Can I roll a festiva?

[wizard907]

Ok, guys I just bought me a 90 festiva that's going to be converted into a little mountain runner and I was wondering if these things can be rolled over with the stock suspension.

I want to get a baseline to start, so that I know how much each part improved the car so I plan on running it pretty hard through a mtn course.

My other car is a 3000gt VR4 so this is quite a bit of a different ride for me and I'm just worried about rolling while it's still on its stock suspension.

[Festy46]

Re: Can I roll a festiva?

Ok, guys I just bought me a 90 festiva that's going to be converted into a little mountain runner and I was wondering if these things can be rolled over with the stock suspension.

They sure can be rolled. Take a look at the videos: "Roll Over 46.mpg" and "Roll Over Incar.mpg" at http://www.sdfcomputers.com/festivavids.htm
The car has stock springs, Festiva Sensatrac Struts on LF, RF, LR, and an Aspire Sensatrac Strut on the RR. All other suspension parts are stock auto part store parts.

[packrat427]

I can't believe you would treat a Festy that way :toothy10: :happy8:
J/K

[ericsmith32]

Yup rolled my first one over by hitting black ice then hitting the ditch. It was just enough to get it going. We rolled it back over started it up and drove it home. Lesson learned from this was to always wear seatbelts.

[4cylDreadnaught]

Yup rolled my first one over by hitting black ice then hitting the ditch. It was just enough to get it going. We rolled it back over started it up and drove it home. Lesson learned from this was to always wear seatbelts.

I thought the lesson was "Shinny side up, rubber side down.."

[wantahertzdonut]

You can roll anything if you try hard enough. Somewhere I even have a picture of a rolled Hummer (the real one, not the sissy H2 wannabe).

[eye_of_ra93]

I went into a flat spin in my Festy at about 45 mph, I had a bad brake caliper so one side stopped and the other didn't. I did about 3 revolution spins "in a flat spin" thank God I had low-pro tires cause I probably would of flipped. I imagine it could be done in a stock wheel base on the 12 inch wheels easily.

[freshtiva]

roll overs

I had my front brakes adjusted to tight once and accidentally flipped mine end over end trying to stop at a stop light. Fortunately the car made a complete revolution and landed back on the tires without damaging the car. I sure was lucky! I hate when that happens.

[Kindred]

You flipped your festiva end-over-end without doing any body, glass, or suspension damage? I find that hard to believe.

[Andrew]

i find it hard to believe that it did that and landed back on the tires

[Safety Guy]

"Somersaulting" a Festiva should be someone's next project!!

Some ideas:

-remove the front bumper and add a piece of thick steel plate that can more easily dig into the road

-lighten up the rear end more so it rises easier

-have only a gallon or two in the gas tank

-get the Aspire brake conversion in front with wide, grippy tires

-skinny tires in back with standard Festiva rear axle and brakes

-rivet or bolt strips of tire tread to your roof to better "cushion" the roll

And so on...

Karl

[packrat427]

How did you adjust your front brakes too tight?
I did that once ,but that was on a 1966 car that had 4 wheel drum brakes. :lol:

[freshtiva]

"ENDO"

Yeah, I couldn't believe it either. As soon as I knew what was happening I shifted my weight forward. The amazing thing was that It cleared several cars that where in the intersection at the time. Boy you should have seen their faces! At first I thought the expressions were shear terror. Later, realizing that I was upside down at the time, the expressions were probably awe and envy of the festivas handling capabilities. Good thing I had a travel lid on my coffee.

[25Horseplay]

I find this to be "just a story", I have seen cars that have flipped/rolled and everyone of them had some damage. I did date a girl who rolled her car in the median on the freeway and landed on its tires. but it was full of dents. End over end???????? I find that really hard to believe.

[Safety Guy]

Think of the force put on the front suspension as it rolls back onto the front tires! If it actually was able to do that, it would be quite a thump.

The whole roof would be scarred and wrinkled and I would think there would be some "pillar shortening." And some crushing or scarring of the leading edge of the hood, front and rear bumpers.

Got pics??

Pics should show some kind of damage to the front, back and roof surfaces, but nothing on the sides. As already noted, I would also expect some damage to the front suspension.

I can see a Festiva rolling side over side and still being driveable. Those forces shouldn't be too bad in some cases. But "end over end" forces would be more extreme. Even as short as a Festiva is, it would be quite difficult to pitch so much it would flip over longitudinally.

Freshstiva posted:

The amazing thing was that It cleared several cars that where in the intersection at the time.

Could you explain this sentence a bit more thoroughly? What do you mean by "cleared?" I think I know what you mean but if I'm right, you couldn't be serious.

Unless you are one of the Dukes... :?

Karl