Ultimate Street suspension guide

[mikemounlio]

Put it on the car as is. Let the suspension free hang. The spring needs to be under tension even if the tires leave the ground. Once all under tension you can adjust even more to get more preload and a bit more ride height. But that's about it for my abilty. I put me so I had tension. All around. Then adjusted them both the same amount up just to make sure all was the same.

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[Advancedynamix]

Like Mike said. Brian, you'll want to have a friend help you get the car to sit level with you in the car. Use a tape measure with the car on flat, level ground. Measure from the ground up to the body seam on all 4 corners.

[Advancedynamix]

Brian, what rate are those?

[bhearts]

Brian, what rate are those?

175 in the front, 120s in the rear

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[bhearts]

So I want it level with me in the car, up to the body seam, which I'm assuming could mean the bottom of the door, what height is your car set at to the bottom of the door.

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[Advancedynamix]

175 in the front, 120s in the rear

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175 fronts won't sag much, if any so you aren't going to have much adjustment. It's going to ride higher than stock. Also, I'm afraid that 175lb springs with stock shock valving are going to handle really badly. The stock shocks are valved too loosely for the stock spring rate (that's why these cars feel so cheap and loose with stock suspension). You've now drastically raised the rate rise of the springs and your relying on stock valving to control it. It's going to pogo badly. This causes the wheel hop that blows up differential assembles in FWD cars.

So I want it level with me in the car, up to the body seam, which I'm assuming could mean the bottom of the door, what height is your car set at to the bottom of the door.

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I personally measure to the lowest pinch weld seam on the body. The rear should sit a bit higher. You can use the fender well too, but it's hard to get an accurate measure there. I can't remember where mine sits, but I'll check today.

[nitrofarm]

It almost makes sense to try lighter springs in front with stock shocks. I've tried the heavier & it does Pogo and is crap. We always think heavier is better with springs,but Charlie is right. The wimpy almost non-existent dampen off the oem Rio,Festy & Aspire struts. Are not suited to stiff springs.

[william]

What is the factory rear camber for the festiva beam?
I just put a camber gauge on my aspire beam swapped festiva and have about 1.75 negative camber .
My rear has the vw rears with 120 springs all the way up .
I have about 16th toe out in the rear .
I guess my question is Will I be able to achieve the 3 degrees with the moog shims and when I lower the car will I gain + camber and toe?

[Advancedynamix]

That sounds odd William. The stock festiva settings are actually positive camber iirc. They sit at about 0 to .6 degrees I think. I have never checked an aspire though, maybe the Aspire beam has negative camber. Yes, as you lower the car your toe out will become negative camber. If your sitting close to -2 degrees then the shims should get you close to -3. I think moog offers different angle choices in those shims.

[Advancedynamix]

It almost makes sense to try lighter springs in front with stock shocks. I've tried the heavier & it does Pogo and is crap. We always think heavier is better with springs,but Charlie is right. The wimpy almost non-existent dampen off the oem Rio,Festy & Aspire struts. Are not suited to stiff springs.

The reason I've settled with the 120lb 12" front springs (or 150lb for DOHC G series cars) is because the adjustment range is perfect for the VW coilovers and the spring rate rise matches the shock valving of those shocks well on a Festiva. We need to remember that a 120lb spring is only a 120lb spring when compressed 1 inch. At rest it's closer to a 100lb spring, and when compressed 6" is closer to a 200lb spring. You adjust your spring rate with preload, not by just putting a stiffer spring on the car. The reason I suggest the 150lb springs on G series equipped cars is because the engine is further forward and there is more weight on the front wheels. The 150lb springs have a faster rate rise which matches the extra load of the heavier driveline which is moved forward. Both the 120lb springs and the 150lb springs can be adjusted to 175lbs, if you need that, with the preload adjusters.

[shorestiva]

That sounds odd William. The stock festiva settings are actually positive camber iirc. They sit at about 0 to .6 degrees I think. I have never checked an aspire though, maybe the Aspire beam has negative camber. Yes, as you lower the car your toe out will become negative camber. If your sitting close to -2 degrees then the shims should get you close to -3. I think moog offers different angle choices in those shims.

I think my aspire beam with the vw setup is either 0* -1* it's been awhile since I've had it on the rack at work.

[william]

That sounds odd William. The stock festiva settings are actually positive camber iirc. They sit at about 0 to .6 degrees I think. I have never checked an aspire though, maybe the Aspire beam has negative camber. Yes, as you lower the car your toe out will become negative camber. If your sitting close to -2 degrees then the shims should get you close to -3. I think moog offers different angle choices in those shims.

Thank you I'll look into the shims.
I can't wait to get my fronts done it already handles pretty good.

[nitrofarm]

Yes, as you lower the car your toe out will become negative camber.

If you lower a car with a rear beam you get Neg Toe & Neg Camber... yes or no? Thanks-

[Advancedynamix]

As the beam rotates toe out turns into negative camber and negative camber turns into toe in.

[nitrofarm]

Confusing to me but Im not the brightest bulb. Maybe if I saw it in a diagram it would help me. But thanks for the clarification-