow a trailer, the only change I made was to swap out the rear springs for 90-93 Miata rear springs. (this also works well if you habitually haul 2 engines + crap )

...this was Dragonhealers haul machine recipe...basically miata springs and some bumpstops. If you need a little more spring or lift in the rear the 94-97 miata springs are a little bit heavier than the 90-93 springs.

[Advancedynamix]

The only input I have Paul is that your going to want some stiffer than stock shock valving and spring rates and some great tires. I suggest the 165/55-14 Achilles Economist tires on some 14x6 wheels (or wider if you can find them). These tires are V rated, and very comfy on cross country trips.
You'll have to experiment with spring rates. 1000lbs of cargo inside the car, with the added load of a trailer is out of my experience range as far as tuning a festiva goes.

[Movin]

The easy way to an adjustable rear if you do not want to spend a whole lot or go way up?
The fairly easy way for cheap for the front ?
This goes from stock to a max of 4 inches.
This does not require non stock struts
Does not use the pain in the heinykin adjustables ( they jam with debris in the threads )
Works well with further mods
Works well with ATV tires, winter tires, well, any tire actually up to around 25"
25" is where cars will be close to or actually starting to touch body parts of a completely stock car.
Tools: Jack, Hammer, 14mm wrenches and a hacksaw. A tape to measure and a marker. About an hour and a half. An hour if you are young. Half an hour if young and sober with girlfriend busy in the house!
Alignment needed when done.

In addition you may need a different wrench to pull the rear spring and weight in the car to put a stiff one in.

[scitzz]

From advanced suspension sticky:



...this was Dragonhealers haul machine recipe...basically miata springs and some bumpstops. If you need a little more spring or lift in the rear the 94-97 miata springs are a little bit heavier than the 90-93 springs.

Interesting and I have heard good things about that setup from AdvanceDynamix at Madness. I wonder what the comfort level is?

The easy way to an adjustable rear if you do not want to spend a whole lot or go way up?
The fairly easy way for cheap for the front ?
This goes from stock to a max of 4 inches.
This does not require non stock struts
Does not use the pain in the heinykin adjustables ( they jam with debris in the threads )
Works well with further mods
Works well with ATV tires, winter tires, well, any tire actually up to around 25"
25" is where cars will be close to or actually starting to touch body parts of a completely stock car.
Tools: Jack, Hammer, 14mm wrenches and a hacksaw. A tape to measure and a marker. About an hour and a half. An hour if you are young. Half an hour if young and sober with girlfriend busy in the house!
Alignment needed when done.

In addition you may need a different wrench to pull the rear spring and weight in the car to put a stiff one in.

What method are you referring to? The one by dragon healer?

The only input I have Paul is that your going to want some stiffer than stock shock valving and spring rates and some great tires. I suggest the 165/55-14 Achilles Economist tires on some 14x6 wheels (or wider if you can find them). These tires are V rated, and very comfy on cross country trips.
You'll have to experiment with spring rates. 1000lbs of cargo inside the car, with the added load of a trailer is out of my experience range as far as tuning a festiva goes.

Thanks! That is helpful. some of the MX5 wheels are 6 inch. Light, too.

[Movin]

The lift is one I just did, I had parked the white car where it would be destructive to continue, hiked in the dark 2 or 3 miles to my deer stand and about ten minutes before shooting light I realized I had forgot my wallet with my tags.....at the house! By the time I got the car out of the mountains back to a road and home my morning hunt was long over and I was wishing the white car could go like my red one.

I took the car to the shop and by lunch it was lifted a hair over 3 inches and had some old honda take off ATV tires on the front. I can easily make it to my deer stand after work now. Last night b4 last there was 60 - 80 head of Elk in there that was sure sweet to watch. The car went where jeeps fear to tread and did not high center or rub rocks. It is so freaking smooth over the most fearsome trails..It cost me $18 of new parts though so this might discourage most of us.

Got to get to work right now I will try to tell more at break time.

[Movin]

Sorry about having to split that up.
On the rear I only use the struts with the stem between the bottom mount and the shock body. Like the KYB Excel G 340009. Cut the stem in the middle. Get some remnent 1/2 inch pipe. Cut a pair of 5", 6" 7" lengths. Drill the inside of the pipe with a bit the same size as the stem, it should just clean up the hole good really. Join the strut back together with the pipe. Drive it a day or two to let it seat. Drill a 3/16 hole top and bottom of the pipe without jacking up the car. Put a couple tractor pins through the holes to keep them locked until you want a different height. All stock stuff, just a little mod. An improvement already...make a template so that all the retainer holes are in the exact same spot.

For the front there is a gasket on top of the bearing plate between the plate and the body. Copy this gasket onto your spacer material. You will need a total of 8" of spacer material for adjustment up and down. I have a hair over 3" on each side right now. The bolts tap out easy with a hammer and regular bolts go back in with lock nuts. Right now I am playing with 5/16 " bolts to give me some alignment adjustment room. It has stayed tight as well with some really rough stuff.

So simple, tough, easy, cheap, fast, adjustable that really works. No Pics! Maybe of the car but not the rest until it has proved out.