Canadian (ontario) source for suspension parts?

[gsimpson]

Hi there,

I have to do some front suspension repair work on my '93 Festiva L, and am having trouble finding parts.

This all transpired when I replaced tie-rod ends, then took the car in for an alignment. The alignment guy said that I have broken springs, bad ball-joints and wrecked bearings. I suspected the bearings, and there have been some clunking noises, so I have purchased LCA and bearings for both sides. The trouble now is the springs. And if I have it taken apart to this level anyhow, I would like to replace struts.

By I can't find a parts store anywhere in or around London Ontario that has springs or struts. Even Rock Auto doesn't have springs, and the shipping to Canada for struts would be a little steep.

I have a donor car ('91) but it's got a lotta miles on it too, so I imagine those parts will be just as aged. Though I know lots of people here have great stories about Aspire and/or Rio swaps, but I just wanna get my lil' Steve back on the road.

Three questions:

1. How would I know I have a broken spring, as I can't see any physical breaks. Was the alignment guy just pulling my leg?

2. Where the heck can I get OE parts? Perhaps someone like Damkid can suggest a local source?

3. If I can't source local parts, and I don't have a donor Aspire, what other car's OE springs and/or struts would work and might be more available? Parts stores are having as much trouble finding '96 Aspire and '01 Rio parts too it seems.

Thanks folks, I appreciate any and all answers/suggestions.

[bravekozak]

Are you certain that Andy's, Baker's, Corey's and Earl's don't have any Festivas? As for the springs, take it to a place that has a coilover spring tester.

[Damkid]

I go up to London fairly often so I could possibly swing by and check it out

Actually now that I think of it, in Corey's auto wreckers on river rd they have a festiva with I think 106k km's on it, maybe a good one to get the springs from

[gsimpson]

Thanks for those replies. I hadn't tried the used places, I was kinda hoping to start with new. I shall give Corey's a call and see what they can do for me. Maybe the whole spring/strut and knuckle if it's there, save me fighting with spring compressors.

Damkid, when I get Steve back on the road it would be great to meet and talk Festy's for a bit. I work in London but live out in the far west end of Elgin county. Would love to see/hear your KZLE in person.

We do take family trips to Tillsonburg every now and again, but Steve's not the family car. Can't fit 3 kids in the back seat without a shoe-horn. Plus the lack of center seat belt.

[Damkid]

Lol last I seen, the festiva in Corey's still has the springs/struts/knuckles, but it's been a little while since I was there

But ya, if your gunna be in the area, shoot me a pm and I'll send ya my address (in case my festiva isn't on the road by then) and I'll happily meet up with you (and the family if they fit in the festiva lol)

[gsimpson]

Arrgh, called Corey's and the guy there gets no hits on Festiva struts, springs, anything. I might have to go visit to make sure they're serious about it. MyPartShop.com suggests that maybe Andy's has one.

[gsimpson]

... and Andy's apparently had a Festy, but scrapped it. What is this world coming too? Don't they know a goldmine when they see it?!?

[Bert]

I can sympathize. Over the counter Festiva springs disappeared here a long time ago and I've heard of numerous cars being consigned to the boneyards because of it.
However you will be pleased to know that Kio Rio springs are compatible. Hopefully your problems are at the front of the car in this regard because Rios are quite different at the back. U-Pulls and JYs will have them for sure and they're much newer. You will likely have to grind one, or one and a half, coils off to retain stock height.
Monroe 'Aspire' shock absorbers are still a new stock item in this neck of the woods and aside from very minor difference in height (to your advantage) of the spring perch are fully interchangeable. The hose connection bracket is slightly different but a nylon zip tie will get around that.
I have some left-over Festy hubs and knuckles etc. should you become desperate. They are by no means pristine but they're way better than a kick in the head.

[Damkid]

Itd be a shame if that one in Corey's is scrapped, there was basically no rust on that body

I remember it being an auto as well but it was getting pretty picked clean, no hatch, no interior, but the motor/trans was still there, I pulled the throttle cable off it though lol

[Damkid]

Have you looked on eBay for springs at all? Might be a shot on there

[FestYboy]

thought i saw some on the 'bay a few days ago.

as for "how can i tell"? if you don't see a broken spring or pieces missing, it ain't broke. springs dont go bad, they just loose unsprung hight as they age.

you can use honda civic or integra springs as a substitute, and i've been looking into the option of using Cirus/Sebring rear springs for the front of the festy (might need to be the convertable version but i don't think so)

[gsimpson]

Thanks Bert. Is there a specific year range of Kia springs that I need to be looking at? I had asked at Napa for 2001 Rio Springs and they couldn't source them either.

(Manotick? I lived in Kars for a few months about a decade ago.)

[gsimpson]

I have some reservations with eBay, had some poor previous experiences. Perhaps I need to get over myself

[PhoenixSHO]

Theres 3 in Dunham QC (pieces d'autos dunham), sitting in the dirt if you want to drive there.

[Bert]

Thanks Bert. Is there a specific year range of Kia springs that I need to be looking at? I had asked at Napa for 2001 Rio Springs and they couldn't source them either.

(Manotick? I lived in Kars for a few months about a decade ago.)

Yessiree Manotick is just up the road from the village of Kars and the former Bide-a-Wee restaurant/watering hole, which I'm sure you have attended.

There will someone more knowledgeable about Rio springs than me. Safety Guy is studied-up on this and Rectilinear has actually performed an entire Rio swap on to the front of one of his cars. Main thing is that the springs have an OEM diameter of 4 1/8 inch so as to sit snug on Festy or Aspire struts. May also be a perfect opportunity to experiment with Rio struts and top hats if you're going to try out their springs.
Let's face it we're running around in old cars and we live in salt-soaked Ontario. Spending money on brand new springs that will outlive you and the car is counter-productive in many respects. Used springs (especially if you luck upon some that are still shiny and black) from a crashed Rio will be newer and had less use than anything you can pull off a Festy and they'll be considerably cheaper.
There are 2 nut/bolts to remove from the strut at the bottom and two on either side of the center nut (don't undo that one) under the hood. If you do that at a U-Pull you'll have everything you could possibly need and all ready to swap over. Likely get out of there for around $50 for the both of them! If it's only the spring you want, undo the single nut in the middle of the top hat (under the hood) and the strut will release. Then be prepared to muck around trying to get it out of the wheel well and off the strut at the same time.