Building the ultimate Festiva street suspension...

[mikemounlio]

If you set the preload adjusters so that the front springs are squished to 9.5", you'll have plenty of travel and it'll handle really well. If you have them set all the way down then it'll be on the bump stops and handle like crap.

Those shocks may also be longer than the Golf/Jetta shocks. The Caddy is the pickup truck.

9.5" I will try that out!!!

[pdx-944]

so, with minimum preload, the car is at the correct height, but is almost bottomed out. so that leaves me 3/4 inch adjustability... if I preload more it will just raise the car...

[Advancedynamix]

My front sits at about 21 1/2" from the ground with my 165/55-14 tires which are only a little bit taller than the stock 155/80-12 tires.

Rear sits at about 21 3/8"
The body seam is at 5 7/8" in front of the door and 6 1/8" in the rear, so it's raked down in the front according to the body seam even though the fender is lower in the back. That's commonon lots of cars because the front tires need more clearance to turn.
This height is pretty much optimal on these cars with this suspension. You can go a little higher and have a bit less roll, but lower will cause traction issues (even if your shocks aren't bottomed out).

[pdx-944]

I recall it being 21 1/4 to 3/4. suspension pretty much bottomed out

[Advancedynamix]

I would guess that the shocks you have are different than the MK2 Golf coilovers. There are over 35 sets of shocks like this on Festivas in North America alone, and I've yet to hear a complaint about them bottoming out.

What is your front ride height with the front springs preloaded to a 9.5" Installed height (shock in a free state, not loaded)?

[Wimp]

I picked up the MK2 Caddy fronts as well though the ones I received are not the same as PDX-944's. Mine are threaded top to bottom and the bottom is not adjustable. If you want I could take some pictures and measurements to try and determine the differences between the Caddy and Golf coilovers, for future reference and so we know why they will/won't work.

[Spike]

The front coilovers I use look like this.

There is another style with adjustable lower sections (for independent ride height). The removable portion looks like this.

And it threads onto the shock body.

I sent a message to HotTuning before ordering the "16V Golf MK2" coilover set referenced by Advanced, and they sent me back a message saying that the MK2 Caddy set was identical. I received them today, and they do indeed look identical to these. I guess we'll find out, will be doing this full setup on Nancy hopefully this weekend/coming week. I ordered 10" springs front and rear, though.

-Joe

[william]

I picked up the MK2 Caddy fronts as well though the ones I received are not the same as PDX-944's. Mine are threaded top to bottom and the bottom is not adjustable. If you want I could take some pictures and measurements to try and determine the differences between the Caddy and Golf coilovers, for future reference and so we know why they will/won't work.

That would be awesome. If there the same it will save a few bucks over the mk2 kit and then I won't have useless rears to try and sell.
I wonder if there damping is the same?
We need a side by side comparison!

[Wimp]

Okay I took some pictures and measurements of the VW Caddy Coilovers I received from Hot Tuning. I have posted them on the Fordfestiva.com facebook group. if anybody has the Golf coilovers that have not been installed yet and would be willing to take similar pictures so we can try and note the differences it would be much appreciated.

I'll try and cross post the pictures here but my laptop does not like facebook.

[bravekozak]

I just picked these up on Friday from eBay.
I have ordered replacement spings.

[greywolf200]

I just picked these up on Friday from eBay.
I have ordered replacement spings.

Good looking, were they for Festiva or VW?

[william]

I sent a message to HotTuning before ordering the "16V Golf MK2" coilover set referenced by Advanced, and they sent me back a message saying that the MK2 Caddy set was identical. I received them today, and they do indeed look identical to these. I guess we'll find out, will be doing this full setup on Nancy hopefully this weekend/coming week. I ordered 10" springs front and rear, though.

-Joe

Any updates on this? I'm ready to order and hottuning is saying there the same. Just don't wanna buy something I can't use.

[Wimp]

Longer struts will alow more body role with a lowered car if your gunna lift it the mk3 would work great.
Thats the whole reason for going mk1 rears shorter then stock.
And one can put the rears together for about 220 if you shop around I even found a guy on ebay that has the top hats for 25 for the pair

William, do you happen to have the seller information for those spring hats, or do you have the title of the item? I'm looking but I'm coming up with nothing for the rear spring hats.

[william]

Man I can't for the life of me remember. I just looked on ebay and can't find anything.
I think I searched 1- 7/8 coilover top hats or something like that.
That guy that was selling had them for 2.5 and 1 7/8th.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Spike]

Any updates on this? I'm ready to order and hottuning is saying there the same. Just don't wanna buy something I can't use.

Sorry! Ended up working 19 days straight at work. Finally got a 3 day weekend!!

It's the same set.

Installed the MK2 Caddy fronts today (didn't do rears today). With approx. 2 inches of threads left on the coilover sleeve (what I saw as Charlie's recommendation), my front height is 22 5/8" (measured from middle of fender down, using the front hub as a reference point), which is approx. 1/4" lower than it was before with KYB GR-2s and FMS springs. I'ma look through this thread and see what Advance/Charlie's height is and report back. It's really nice and low, though. Fixed my torque steer and inability to use full lock issues immediately, too!

Joe

EDIT: Can't find his numbers, but I know it was in the 22 1/4-3/4" range. If these were longer, no way I'd be that close.