Anti-sway bar steel

[Advancedynamix]

You may want to avoid the A style control arms like a 323. The Festy has a big traction advantage with it's trailing link style suspension. Trailing link suspension pushes the wheels downward with TQ load. You don't get that with A arms. My Cayman has the same style suspension as the Festiva has on the front on all 4 corners, but it doesn't have the shock absorbing link design like the Festiva has. Every time I see someone replace the festiva setup with a 323 setup I shake my head. They swapped out a Porsche proven design for a vw rabbit, thinking it was better. Doh!
I've driven lots and lots of fast mk1 and mk2 v-dubs as well as fast BF chassis Mazdas. None of them compare to a Festy.

[festyfreak39]

You may want to avoid the A style control arms like a 323. The Festy has a big traction advantage with it's trailing link style suspension. Trailing link suspension pushes the wheels downward with TQ load. You don't get that with A arms. My Cayman has the same style suspension as the Festiva has on the front on all 4 corners, but it doesn't have the shock absorbing link design like the Festiva has. Every time I see someone replace the festiva setup with a 323 setup I shake my head. They swapped out a Porsche proven design for a vw rabbit, thinking it was better. Doh!
I've driven lots and lots of fast mk1 and mk2 v-dubs as well as fast BF chassis Mazdas. None of them compare to a Festy.

Ice is a different ball game the mk1 golf is significantly better handling then a festiva on ice stock for stock. The reason would be to remove the front sway bar

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[Dragonhealer]

Ice is a different ball game the mk1 golf is significantly better handling then a festiva on ice stock for stock. The reason would be to remove the front sway bar

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Might be easier to fit 01-05 KIA Rio trailing links to remove the front bar.

[Icedawg]

sorry I got a duplicate post when the internet crashed on me

[Icedawg]

Might be easier to fit 01-05 KIA Rio trailing links to remove the front bar.

Yeah I looked at that, even bought the junkyard parts. It is not a bolt on, that's for sure. There would be a fair amount of fab work to make it work, which if you do that sort of thing is feasible,and if you don't weld means you have to have a really good friend who likes to fuss with designing and making things. And I pretty much already used up Hiroki's generosity on that sort of thing, for a fair while I think; at least I have to be pretty judicious in requests.

[Icedawg]

I'd suggest stiffer front rebound dampening to start with. Anyone with years of racing experience tuning high end suspension will tell you that the valving on one end or corner of the car needs to compliment the other end or corner of the car just as much as it controls the individual shock itself.

I keep reading this shock valving stuff, Charlie, but I have no information on how to sort it out. It's a bit frustrating. Where do I find information on how to revalve a KY-B or Monroe strut for a Festi or Aspire? Where do I get information on what valve rates they have, and what parts to buy to change them? Where do I learn how much to adjust the rates? Can these units even be opened and resealed? Or do I need to be looking at Koni's and Beilsteins, and mods to make them fit the car? If so, can I even get soft enough valve settings for performance tarmac shocks? Keep in mind an ice racer is meant to be pretty cheap and cheerful, and as Julian so recently documented bringing parts in from the US doubles the cost compared to what you pay, so the VW shocks are a lot to invest in.

[festyfreak39]

I'm wondering if we could use the coilover setup with much softer springs

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[festyfreak39]

I keep reading this shock valving stuff, Charlie, but I have no information on how to sort it out. It's a bit frustrating. Where do I find information on how to revalve a KY-B or Monroe strut for a Festi or Aspire? Where do I get information on what valve rates they have, and what parts to buy to change them? Where do I learn how much to adjust the rates? Can these units even be opened and resealed? Or do I need to be looking at Koni's and Beilsteins, and mods to make them fit the car? If so, can I even get soft enough valve settings for performance tarmac shocks? Keep in mind an ice racer is meant to be pretty cheap and cheerful, and as Julian so recently documented bringing parts in from the US doubles the cost compared to what you pay, so the VW shocks are a lot to invest in.

My southwest speed order was actually just under 400CAD hahahahaha don't tell my gf.

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[Advancedynamix]

I keep reading this shock valving stuff, Charlie, but I have no information on how to sort it out. It's a bit frustrating. Where do I find information on how to revalve a KY-B or Monroe strut for a Festi or Aspire? Where do I get information on what valve rates they have, and what parts to buy to change them? Where do I learn how much to adjust the rates? Can these units even be opened and resealed? Or do I need to be looking at Koni's and Beilsteins, and mods to make them fit the car? If so, can I even get soft enough valve settings for performance tarmac shocks? Keep in mind an ice racer is meant to be pretty cheap and cheerful, and as Julian so recently documented bringing parts in from the US doubles the cost compared to what you pay, so the VW shocks are a lot to invest in.

These days, I've got a couple friends with shock dynos, but when I started this stuff I learned to push and pull on the shocks to feel what each was like. I still do that even when I get shock data. I've learned that my arm is pretty accurate, lol.
It's really not that complicated once you know the basics. I can elaborate more on that, but it would be best for a separate thread on shock and spring selection.
To revalve a Monroe or KYB you've gotta cut it apart with a pipe cutter. To be able to reassemble it without a pressurized nitrogen chamber, you've gotta fit a fill hole with Schrader valve.
It's just easier to buy cheap strut inserts and try them and push and pull on them until you get a literal "feel" for what you need.
I have never ice raced, and my Festiva ice experience is limited to a few test runs, but I'm no nube to driving or racing on the slippery stuff. My first experiences with setting up race cars was SCCA pro forest rally in Maine. I've set up and test driven quite a few A arm equipped cars (VW and Mazda) in the snow and ice. To me, it feels like the Festiva gets better driving traction than the VWs. As far as turn in goes, that's a book to be written, but we should focus on increasing front grip, rather than reducing rear. Reducing grip is detuning the car, on either end.
Since I use a decel/turn in to set the front in these cars, and you can't use the brakes on ice with rubber, I'd focus on a driveline that has a perfect engine braking to set the front. That would be my focus to get the rear to come out. The sway bar removal is also a great way to get the front grip you need. Maybe just make a set of trailing links like the rio has.
I would avoid stiffer springs and stiffer sway bars on either end if you want to be faster.

[Advancedynamix]

I could schmuggle suspension into Canada and barter it for syrup and beaver pelts. The cost to ship to Canada is ridiculous.

[Advancedynamix]

If I was to put a festiva on the ice, I'd use front shocks inserts for a Hyundai excel/mitsubishi precis. Just a hint there guys. Those have a quick compression and slow rebound and they are cheap as acorns.
Another trick I've considered is using snowmobile front shocks on the back of a Festy. You can get a set of Fox clickers off an old Cat for pennies on the dollar (for a remote res clicker shock that can be revalved and rebuilt with tools you can get off eBay.)
Gotta get creative if you wanna be frugal.

[Icedawg]

I could schmuggle suspension into Canada and barter it for syrup and beaver pelts. The cost to ship to Canada is ridiculous.

Yeah and you have probably not even factored in the UPS nearly standard "brokerage fee" of about $80 Can per order, even if it was worth only $20!!!

[Advancedynamix]

Time for good ol' fashion bootlegging, aye?

[Dragonhealer]

Way off topic, but if you drive from Canada on a trip to the US, and while there your car breaks , after fixing your car, when you drive home to Canada, do you have to declare the repair parts and pay a duty on them?

[Advancedynamix]

Or what if I drove to Canada and decided my suspension was too good for the drive home, and I didn't want to risk getting a ticket because I drive too fast with good suspension? Could I legally swap a Canadian for his stock suspension?